Jessi Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 I finished The Book Thief yesterday! I loved it too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 I had to abandon The Victorian Time Traveller one-third in. It was such complete rubbish that I won't even bother wasting any energy writing about why it was so bad. I have almost finished Another Day In The Frontal Lobe and will review it as soon as possible. And have started reading World War II London Blitz Diary (A woman's Revelations Enduring War and Marriage) which is an absolute hoot, I am a quarter of the way through it already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 Another Day In The Frontal Lobe A brain surgeon exposes life on the inside Katrina S. Firlik 4/6 A good solid read! Written in a straightforward, easy to read style, this is the inside story of what it is actually like to be a brain surgeon. Never dull, and never less than totally absorbing, This woman does love her job. Every other page seems to reveal either some amazing fact about the human brain or some of the more memorable cases that she worked on. Some of them are tragic, like the beautiful baby boy that cried and drank milk and moved its arms and legs and nobody could believe was not normal, but in fact its little skull was completely filled with fluid, he had been born with no brain at all. The author also talks about the emotional highs and lows of being responsible in life or death situations, yet trying to lead a normal life outside the operating room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Another Day In The Frontal Lobe A brain surgeon exposes life on the inside Katrina S. Firlik 4/6 A good solid read! Written in a straightforward, easy to read style, this is the inside story of what it is actually like to be a brain surgeon. Never dull, and never less than totally absorbing, This woman does love her job. Every other page seems to reveal either some amazing fact about the human brain or some of the more memorable cases that she worked on. Some of them are tragic, like the beautiful baby boy that cried and drank milk and moved its arms and legs and nobody could believe was not normal, but in fact its little skull was completely filled with fluid, he had been born with no brain at all. The author also talks about the emotional highs and lows of being responsible in life or death situations, yet trying to lead a normal life outside the operating room. Sounds very interesting; I used to want to be a doctor, even did two years of med-school, so I'd love to read something that gives you a bit on insight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Sounds an interesting read, i wouldn't have thought a brain surgeon would have time to write a book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 Sounds an interesting read, i wouldn't have thought a brain surgeon would have time to write a book A male one wouldn't have but you know women can multitask Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sofia Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 2013 Wish List Ones with a line through have been purchased and moved to TBR pile Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children I'd be happy to send you my copy...I've read it (and loved it) and it's just sitting around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 I'd be happy to send you my copy...I've read it (and loved it) and it's just sitting around Yes please Sofia! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Another Day In The Frontal Lobe sounds interesting - have you read Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything? I think you'd enjoy it - it's sort of part memoir and travel, but all about the authors investigation into memory and he covers some of the biology of the brain in it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 No, Moonwalking sounds like another one that I would enjoy though thanks Claire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmeagain Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Happy reading in 2013! You've got some great books coming up, particularly would like to recommend A Fine Balance. I second that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 Yes I think I will get to A Fine Balance pretty soon. Tonight I just finished World War II London Blitz Diary. And have now started two others. My system is now that I have a kindle book and a paperback on the go at the same time, so that I can switch between each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 (edited) World War II Blitz Diary - A Woman's Revelations Enduring War And Marriage..1939-1940 (Volume 1) Ruby Alice Side This book straight away hits you like a bomb! It is so raw. A woman's angry private thoughts at a most important juncture of history. Really I have never read anything this visceral. Ruby leaves nothing back. She hates her husband. She hates the fact that two of her sons have gone to war. She hates her in laws . And she comes to hate the war and blames it all squarely on men. She loves to read and buys books to cheer herself up. I did not realise that the word feminist was in use at this time but Ruby considers herself one and has a sort of secret war going on with her husband, who is completely unaware! Her only pleasure, is to read and to write in her secret diary. She has many disparaging things to say about the old movie version of Wuthering Heights! At first you can see the funny side of what she is writing but then as the blitz intensifies (to sometimes 8 German bombing raids a day and night) you can see the terror and stress on the page . She leaves nothing back. It is REAL LIFE and a slice of British history. This was either free or very cheap on the kindle. I must now get the other 3 volumes no matter what. These diaries were discovered by her Grandaughter Adele after Ruby's death who decided to publish them exactly as they are without editing. Please read this you will not be disappointed ! I am really sad that my mother could not have read this book, she came from London and lived through the war (she was in the WAAF, which later became the WRAF). She would have identified with Ruby I am sure. Edited January 9, 2013 by vodkafan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I thought for a start that this was a fictional book but see that it's a real-life diary. And it's FREE on the Kindle! (amazon.com anyway). Thank you so much for sharing this VF, it sounds fascinating. I love true war stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookmonkey Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 That sounds really interesting VF. I like books set during/between the wars, and true stories are even better. The Brain surgeon one sounds really interesting too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 World War II Blitz Diary - A Woman's Revelations Enduring War And Marriage..1939-1940 My mother told me a few weeks back that her mother was in the WAAF here in Australia. I thought for a start that this was a fictional book but see that it's a real-life diary. And it's FREE on the Kindle! (amazon.com anyway). Thank you so much for sharing this VF, it sounds fascinating. I love true war stories. Thank you! I just grabbed it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 I am loving it that everybody (well two of you!) is grabbing the Blitz Diary. It is always fun to share a book find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I have the Blitz Diary on my kindle, can't wait to read it now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 I have the Blitz Diary on my kindle, can't wait to read it now! That's cool Laura I think it will be up your street. Will enjoy reading your review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 I like the sound of The Blitz Diary but when i checked it out on Amazon it's much more expensive for the paperback, nearly made me wish i had a kindle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 10, 2013 Author Share Posted January 10, 2013 I like the sound of The Blitz Diary but when i checked it out on Amazon it's much more expensive for the paperback, nearly made me wish i had a kindle Yes you need a kindle Kidsmum ! Come over to the dark side. Resistance is useless. I saw on telly they were giving away free kindles with a mobile phone contract. There is no excuse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 (edited) I have the kindle app on my ipad, so handy. I have been looking at kindles though, considering one if books get too hard for me to hold. Ipad is good for everything but reading books imo, it can get rather heavy when you have to carry it around in your bag all day. Edited January 10, 2013 by Devi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 The Maid's Tale: life below stairs as it really was Rose Plummer with Tom Quinn 4/6 This was one of three books about "olden times" I got some time ago from the works. Rose Plummer was born in 1910 in the East End and was lucky enough to get a bit of schooling (it had only just became free for all children , although still not every child went to school) and when she was 15 was accepted as a live in maid at a house in the West End. I found it an easy read and interesting. It is amazing the amount of control the employers had over the servants lives, the bullying hierarchy of the servants themselves, and all the period details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 Five High (Stephanie Plum #5) Janet Evanovitch 3/6 More Stephanie Plum madness. Although I rated the last SP book 4/6, I dropped this one down to 3 because for the first time I noticed the author seemed to be recycling some plot situations and even some phrases from the earlier books. However, she did develop a couple of the main characters a bit more and introduced a new element of sexual tension from an unexpected direction, which ended the book on a question mark? Still a fun read, just hope Janet Evanovitch can keep them original, as I am only 5 books in, I still have 15 novels and 3 novellas to go. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I gave up after about the 9th Stephanie Plum book, VF. She does keep recycling things, so they are a bit samey. They were still good for a light read, but I realised I should focus on other books instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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