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July Booklist
Aug. 2nd, 2010 03:52 pm1. The Year of Eating Dangerously, Tom Parker Bowles
A foray into the world of extreme eating - from super hot chilies to dog meat to insects. Moderately entertaining and slightly more interesting once I realized whose son the author is, but the main thing I took away from this book - after reading time and time again his distress in waking up feeling the ill effects of over indulgence in food and drink and promising himself never EVER to do that again - was that the author needs to learn a little self-control.
2. The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin
Fun and thoughtful, humorous and serious, sweet and snarky. That's really all you're going to get out of me as far as a review goes. :)
3. Byzantium: surprisingly life of a medieal empire, Judith Herrin
A nice overview of the Byzantine empire designed for the layman. Neither too shallow nor too bogged down by details.
4. Hiding the Elephant, Jim Steinmeyer
A foray into the world of extreme eating - from super hot chilies to dog meat to insects. Moderately entertaining and slightly more interesting once I realized whose son the author is, but the main thing I took away from this book - after reading time and time again his distress in waking up feeling the ill effects of over indulgence in food and drink and promising himself never EVER to do that again - was that the author needs to learn a little self-control.
2. The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin
Fun and thoughtful, humorous and serious, sweet and snarky. That's really all you're going to get out of me as far as a review goes. :)
3. Byzantium: surprisingly life of a medieal empire, Judith Herrin
A nice overview of the Byzantine empire designed for the layman. Neither too shallow nor too bogged down by details.
4. Hiding the Elephant, Jim Steinmeyer
Read this if you have even the slightest bit of interest in magic! The extent of my interest was a sort of "whoa, how'd they do that?" reaction to the movie The Prestige, and I whipped through this book in about two days, so ...
It gives away just enough secrets to be interesting and keeps just enough secrets to remain mysterious. Excellently presented.
From the forward: "Hiding the Elephant is less like a history book than like an unforgettable all-night conversation with a fascinating stranger." Very true.
5. The Autobiography of the Queen, Emma Tennant
Very much like The Uncommon Reader in tone and content - the style was pleasant but the presentation seemed a bit awkward and disjointed.
5. The Autobiography of the Queen, Emma Tennant
Very much like The Uncommon Reader in tone and content - the style was pleasant but the presentation seemed a bit awkward and disjointed.
6. Like Water for Chocolate, Laura Esquievel
I have mixed feelings on this book. I liked - even LOVED - the style and tone, and the food, and the magical realism. But Pedro was just annoying, and while I had sympathy for Tita, I also wanted to tell her to stand up straight and MOVE ON ALREADY. I didn't buy their great "true love." Doctor John was the only really morally upright character in the whole book.
I have mixed feelings on this book. I liked - even LOVED - the style and tone, and the food, and the magical realism. But Pedro was just annoying, and while I had sympathy for Tita, I also wanted to tell her to stand up straight and MOVE ON ALREADY. I didn't buy their great "true love." Doctor John was the only really morally upright character in the whole book.
7. The Help, Kathryn Stockett
I was surprised by how much I liked this book. It was a tricky sort of book to write, and for the most part I think Ms Stockett pulled it off.
8. If You Could See Me Now, Cecelia Ahern
Clever premise, awkward execution. Pardon me if I can't believe a love story between a grown woman and an invisible man who is supposedly in his thirties but talks and often acts like a five-year-old.
8. If You Could See Me Now, Cecelia Ahern
Clever premise, awkward execution. Pardon me if I can't believe a love story between a grown woman and an invisible man who is supposedly in his thirties but talks and often acts like a five-year-old.
9. Real Sex: the naked truth about chastity, Lauren F. Winner
I have issues with the way many Christians talk (or rather, don't talk) and think about about sex, and this book is an excellent answer to what I see as a common mistakes Christians make when it comes to sexuality. Although the primary reason for the book is a discussion of chastity (what it is, why God calls unmarried Christians to practice it, why it's important), Ms Winner also goes into what I felt were excellent chapters on how to talk about and do sex in a Christian context. Excellent book: this gets five stars from me. I wish all Christians would read it. :)
10. Arthur, King, Dennis Lee Anderson
Basic plot: King Arthur appears during Britain's hour of greatest need during WWII, takes the roll of fighter pilot, meets a modern-day Jenny (Guenevere), defeats Mordred (fighting on the side of the Huns, of course), and saves England. It was better executed than I expected, but stylistically lacking.
Books from the pile of To Reads: 3
I have issues with the way many Christians talk (or rather, don't talk) and think about about sex, and this book is an excellent answer to what I see as a common mistakes Christians make when it comes to sexuality. Although the primary reason for the book is a discussion of chastity (what it is, why God calls unmarried Christians to practice it, why it's important), Ms Winner also goes into what I felt were excellent chapters on how to talk about and do sex in a Christian context. Excellent book: this gets five stars from me. I wish all Christians would read it. :)
10. Arthur, King, Dennis Lee Anderson
Basic plot: King Arthur appears during Britain's hour of greatest need during WWII, takes the roll of fighter pilot, meets a modern-day Jenny (Guenevere), defeats Mordred (fighting on the side of the Huns, of course), and saves England. It was better executed than I expected, but stylistically lacking.
Books from the pile of To Reads: 3