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eleneariel61. Archie and Amelie: love and madness in the gilded age, Donna M. Lucey
Much as I like biographies of people I know, even better do I like biographies of people who were well known in their own day but are mostly unknown to us now. So. This was about two very famous society figures and their rather odd and tumultuous marriage. It was sad, but surprisingly beautiful, and painted an interesting portrait of the 'gilded age.'
2. Messenger, Lois Lowry
I think Lowry is one of the few very good young adult writers today. Her books unsettle me, but I like them a great deal.
3. Enchantment: the life of Audrey Hepburn, Donald Spoto
A nice portrait of the great actress and well worth reading if you lack knowledge of her life and works. But I wouldn't call it a great book -- sometime struck me as being rather serial-biography-ish about it, as if Spoto writes biographies merely to write biographies, and not out of any special admiration for the biographee. (which might not be a word, but it should be.)
4. The Not So Big House, Sarah Susanka
I have no desire to build my own home, mostly because I could never force myself to make all my own decisions on the floor plan, but I do like looking at architectural books and magazines. And I like space-saving ideas. And duel-duty items. Things that serve more than one purpose are my friends.
5. Patrick: son of Ireland, Steven Lawhead
One day I was sitting at my desk at work and a little voice whispered in my ear go re-read Patrick: son of Ireland. And so I did. Lawhead is a masterful, masterful author.
6. Flatland, Edwin A. Abbott
Apatrick___recommendation. Hilarious and surprisingly captivating, and oddly a bit reminiscent of Gulliver's Travels in a way I really can't explain, as they are very dissimilar.
7. I, Robot, Isaac Asimov
Anotherpatrick___recommendation. I love Asimov but had never gotten into the Robot novels. This was a good collection, although surprisingly...nostalgic?
8. The Word's Gotten Out, Willard Espy
Reviews about the book sound interesting, but it was really just not worth the bother. Well, except for that one story about the soldiers and Lord Glasgow and the 75 lbs of explosives and the tree stump that shattered every pane of glass. o_O
9. Noise, Bart Kosko
Way over my head scientifically, and I admit to skimming parts, but on the whole very interesting indeed. And I learned why Gaussian blur is so named and how to tell if I'm in the Matrix or if my brain has been replaced with a computer chip.
And now, the yearly total IS: 111 books read. Not only is a nice symmetrical number, but it's also better than last year's meager 88. Still nothing like the Years Before A Real Job when 170+ was the average, but, meh. I have a life now, I suppose.
Also, 7 of that 111 were Pratchett books.
Some Awards, with no particular rhyme or reason:
Best book about food: Well now, that's actually a tie between Heat (in which a writer becomes an apprentice in a high-tension resturant kitchen, and Much Swearing ensues; however, it's a great true look at what the restaurant business is all about and now I'd rather just eat the food than make it, thank you) and Julie and Julia (in which Julie cooks her way through Julia Child in one year.)
Best series: Lawhead's Song of Albion, no question.
Best book read while sitting in an airport: The Tipping Point.
Most boring book that sounded like it had a good premise: How to Lie With Maps.
Best book I didn't think I'd enjoy: Guns, Germs, and Steel, which was really, really awesome.
Best fiction book I didn't think I'd enjoy: The Age of Innocence.
Best modern fiction book: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell.
And finally...Worst Book EVAH: Interview with the Vampire. Sorry, guys, I just thought it was really, really boring.
Much as I like biographies of people I know, even better do I like biographies of people who were well known in their own day but are mostly unknown to us now. So. This was about two very famous society figures and their rather odd and tumultuous marriage. It was sad, but surprisingly beautiful, and painted an interesting portrait of the 'gilded age.'
2. Messenger, Lois Lowry
I think Lowry is one of the few very good young adult writers today. Her books unsettle me, but I like them a great deal.
3. Enchantment: the life of Audrey Hepburn, Donald Spoto
A nice portrait of the great actress and well worth reading if you lack knowledge of her life and works. But I wouldn't call it a great book -- sometime struck me as being rather serial-biography-ish about it, as if Spoto writes biographies merely to write biographies, and not out of any special admiration for the biographee. (which might not be a word, but it should be.)
4. The Not So Big House, Sarah Susanka
I have no desire to build my own home, mostly because I could never force myself to make all my own decisions on the floor plan, but I do like looking at architectural books and magazines. And I like space-saving ideas. And duel-duty items. Things that serve more than one purpose are my friends.
5. Patrick: son of Ireland, Steven Lawhead
One day I was sitting at my desk at work and a little voice whispered in my ear go re-read Patrick: son of Ireland. And so I did. Lawhead is a masterful, masterful author.
6. Flatland, Edwin A. Abbott
A
patrick___recommendation. Hilarious and surprisingly captivating, and oddly a bit reminiscent of Gulliver's Travels in a way I really can't explain, as they are very dissimilar. 7. I, Robot, Isaac Asimov
Another
patrick___recommendation. I love Asimov but had never gotten into the Robot novels. This was a good collection, although surprisingly...nostalgic? 8. The Word's Gotten Out, Willard Espy
Reviews about the book sound interesting, but it was really just not worth the bother. Well, except for that one story about the soldiers and Lord Glasgow and the 75 lbs of explosives and the tree stump that shattered every pane of glass. o_O
9. Noise, Bart Kosko
Way over my head scientifically, and I admit to skimming parts, but on the whole very interesting indeed. And I learned why Gaussian blur is so named and how to tell if I'm in the Matrix or if my brain has been replaced with a computer chip.
And now, the yearly total IS: 111 books read. Not only is a nice symmetrical number, but it's also better than last year's meager 88. Still nothing like the Years Before A Real Job when 170+ was the average, but, meh. I have a life now, I suppose.
Also, 7 of that 111 were Pratchett books.
Some Awards, with no particular rhyme or reason:
Best book about food: Well now, that's actually a tie between Heat (in which a writer becomes an apprentice in a high-tension resturant kitchen, and Much Swearing ensues; however, it's a great true look at what the restaurant business is all about and now I'd rather just eat the food than make it, thank you) and Julie and Julia (in which Julie cooks her way through Julia Child in one year.)
Best series: Lawhead's Song of Albion, no question.
Best book read while sitting in an airport: The Tipping Point.
Most boring book that sounded like it had a good premise: How to Lie With Maps.
Best book I didn't think I'd enjoy: Guns, Germs, and Steel, which was really, really awesome.
Best fiction book I didn't think I'd enjoy: The Age of Innocence.
Best modern fiction book: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell.
And finally...Worst Book EVAH: Interview with the Vampire. Sorry, guys, I just thought it was really, really boring.