eschulenburg
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Posts posted by eschulenburg
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Are you planning on reading it one day? I really loved it. It took a while to get into, but it really got very good and the ending is just brilliant.
Yes, I'm definitely going to read it. My sister says that "A Tale of Two Cities" and "The Man in the Iron Mask" were her two favorite classics from high school, and I faked my way through both of them, so I have to read them someday!
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I just finished "The White Mary" a couple of days ago, and was really sad to put it down.
I find that when a book really affects me in some way, I have such a hard time picking up a new one - I put it off and find something else to do (like reading on BCF!
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I had to read Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain a grand total of FOUR times in my educational life, and I just hated it more each and every time. I have an almost unreasonable hatred for this book. I can hardly even say why anymore, but I know it's true.
Other books I remember reading are:
To Kill a Mockingbird - loved it
Uncle Tom's Cabin - a tough read, but some great discussions
The Epic of Gilgamesh - ??? still clueless on this one
Silas Marner - yuck
Romeo and Juliet - I have no idea how my conservative, protestant school allowed us to read this, but it was a good one
Cry, the Beloved Country - magnificent
A Tale of Two Cities - pretty sure I never actually read this one...
Return of the Native - ...or this one...
The Scarlet Letter - loved this one too
Pride and Prejudice - I happen to LOVE Jane Austen
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I'm new to the challenge thing to - I have joined a few "officially", and I have a few that are just personal challenges. I like the concept of a challenge because it gives me something to work towards - my only problem is that they ALL sound interesting, and pretty soon I've got way too many going at once!
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Review - The White Mary by Kira Salak
Marika Vacera is a journalist who has written about some of the most dangerous and horrific conflicts in the world. She has just returned from an terrifying assignment in the Congo when she learns that Robert Lewis, another journalist and her personal hero, has committed suicide. Marika decides to write a biography of Lewis, and in the course of her research she comes across information that seems to indicate that he might not be dead - in fact, he might be alive in Papua New Guinea. Marika decides to leave Seb, the man she loves, and embark on a journey through the jungle to try and discover the truth. With only her native guide, Tobo, Marika struggles to stay alive long enough to find out whether Lewis is alive or dead.
This book is quite amazing. Kira Salak is an award-winning journalist, and many of the experiences that Marika has in the novel are Salak's own. I truly do not believe that this book could have been written by someone who had not lived this life. Salak literally makes the jungle come alive - each page is brimming with details. The reader can hear the sounds, smell the smells, and see the sights that Marika encounters on her travels. Salak describes mosquite bites and leaches, as well as gun battles and torture, with the voice of one who has been there.
Salak also creates rich, interesting characters whose lives jump off the page. Marika is damaged, and the defense mechanisms she has built for herself are so strong that she is virtually unable to allow herself to be happy. Seb is wise and good, but with enough past baggage to be believable. Robert Lewis is weird, and difficult, but has moments of brilliance that allow the reader to understand why Marika has idolized him for so long. Tobo is perhaps the most interesting character - thrust into a situation he never wanted, he is patient but tough with Marika, and helps her make several very important discoveries about herself and her world. None of the characters are perfect - not even likable at times - but the flaws makes them seem completely real.
Salak has written a novel about journeys, and discovery, and figuring out what truly matters in life. I loved this book from start to finish, and will be recommeding it to everyone who will listen. Go read this book! It is brilliant, and will most certainly be on my list of favorites.
Finished: 7/9/08
Source: ARC from publisher
Rating: 9/10
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the Pern Series by Anne McCaffrey -- I've been following this series for 30 years.
Oh, I love Pern!!
My favorite fantasy author is Guy Gavriel Kay. He creates the most amazing worlds!
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Man, I seriously want to read this one - I've read nothing but good reviews from the people lucky enough to snag a copy.
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My pet hate is stickers on books - can't possibly read a book unless I remove it!
Man, I thought I was the only one that hated this! So glad to know I'm not alone!
I buy and borrow - I have a fantastic library about 5 minutes from my house, and use it when I want to try out new authors. I usually only buy books from used bookstores, or when they are on sale racks, although sometimes I can't help myself.
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Review - Popular Music from Vittula by Mikael Niemi
Matti and his best friend Niila grew up in Pajala, Sweden, north of the Artic Circle. It's a small town that even Sweden forgot existed. As an adult Matti narrates the story of his childhood, we are given a glimpse of what it is like to grow up in a place where time seems to stand still.
Matti and Niila shared everything growing up - their first days at school, their first tastes of alcohol, their first kisses, their first experience with death. Most importantly, they discover together a passion for music, first in a Beatles record, and later as they start their own band. As they grow from young boys to men, we share with them their loves, heartaches, and wonders.
Niemi has written a beautiful, funny, heartwrenching novel. He allows the reader to feel the confusion and frustration every child feels growing up, even in a completely foreign location. Occasionally, his narrator takes leaps into magical realism, which only serves to emphasize the dream-like world that children sometimes inhabit. Of course, he often also has the reader laughing out loud at some of the outlandish situations the boys find themselves in - wait till you read the mouse episode. Hilarious! I thoroughly enjoyed this well written coming of age story.
Finished: 7/4/08
Source: Franklin Avenue Library
Rating: 7/10
**thanks ii for the recommend on this one!!
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I enjoyed your review So far I've only read Neverwhere, but I'm looking forward to reading more of his work. I have Good Omens on my TBR pile so I might read that next.
heh - I just felt like such a dork, posting a review with virtually no "review" - just "OhmygoshIloveit!!" I always wish I could live a few days in his head - I cannot imagine how he comes up with the stuff he writes.
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I started watching the series before I read the first book, and I actually think I prefer the series - I know, that's almost blasphemy! But the characters in the series are so ingrained in my mind that the places where they are different in the book really bugged me. I can't wait for season 3 to start!
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1 - I am married with no kids, but we have 2 very spoiled pets - a border collie named Kadie, and a ferret named Chase
2 - I don't have an artistic bone in my body, but I love to play the piano and took lessons for 15 years - playing is my creative outlet
3 - I hate, hate, hate cleaning my house
4 - I don't have a lot of friends, but the ones I do have mean the world to me and I'd do anything for them
5 - I'm going to be an aunt in November!!
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I've actually read them both ways, and didn't feel like I missed out either way, since the books are all about different characters.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is my favorite!!
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(my apologies for a review that is basically useless...)
Review - Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman
It's almost impossible for me to think of something intelligent to say about this book, other than "Go read this if you don't you're insane", but I know that's not terribly helpful for people who have 1000s of titles calling their name. It's a book of short stories, poems, character sketches, and a novella, so it's an easy book to dip in and out of, as I have been doing for the past couple of weeks. I've had a bit of a book-crush on Gaiman since reading his "Sandman" series - this isn't quite as heart stopping as that series, but it's pretty dang close.
Here's what Gaiman does better than just about anyone else - he writes a first sentence that makes it impossible to not keep reading. Here's a sample of first lines from this book:
"It is the immensity, I believe. The hugeness of things below. The darkness of dreams."
"October was in the chair, so it was chilly that evening, and the leaves were red and orange and tumbled from the trees that circled the grove."
"I like things to be story-shaped."
"In every way that counted, I was dead."
" 'If you ask me,' said the little man to Shadow, 'you're something of a monster. Am I right?' "
Don't you just want to know what comes next? This collection has a detective story, a zombie story, an alien story, a story about an epicurean club, a story set in the world of The Matrix, several poems, and so much more. If you like stuff a little weird, but beautifully written and with amazing ideas, I'd encourage you to jump into Neil Gaiman's head with this book. It's worth it!
Finished: 6/27/08
Source: My bookshelves
Rating: 8/10
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Review - Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi
Zoe Boutin Perry's life is about as exciting as a 17-year-old's can get. Her parents are the leaders of a new colony that is about to be founded. She has just made a new best friend, Gretchen, and is about to have a boyfriend, Enzo. She is practically a goddess to a race of aliens, the Obin, who have sent two of its members, Hickory and Dickory, to be her bodyguards. And then her ship gets "lost" as it jumps to her new world, and everything starts to go downhill from there...
This book is really good. Scalzi has written other books in this universe which I have not read, so I was worried that I would not completely understand what was going on, but I was immediately drawn into the story and did not feel like I was missing anything. He gives the reader background information in various ways - flashbacks, character memories, and character's storytelling - that catches you up but doesn't bog down the flow of the plot.
Scalzi does an incredible job of capturing the voice of a 17-year-old girl. Her sarcasm and angst were pitch perfect - I can remember feeling the emotions he has Zoe experience. His supporting characters are also vividly drawn - each character feels unique, both humans and aliens. He is able to interject some really beautiful writing in between pages of exciting action, which made me want to savor the reading experience, even as I couldn't wait to turn the page to see what would happen next. I found myself slowing down towards the end, however, because I sincerely did not want to leave Zoe and her family.
This book is really good. I know I already said that, but it bears repeating. I can't wait to read more by this author, and am so glad I was given the opportunity to meet Zoe and experience this wonderful story.
Finished: 6/21/08
Source: ARC from publisher
Rating: 9/10
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I will agree with everyone who has said "The Handmaid's Tale" is wonderful - I've read it multiple times, and each time it was completely engrossing.
I read "Escape" not too long ago - it was interesting, but I felt like it could have used some editing.
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Review - Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood by Taras Grescoe
Taras Grescoe is a seafood lover. He is a piscatarian - he has eliminated meat an poultry from his diet, which means he pretty much eats seafood every day. He has also become increasingly concerned about the increasing reports that some seafood can be dangerous to your health, and the methods of harvesting seafood can be extremely dangerous to the global enviroment. So, Grescoe decides to find out for himself - he embarks on a world tour, talking to fish catchers, fish farmers, fish sellers, fish cookers, fish eaters, fish suppliers, and fish lovers from all points of the globe. He eats some pretty amazing meals, and comes away with a different perspective on eating seafood.
This book was fascinating. I live in Iowa, where we don't have a huge variety of native seafood, so much of the information in the book was completely new to me. Grescoe explains some of the reasons many fisheries are nearing collapse - overfishing, bad methods of fishing, and fish farming have resulted in a large number of fish that are on the verge of being commercially extinct. He also explains that many famous chefs, by continuing to insist on offering these nearly extinct fish on their menus, are contributing to the demand for them worldwide, leading to more bad fishing methods and overfishing.
He explains the concept of trophic levels, which is the number assigned to every living thing on earth based on what they consume. Phytoplankton are given a 1, and a human is given a 5. He then shows that fish at the highest trophic levels - tuna, cod, Chilean sea bass, shark - are the ones that are most often overfished, and often contain the most contaminants. He then presents the concept of bottomfeeding - eating the fish at lower trophic levels, such as halibut, mackerel, oysters, and trout. These fish have fewer contaminants, making them healthier for us, and are generally harvested in sustainable ways, making them healthier for the environment as well. At the end of the book, he offers several pages of resources designed to assist consumers in making more ethical seafood choices.
Grescoe's book is not only interesting, but incredibly entertaining. He does a great job of bringing the many characters he meets on his travels to life. His ability to capture the flavor of the meal he is eating made it easy to put myself in his place. I also appreciated his honesty about many of the internal struggles he experienced - wanting to eat something delicious, but knowing the dangerous or unethical way it was harvested. It is rare to enjoy reading a book that teaches me so much, but this book offered both entertainment and enlightenment, and I am very glad I was able to read it.
Finished: 6/21/08
Source: ARC from Bloomsbury USA
Rating: 8/10
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Haruto Suzuki is a police inspector assigned to investigate the murder of a businessman in a Tokyo hotel. In the course of his investigation, he finds himself stowed away on a cruise ship, unwittingly witnessing a meeting between Japanese government and millitary officials and an Israeli army officer, discussing a shocking deal - trading nuclear bombs for intelligent robots.
Smith has updated the classic Asimov idea - the rise of intelligent robots - using cutting-edge science. He spends much of the beginning stages of the novel giving readers a mini lesson in artificial intelligence, using diagrams to illustrate much of the science. Smith is able to integrate the facts into the flow of the narrative well, so the story does not get bogged down in detail. Smith also includes an extensive bibliography at the end of the book to allow readers to delve further into many areas of interest examined by the novel.
In Haruto Suzuki, Smith has created an interesting, complex hero. Suzuki's fellow police officers call him "jinzouningen", which means an artifical human, and Smith draws many parallels between Suzuki and the robots he discovers. Suzuki's dependence on the rules he sets out for himself echoes the programmed rules the robots follow, as does his inability to allow intimacy. His obsessive-compulsive tendencies increase the sense that he does not fit in with the people around him. Smith's secondary characters are not as vividly drawn, leaving the reader to wonder at times about the motivations behind some of their actions.
Smith has written an exciting, fast-paced novel with elements that feel at times startlingly familiar. I would expect science fiction fans to enjoy this novel as much as I did.
Finished: 6/15/08
Rating: 7/10
Source: ARC from author
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About Lander: I'm sorry you couldn't find The Home of The Dark Butterflies (I checked the traslation) as it's really really good. It's her most popular book, so by all logic it shoud be on Amazon.
I'm still looking - I might get lucky at some point.
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I think I remember hating the first book she wrote. It's good to know I won't be missing anything by skipping this one.
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Norway: Naive.Super by Erlend Loe is brilliant! I've recommended that book on several occasions, it's great.
Finland: Anything by Leena Lander, especially the House of Dark Butterflies, or however it's translated. That's really good. For historical view, V
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Hi eschulenburg,
'The Girl who Stopped Swimming' sounds interesting but I am sorry it was not up to scratch, it is disappointing when you have read brilliant books by a specific author and then you are let down.
What other books has Joshilyn Jackson read?
Joshilyn Jackson's other two books are "gods in alabama" and "Between, Georgia". I thought both of them were brilliant.
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Review - The Girl who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson
Laurel can see ghosts. At least, she had always seen them, until she married her husband, David. Then they stopped. So when the ghost of her daughter's friend, Molly, appears to her just minutes before she finds Molly's dead body in her swimming pool, Laurel knows something is bad wrong. As she tries to find out what happened to Molly, she uncovers ghosts from her own childhood, and secrets her daughter is keeping from her as well.
Having read and enjoyed Jackson's previous two novels, I was really, really excited for this one. I was expecting another complex, layered novel about buried family secrets and the possibilities of redemption. I expected a fascinating heroine, and well-developed supporting characters. I don't think I quite got either of those. About halfway through the novel, I had the sinking feeling that I knew where it was headed - unfortunately, I was almost 100% correct. I also found myself irritated with Laurel, the main character, throughout much of the novel. Her sister, Thalia, was much more interesting and complex. There were a couple of characters who could have been equally interesting, but just didn't ever get completely fleshed out. I think maybe I just had my expectations up too high, since I had loved both of her previous novels so much. I still enjoyed this one, but it didn't quite hit the highs I was expecting.
Finished: 6/9/09
Source: Franklin Avenue public library
Rating: 6/10
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I am happy to hear a good review about this book - I loved the movie that was made of it (eons ago), but was nervous that that book wouldn't be as good. Now I'll move it up my list.
Elizabeth's World of Books 2008
in Past Book Logs
Posted
Review - Tan Lines by J.J. Salem
Liza Pike is a lipstick feminist with a bestselling novel, a weekly guest spot on a political newsmagazine, a ticking biological clock, and a gorgeous husband who never touches her. Billie Shelton is a one-hit-wonder trying to salvage her dying career by seducing her producer. Kellyanne Downey is an aspiring actress with a past she would like to forget, whose bills are currently being paid by a 60-year-old married man. These three college friends who normally get together for one weekend a year are about to spend an entire summer season living together in a rented house in the Hamptons. The community - and the men - will never be the same.
This novel is trashy beach fluff personified. It has a blurb by Jackie Collins, and a dedication to Jacqueline Susann, so that should be a warning to potential readers who are looking for style and substance. It is, however, a whole lot of fun. It's a bit like reading a gossip magazine - you know you really shouldn't be interested, but somehow you can't stop. There is enough sex to make it a perfect read for lounging by the pool on vacation, and the plot moves quickly enough that it is impossible to get bored.
In novels like this, often the main characters are so one-dimensional that it is difficult to root for them. Liza and Kellyanne, however, are intriguing, with many facets to their personalities. The author gives them each struggles that are easy to identify with, so the reader is able to sympathize with them, even as we watch them make really stupid mistakes. Billie is harder to like - I found myself uncomfortable much of the time when reading the sections about her. Good characters always need some flaws, but she has so many that it almost makes her irredeemable. I actually felt relieved when she rather abruptly dropped out of the novel near the end.
If you are looking for a fun, fast read to take on vacation this year, I think this novel would certainly fit the bill. Don't expect a literary masterpiece - just get hooked by the first line, and enjoy the ride.
Finished: 7/17/08
Source: review copy from St. Martin's Press
Rating: 7/10
(Probably NSFW!!)