Pulitzers and Pinot

January 2012: These is My Words

2012-02-03T06:22:00.001-08:00

Becca: Loved this book! I enjoyed the the author's perspective on a time period I knew little about. Definitely worth the read.

Chari: I loved the book! Really enjoyed the writing style and Sara's character. I never would have selected to read about a pioneer woman on my own but so glad we did. This book is on my top ten favorite list of all time.

Stephanie: These is My Words was a great read! Very enjoyable and good historical fiction about a time in history I don't read much about. Loved the characters!

Kerry: I loved this book, the writer has a wonderful way of making her characters come alive. I was inspired by the heroine and loved the story.

Holly: Very good historical fiction.

Aday: I am so sad to have finished this book. "These is My Words" is everything a great book should be: beautifully written, funny, heartbreaking, and great from the first page to the last, from one sentence to the next. Definitely made my 10 all-time favorite list, and is one of those rare books that I might read again.

November 2011: I'd Know You Anywhere

2011-11-21T06:44:00.000-08:00

Mary: I thought this one was pretty good--not life changing or anything but lots to think about and discuss (good for a bookclub). I had a hard time putting it down and these days that's pretty difficult to find!!!

Chari: Really enjoyed the book and thought an interesting read. Liked the protagonist even though disagreed with her at times. The author made me question my position on the death penalty.

Holly: Not the most compelling read, but very interesting.

Becca: A quick, easy read with an interesting story line and intriguing characters.

Kerry: I did not like this book. I found the characters to be unbelievable & felt like the book needed some heavy editing. I wished that the relationship with the sister had been developed more.

Jen S.: Fast read. Definitely felt like an episode of CSI.

Stephanie: Good, easy read - nothing life changing but a simple enjoyable book! I liked it!

Aday: This book didn't make me want to jump for joy or stab my eyes out, it was just OK.

October 2011: The Lonely Polygamist

2011-11-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

Kerry: I enjoyed reading this book, I really felt sorry for the polygamist and angry at the wives. Then I felt mad at myself that I had sympathy for the polygamist!

Holly: Interesting, but not much plot.

Aday: Holly told me to stop reading, so I did.

September 2011: Sarah's Key

2011-09-19T14:06:00.000-07:00

Mary: Once I came to terms with my own shock and sadness at the cupboard/Vel d'Hiv story I really enjoyed this book. I think I've decided that I like books with back-and-forth chapters. Would recommend.

Holly: Gut wrenching at first, but great historical story.

Chari: Loved Sarah's Key and learning about the round up in Paris. I was devastated by how the Jewish children were affected and by the lack of help from their fellow Parisians. The writing style was excellent and kept me wanting more. Highly recommend this book.

Aday: Sarah's story is powerful and heart-breaking, and I wish more of the book would have been told from her POV. The journalist's narrative paled in comparison.

Sowders: Such a tragic story, yet the book propels you forward with the mystery of Sarah's life and those she impacted.

Jerilyn: Excellent historical fiction in Sarah's Key focusing on an event that I knew little about. The book kept me reading and wanting to know more as opposed to me keeping me reading. Definitely recommend.

Becca: Very well written account of a terrible time in history. If you can handle an incredibly sad story, then it is worth reading.

August 2011: Freedom

2011-09-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

Jerilyn: A book without a plot. Could not finish.

Mary: The book was long, true. But the characters were SO real and the writing SO wonderful. I loved this book.

Becca: I had a really hard time getting through this book. It wasn't for me.

Holly: Slow at first, but great in the end. Very interesting commentary on relationships and marriage.

Chari: I found I wanted my freedom while reading Freedom. And I broke myself away after 100 pages or so! I thought the writing was boring with the way he developed the characters and I had zero compassion for any of them. Blah!

Aday: After 150 pages, I couldn't find anything or anyone to care about in this book. What a let down after loving "The Corrections".

June 2011: The Art of Racing in the Rain

2011-07-13T11:34:00.000-07:00

Becca: I enjoyed this book more than I expected. It's written on a premise that could be really cheesy, but wasn't at all. It was sad, poignant, funny, and definitely worth the read.

Mary: This book was so good--sweet, well-written, good plot, good characters.

Holly: Tearjerker.

Kerry: A great book, easy to read & definitely plays on your emotions.

Amanda: This book was really sweet. I loved seeing things through a doggie's eyes!

Aday: I read most of this book on my iphone during night feedings with my newborn. I can remember actually being excited to get up and read it...at 3am! I am not a dog owner, and definitely don't think you need to be one to be touched by this sweet, sweet story.

Sowders: A story of fighting for what's right, no matter how difficult.

May 2011: Await Your Reply

2011-05-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

Becca: It was an interesting idea for a book, but it fell short for me. It's one of those rare times when it would make a better movie than a book.

Aday: This book definitely did not live up to its potential.

Amanda: I really liked the story and twist---but the characters were lame.

Jen S.: Did not read, but Linsy's recap got me up to speed. Thanks, Linsy!

April 2011: Catcher in the Rye

2011-04-18T08:26:00.000-07:00

Becca: It was interesting to re-read this book. I can see why it was so "cutting edge" for it's time, although it didn't seem near as scandalous as I remember when I read it at 16 years old! I wouldn't say that I loved it, but I enjoyed reading this classic that is referenced so often in other books.

Jen S.: It's an interesting read, but I don't understand why this it's so highly regarded by serial killers. The main character is different, overly sensitive and hyper-aware of others and is also an outcast, but I don't see him as a violent person.

Aday: Pass.

March 2011: The Hunger Games Trilogy

2011-02-22T09:01:00.000-08:00

Amanda: Started out with a bang and ended with a sigh...

Becca: The first two books were entertaining, quick reads. The third book in the series was a little tedious, but overall, would still recommend them as great pool-side reading.

Mary: Perfect teen (or in your thirties?) read. Quick, exciting, great characters, suspense....
Catching Fire: Great follow up. Still fun, interesting, couldn't wait for book #3....
Mockingjay: Total letdown. Boring. Long. Disjointed. And Katniss disappeared. I demand a re-write!!!!

Kasey: I absolutely loved books 1 and 2. It was like Survivor on steroids. The 2nd book especially showed how our fascination with reality tv is causing tv shows to keep pushing the envelope and go for more and more sensational shows each year. I felt the 3rd book was a little too Hollywood and not as gripping as books 1 and 2.

Aday: I couldn't put the first book down. I enjoyed the 2nd book, but not as much as the first. Terribly disappointed in Mockingjay. If it had been the first book in the series, I wouldn't have kept reading. What a waste.

Stephanie: Very entertaining read - different, creative and thought provoking!

Holly: AWESOME

Kerry: A great read, though is it weird that a 36 year old adult enjoyed reading a teen trilogy?

Jen S.: Great read! Highly recommend.

January 2011: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

2010-11-23T12:14:00.000-08:00

"The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Stieg Larsson

Only now, with the publication of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, the third novel in the late Stieg Larsson's immensely popular Millennium trilogy, can we fully appreciate the Swedish writer's achievement. The trilogy ranks among those novels that expand the horizons of popular fiction…the novel fully lives up to the excellence of the previous two and…brings the saga to a satisfactory conclusion. -- Patrick Anderson (The Washington Post)

Kerry: I enjoyed this series of books, but I found the last book in the trilogy to be the slowest. You have to read it to finish the trilogy but it plod along quite slowly and the ending was not as exciting as I had hoped.

Stephanie: So-so wrap up of the first two books in the series. A little tedious and not much new action.

Jen S.: Book 1 = great! Book 2 = good. Book 3 = fair. I'm glad I read it, but it definitely didn't have the same speed, interest or newness of the previous two books.

Aday: I'm going to wait for the movie.

November 2010: Loving Frank

2010-10-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

"Loving Frank" by Nancy Horan

Kasey: I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. I didn't agree with her choices, but I was interested in the story.

Holly: The characters were frustrating in their selfishness, but it was a good book overall.

Jen S.: I thought it was really interesting. Parts of it moved me to tears while others repelled me.

Amanda: Loved it but the ending was VERY shocking!

Stephanie: A nice work of historical fiction but lacked the passion of a convincing love story!

Aday: I think I might enjoy this story more as a movie. I didn't feel the fire that Frank and Mamah supposedly felt for each other, and I found them both to be extremely selfish and for the the most part, unlikeable characters. The writing lacked a certain spark and was a bit tedious at times, but the unexpected and heartbreaking ending made it well worth the effort.

October 2010: The Bad Seed

2010-09-20T06:44:00.000-07:00

"The Bad Seed" by William March

What happens to ordinary families into whose midst a child serial killer is born? This is the question at the center of William march's classic thriller. After its initial publication in 1954, the book went on to become a million–copy bestseller, a wildly successful Broadway show, and a Warner Brothers film. The spine–tingling tale of little Rhoda Penmark had a tremendous impact on the thriller genre and generated a whole perdurable crop of creepy kids. Today, The Bad Seed remains a masterpiece of suspense that's as chilling, intelligent, and timely as ever before. --From the Publisher

Holly: Good in an old-fashioned way. I hope my kids are good seeds.

Kasey: I thought it could've been better. I expected it to be scarier and it was hard to relate to any of the characters.

Aday: A quick, easy read, but not as scary as I hoped it would be.

Jen S.: I liked the 1956 movie ending better than the book ending.

Mary: I didn't read the book but the movie ending was fabulous!

September 2010: The Broken Shore

2010-09-01T14:53:00.000-07:00

"The Broken Shore" by Peter Temple

In short, The Broken Shore offers both poetry and gore, and it's best if you have a taste for both. Having read the new novels of Michael Connelly and Martin Cruz Smith, I have to say that Temple belongs in their company. Australia is a long way off, but this bloke is world-class. -- The Washington Post - Patrick Anderson

Kasey: It started slow, but the ending was good.

Chari: Took some time getting used to the writing style but was ok by middle and couldn't put it down. Thought it was different and I'd read another with the Cashin character.

Holly: Only halfway, slugging through...

Aday: I stopped after Chapter One.

August 2010: The Girl Who Played with Fire

2010-07-10T08:19:00.001-07:00

"The Girl Who Played with Fire" by Stieg Larsson

The Girl Who Played with Fire confirms the impression left by Dragon Tattoo. Here is a writer with two skills useful in entertaining readers royally: creating characters who are complex, believable and appealing even when they act against their own best interest; and parceling out information in a consistently enthralling way. The sharp-eyed may catch Larsson leaning on coincidence a bit too often in the new book, but overall his storytelling is so assured that he can get away with these peccadilloes. -- The Washington Post - Dennis Drabelle

Stephanie: This book was entertaining and a good story. The author's style can be tiresome but overall it was an enjoyable read.

Aday: A little too much detail at times, but overall a fast, enjoyable read.

Kerry: The Girl who played with fire was a fast, exciting read. Lisbeth was a wonderfully complex character.

Kasey: I liked it, but I had a hard time keeping up with all characters.

Chari: I liked this one even more than the first. Thought it was faster paced and had interesting characters.

Mary: The Girl who Played with Fire was better than the first book. I can't help liking Lisbeth. I wish it had a better ending--I needed more closure, but that's the genious of Larsson--he's forcing us to read the third! (Too bad he died b/c he supposedly had 10 books outlined so we will probably never know what the real ending would be...we'll see if the fourth incomplete book ever gets published...)

June 2010: In Defense of Food

2010-05-21T14:08:00.000-07:00

"In Defense of Food" by Micheal Pollan

Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, the follow-up to his widely praised The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, should probably come with a warning: After reading this book, you may never shop, cook, or eat the same way again. -- Barnes & Noble

Holly: This book made me much more conscience of processed foods and thoughtful of what I eat. Now I feel guilty when I enjoy a Taco Bueno burrito.

Jen S.: I thought it was really interesting.I'm definitely thinking of food, food marketing and even food manufacturing differently now.

Chari: Thought he had lots of valid points and liked all the research and history of food.

Stephanie: I thought it was an interesting and briefly inspiring read (not long lasting enough for me to permanently change my eating habits!). A little dry in parts but overall I found it informative.

Kerry: Hold on... I have to go hide the GoGurt that is in my fridge. It has Shrek on it, how could I refuse the pleas from the kids? Anyway, before reading this book I was considering canceling our order at http://www.yourhealthsource.org/
because I don't know what to do with kale or turnips, but after reading "In Defense of Food," I decided I have to stick with it. Every time I go to the store I will now look for lamb's quarters and purslane, the healthiest plants (I have never seen them before!) This book totally freaked me out, but I think that is good. Anyone needing a motivator to change their food habits, needs to read this book.

May 2010: Hold Love Strong

2010-04-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

"Hold Love Strong" by Matthew Aaron Goodman

Goodman delivers a commanding investigation of love, family and freedom set in a New York City housing project. Abraham Singelton, born in 1982 to a 13-year-old mother, comes of age in the Ever Park projects, watching The Cosby Show and dreaming about a future in Brooklyn as a Huxtable. The generous narrative features a cast of deftly drawn characters: Lyndon Gaines, a former boxer turned community activist who courts Abraham's grandmother with a cage full of lovebirds; Lindbergh, a damaged Vietnam vet, now turning trash into elaborate models of helicopters; and cousin Donnel, whose one constant is the pledge, made at Abraham's birth, to hold love strong. A keen observer and deeply empathetic young man, Abraham grapples with the inescapable truths of his childhood yet understands the promise contained in education, love and personal expression. Though the narrative features its share of urban fiction tropes (crack-addicted mother, an uncle with NBA potential doomed by the allure of quick money, a series of senseless deaths), Goodman manages to pull together a vibrant canvas of project life, perfectly capturing the pain and magic of living despite narrow opportunities. --Publisher's Weekly

Mary: I think this guy's editor should've reeled him in a bit. He was long-winded and the story was a little predictable. I also didn't think the main character's voice would've been so flowery. Other than that, it was mostly enjoyable and easy and I did kind of want to know what happened so I would say it was a 3-star read.

Kerry: I would not recommend this book, I felt like the ending was manipulative and contrived and that the author was trying to make the book something that it wasn't.

Aday: I had high hopes for this book based on previous reviews, but it just didn't do it for me.

Jen S.: Did not attempt. Though it doesn't sound like I missed anything great.

Holly: Jennifer said not to read it, so I didn't.

April 2010: Crazy for the Storm

2010-03-24T12:57:00.000-07:00

"Crazy for the Storm" by Norman Ollestad

In a spare, brisk prose, Ollestad tells the tragic story of the pivotal event of his life, an airplane crash into the side of a mountain that cost three lives, including his father's, in 1979. Only 11 years old at the time, he alone survived, using the athletic skills he learned in competitive downhill skiing, amid the twisted wreckage, the bodies and the bone-chilling cold of the blizzard atop the 8,600-foot mountain. Although the narrative core of the memoir remains the horrifying plane crackup into the San Gabriel Mountains, its warm, complex soul is conveyed by the loving relationship between the former FBI agent father and his son, affectionately called the Boy Wonder, during the golden childhood years spent in wild, freewheeling Malibu and Mexico in the late 1970s. Ollestad's unyielding concentration on the themes of courage, love and endurance seep into every character portrait, every scene, making this book an inspiring, fascinating read. --From Publishers Weekly

Jerilyn: Loved the book!! It was a fast read with a great life lesson around how the hard times of life can prepare you for challenges to come.

Mary: This book was a perfect blend for me--I enjoyed the suspense and detail of the trek down the mountain and I loved the background stories of the author's childhood even more. The thought of a 10-year-old surviving a plane crash on a mountain in a snowstorm is unbelieveable but his past was so wild and chaotic and explained how he could survive anything. The epilogue about the author going back to the scene years later and talking with another pilot about what went wrong was heartbreaking. All in all, I loved this book!!!

Becca: Crazy for the Storm was a quick, inspirational read. I loved reading about someone's childhood that was basically opposite of anything I had known.

Chari: Really enjoyed this book and thought relationship between father and son was interesting. I liked reading about life in late 70s in southern California.

Kerry: I enjoyed this book, I was amazed at Norman's strength and thought a lot about how to teach that strength to a child. I also liked the way the book was organized with one chapter in the past and one in the present.

Amanda: Great story! Wish the ending was better. :(

Kasey: I wasn't crazy for it but I was entertained.

Aday: Tedious and filled with too many irrelevant details. It's more about his life growing up on the beach than a survival story from a plane crash. Ho-hum.

Holly: I had no idea ice could be described in so many ways.

Jen S.: Best way to get through this memoir is to read every other chapter.

March 2010: 100 Years of Solitude

2010-02-22T07:22:00.000-08:00

"100 Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

It is not easy to describe the techniques and themes of the book without making it sound absurdly complicated, labored and almost impossible to read. In fact, it is none of these things. Though concocted of quirks, ancient mysteries, family secrets and peculiar contradictions, it makes sense and gives pleasure in dozens of immediate ways.
—Books of the Century, The New York Times review March, 1970

Kasey: I liked it. It took me a long time to finish, but it was an interesting story and ending. I was glad I finished it.

Amanda: I would retitle this book "100 Years of Reading". It would have been a much easier read if the author had not given the same dadgon name to each new kid!

Jerilyn: I tried and tried, but I didn’t get it.

Jen S.: It wasn't really a page turner for me. I just barely made it past page 75.

Stephanie: Can see why it's considered a great work of prose....however, makes it difficult to quickly read! Would like to try and read it someday when I have more time to focus on it.

Aday: Attempting to read (and finish) this book with pregnant brain was probably a bad idea. I really wanted to like it, but I couldn’t get past page 150.

Kerry: I didn't finish, I was so embarrassed! It was just wasn't my kind of book. Too much fantasy and the characters were so weird! It reminded me of books that I had to read in school and I could never finish them because someone had told me to read them and that made them seem less appealing. My husband totally shamed me though, he knows the first line of the book and has never read it! Apparently everyone knows it (but me).

Holly: Snooze alert.

Barb: Did not attempt due to anti-hype and self-awareness when it comes to long books.

January 2010: The Help

2009-12-23T11:08:00.000-08:00

"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

What perfect timing for this optimistic, uplifting debut novel (and maiden publication of Amy Einhorn's new imprint) set during the nascent civil rights movement in Jackson, Miss., where black women were trusted to raise white children but not to polish the household silver. Eugenia Skeeter Phelan is just home from college in 1962, and, anxious to become a writer, is advised to hone her chops by writing about what disturbs you. The budding social activist begins to collect the stories of the black women on whom the country club sets relies and mistrusts enlisting the help of Aibileen, a maid who's raised 17 children, and Aibileen's best friend Minny, who's found herself unemployed more than a few times after mouthing off to her white employers. The book Skeeter puts together based on their stories is scathing and shocking, bringing pride and hope to the black community, while giving Skeeter the courage to break down her personal boundaries and pursue her dreams. Assured and layered, full of heart and history, this one has bestseller written all over it. -- Publishers Weekly

Jerilyn: An excellent book that provides real insight into the life and experiences of 1940 southern black mammies and really makes you think about if and how things have changed since then. There’s definitely a good reason this is a top seller!

Kerry: The Help was a fast read with endearing characters. When it was over, I wanted to be able to pull up a chair in the kitchen and talk to the characters some more. I learned a lot about life in 1960s Mississippi and I am glad that I did not live during that period! I would not have fit in...

Aday: Brilliant. Why can't all books be this good?

Shannon: I loved the book!

Holly: A book everyone actually read!

Jen S.: A great read! I felt like I was there, sharing in the conversation and fearing the worst.

Stephanie: The Help was a great read and an interesting look into the lives of people who were actually part of the start of the civil rights struggles in the early 60s. Well done, quick read and thought provoking!

Amanda: Touching, funny, and relevant--I loved this book!

Becca: An excellent, quick read. It stays with you long after you finish the book.

Chari: Loved this story and hope she writes a sequel. I miss the characters!

November 2009: Water for Elephants

2009-10-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

"Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival. -- From the Publisher

Linsy: I found this story to be a touching and unexpected look into the dark world of circus life. It is not a topic I am inclined to enjoy reading about, but the author did a great job of researching the history of the traveling circus in America and developed great characters that really made the story work.

Aday: A beautiful story.

Kelly: Very slow developing and felt no desire to connect with the main character.

Jen S.: Thumbs down.

Holly: I was hoping for more circus freaks, less love story.

October 2009: The Haunting of Hill House

2009-09-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

"The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson

First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a "haunting"; Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers—and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.

Jen S.: Classic ghost story. An appropriate read for the month of October.

Stephanie: I wasn't thrilled with the ending but overall, I thought it was a decent read.

Amanda: Don't let the name fool ya---not too scary!

Holly: It seemed like I was reading a play. I wish I could've gone to BC to discuss. And have some wine.

Aday: Perfectly eerie from the very beginning. I had to read it with all of the lights on. I also related to the characters so much I cast them while reading the book: Cate Blanchett for Theodora, Michael Cane for the Dr., Rupert Everett for Luke, Meryl Streep for the Dr.'s wife, and Jennifer Goodwin playing Eleanor. Is that weird?

September 2009: The Devil in the White City

2009-08-21T08:28:00.001-07:00

"The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

The bestselling author of Isaac's Storm returns with a gripping tale about two men -- one a creative genius, the other a mass murderer -- who turned the 1893 Chicago World's Fair into their playground. Set against the dazzle of a dream city whose technological marvels presaged the coming century, this real-life drama of good and evil unfolds with all the narrative tension of a fictional thriller. -- Barnes & Noble

Amanda: Great read--would recommend to both architecture and "true crime" buffs!

Jen S.: Interesting read. I'm thankful for building codes and building inspectors, utilities such as sewage and clean water, and for a system that identifies and catches bad guys. I'm also thankful for the influence the World's Fair had on Walt Disney and Frank Lloyd Wright.

Linsy: I enjoyed how the author told these two stories as one and found the book full of insight into a very influential event in the evolution of America that I knew it almost nothing about prior to the book.

Stephanie: Interesting book with great history and detail. Not a page-turner for me but overall, I thought it was a good read.

Kerry: This book was so good! I read it on the plane yesterday to and from Pittsburgh for my Grandpap's funeral. I learned so many things!!! It seems like many of the modern conveniences that we enjoy today were created for the world's fair! And seriously, isn't it suspicious that the murderous castle mysteriously burned down? Great read!

Chari: Found both story lines interesting and enjoyed learning about the process of building the structures for the world's fair. And glad I wasn't a single lady back then with a crazy killer on the loose!

Mary: I'm torn--I thought the architecture story was interesting though it could have been more concise. I thought the murderer's story was too concise and should have been more interesting. Generally, the book wasn't terrible, but it was definitely overrated.

Aday: What Mary said.

Holly: Watch out for the blue eyed boys.

August 2009: The Painter from Shanghai

2009-08-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

"The Painter from Shanghai" by Jennifer Cody Epstein

A work of fiction -- but based on the life and work of a real artist -- The Painter from Shanghai transports readers to early-20th-century China, a culture marked by oppression. Epstein has proven herself a shining talent in this first novel, tackling such weighty questions as: How does a talented artist blossom, even under repressive conditions? What is art, and what is love? What makes a life well lived? The answers form a mesmerizing portrait of one young woman's journey to find herself and to nourish her creative talents despite appreciable odds. -- Barnes & Noble

Jerilyn: A good “autobiographical fiction” depicting the struggles of a girl trying to find herself and stay true to who she is throughout her life. A little slow to start, but the history and changing of the times kept me going.

Chari: I really enjoyed reading about her life and getting a glimpse of what the art world in Shanghai was like at that time. Amazing what Yuliang overcame with her background and the role of women in China.

Kerry: How could you not admire this woman who had prevailed over circumstances beyond her control? And every time I read about foot binding, I cringed!

Shannon: I love historical fiction and art history so I enjoyed learning about this time in Shanghai. It became more interesting to me after Jen Sowders pointed out that it was based on a true story.

Jen S.: Good, but not great. I enjoyed it more after learning that the book was based off a real person.

Aday: I really struggled getting to the last page, and would have been fine calling it quits halfway. Looking back, I wish I had.

Kelly: It sounds like I didn't miss much by not reading the book.

What Should Shannon Read On Her Beach Vacation?

2009-06-23T20:55:00.000-07:00

Shannon: Hey bc girls, I am in need of some beach reads and would love some suggestions!

Aday: Twilight!!

Stephanie: Agree - Twilight series definitely. I never thought I'd get so into them but I started the first one on the flight home from my vacation last week and was hooked. I was wishing I'd started it earlier on my vacation and just read that and maybe the second one while I was there - they would be great beach reads.

Becca: Definitely Shannon--Twilight series is the perfect beach read.

Aday: C'mon Shannon, fall in love with the Vampires like the rest of us.

Jen S.: Ditto! Twilight is the perfect vacation read!

Story developing...

June 2009: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2009-05-22T08:14:00.001-07:00

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson

Combine the chilly Swedish backdrop and moody psychodrama of a Bergman movie with the grisly pyrotechnics of a serial-killer thriller, then add an angry punk heroine and a down-on-his-luck investigative journalist, and you have the ingredients of Stieg Larsson's first novel…It's Mr. Larsson's two protagonists—Carl Mikael Blomkvist, a reporter filling the role of detective, and his sidekick, Lisbeth Salander, a k a the girl with the dragon tattoo—who make this novel more than your run-of-the-mill mystery: they're both compelling, conflicted, complicated people, idiosyncratic in the extreme. -- Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

Kasey: Loved it! Can't wait for the second book in the series.

Shannon: I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next one as well.

Amanda: I LOVED this book--it had everything-action, romance, mystery, family drama---the works!

Jen S.: A nice change of pace from our other reads. I learned that I do NOT want to be a ward of the state in Sweden.

Becca: Great read--entertaining, suspenseful, and intelligent (but a little slow at the start so hang in there).

Chari: I loved the different story line and learning a few details about life in Sweden then and now. Lots of interesting characters and overall a great read.

Holly: Great read, different than our normal selections. And it made me ponder giving my baby all sorts of Swedish names.

Aday: A clever who dunnit once you get past the first 100 pages or so, and then there’s no turning back.

Linsy: Loved the book. The combination of mystery/suspense with romance was irresistible and the characters were very intriguing. I didn't want to put it down.

May 2009: Reading Lolita in Tehran

2009-04-24T08:51:00.000-07:00

"Reading Lolita in Tehran" by Azar Nafisi

Reading Lolita in Tehran, "a memoir in books," is an inspiring account of an insatiable desire for intellectual freedom in Iran before, during and after the 1979 revolution that brought Ayatollah Khomeini to power and began a period of fervent anti-Americanism in the country. The eight years of the Iran-Iraq war also are vividly recounted. — Stephen J. Lyons, USA Today

Jerilyn: Too much detail for not enough story.

Jen S.: Pedantic, boring and missed the mark.

Amanda: Insufferable. I need a story, not an English Lit. lecture.

Barb: Time would be better spent re-reading 'Lolita', in Dallas.

Kasey: If I had not been confined to a hospital bed I would not have read the whole book.

Trisha: If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything all, but I did only read the first 155 pages.

Aday: I couldn't get past page 10.

Holly: I couldn't get past page 8.

Becca: Ummmm...Twilight was awesome???!!

April 2009: A Long Way Gone

2009-03-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

"A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah

Everyone in the world should read this book. Not just because it contains an amazing story, or because it's our moral, bleeding-heart duty, or because it's clearly written. We should read it to learn about the world and about what it means to be human. --The Washington Post Review

Holly: Just say no to brown brown.

Jen: It's no Hotel Rwanda or Last King of Scotland.

Stephanie: I thought this was a good but sad story. Quick read so I would definitely recommend to anyone!

Jerilyn: Very fast paced, quick and easy read depicts the terrible journey from normal childhood to boy soldiers and rebels through rehab back to "normal" life. Would have been nice to have a little more detail of the soldiers and their recovery, but definitely worth the read!

Becca: Informative and quick read that I enjoyed more than I expected.

Chari: I really enjoyed the memoir and the insight to what it was like being a boy soldier in a war torn country. I feel badly he missed out on a normal childhood and lost his family. I would like him to write more about what happened when came to live in America and continued his education.

Aday: You would think that such a short book about such an interesting subject would be an easy and fulfilling read, but I couldn’t wait for it to be over.

March 2009: East of Eden

2009-02-21T08:44:00.000-08:00

"East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

This sprawling and often brutal novel, set in the rich farmlands of California's Salinas Valley, follows the intertwined destinies of two families--the Trasks and the Hamiltons--whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel. "A strange and original work of art."--New York Times Book Review.

Jen: Loved it!

Holly: I likey.

Stephanie: I enjoyed it and it was different from most of what I tend to read. What I really enjoyed was the struggle between Caleb and Aron, trying not to repeat the pattern, and the realization that everything wasn't exactly as it seemed from the outside or on the surface.

Jerilyn: Extreme evil and extreme love all in one book – amazing story of how one man could go through so much.

Aday: Steinbeck is a genius at character development and classic storytelling. Definitely one of my top 10.

Shannon: I have read this book twice now and it was better the second time. I love this book!!

Linsy: I loved this story and was very intrigued by the characters in the novel. They all had very different approaches to life and Steinbeck did an incredible job of bringing them each to life. Great book and a true classic.

February 2009: The Reader

2009-01-26T19:52:00.000-08:00

For the month of February, we saw the Oscar nominated film "The Reader".

Synopsis:

When he falls ill on his way home from school, 15 year-old Michael Berg is rescued by Hanna, a woman twice his age. The two begin an unexpected and passionate affair only for Hanna to suddenly and inexplicably disappear. Eight years later, Michael , now a young law student observing Nazi war trials, meets his former lover again, under very different circumstances. Hanna is on trial for a hideous crime, and as she refuses to defend herself, Michael gradually realizes his boyhood love may be guarding a secret she considers to be more shameful than murder.

Nominated for five academy awards:

Best Motion Picture of the Year
Achievement in Directing
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Adapted Screenplay
Achievement in Cinematography

Amanda: I loved it but it was sad.

Barb: A thought-provoking, emotionally wrought, bleak film with incredible acting.

Jen: December to May romances are hot, but I still prefer Revolutionary Road.

Stephanie: I thought this was a great film. It would have been very difficult to be an actor in this film due to the amount of internal, non-dialogued conflict and struggle that had to be portrayed. But I thought Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes and David Kross all did a wonderful job. I wish I had read the book prior to seeing it, though, so I would know how it compares!

Aday: The performances in The Reader were extremely moving and believable to where I felt very sad and lonely for the characters afterwards. However, unlike the other Oscar nominated films of 2008, I have no desire to see this one twice.

Linsy: I really enjoyed the movie. I think it was well done and stayed true to the book. I do wonder if I would have enjoyed it even more if I had not read the book and didn't already know the story??

January 2009: A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

2008-12-31T08:39:00.000-08:00

"A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" by Dave Eggers

Jen: Far far from genius.

Holly: We survived.

Becca: Only ten minutes of fun, hours of agony.

Kasey: It's like being in the mind of a manic depressive.

Amanda: How did this f$c*i^g book end up as a f$c*i^g Pulitzer Prize finalist?

Shannon: Ho-hum. Stop the yammering already.

Aday: When one tries too hard to become a heartbreaking work of staggering genius, you end up with this book.

Jerilyn: I'm glad I didn't read it.

Chari: I found the book to be exhausting and thought Eggers was full of himself. I can't believe I actually finished it as much as I disliked his all over the map writing style.

Past Book Club Selections

2008-12-30T19:37:00.000-08:00

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
The Bad Seed by William March
The Broken Shore by Peter Temple
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
Hold Love Strong by Matthew Aaron Goodman
Crazy for the Storm by Norman Ollestad
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
The Painter from Shanghai by Jennifer Epstein
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch
The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Beautiful Boy by David Sheff
Body Surfing by Anita Shreve
Intensity by Dean Koontz
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Truth & Beauty by Ann Patchett

Tell No One by Harlan Coben

The Other Bolyn Girl by Philipa Gregory
The Choice by Nicholas Sparks
19 Minutes by Jodi Picolut
The Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards
Miracle in the Andes by Nando Parrado & Vince Rause

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Marilyn Monroe: Confidential by Lena Pepitone
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White

Mother by James McBride

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
Shanghai Baby by Zhou Wei Hui
White Oleander by Janet Fitch
The Bark of the Dogwood: A Tour of Southern

Homes & Gardens by Jackson Tippett McCrae

Expecting Adam by Martha Beck
Stolen Lives by Malika Oufkir
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Hotel Sarajevo by Jack Kersh
Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Here on Earth by Alice Hoffman
The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve
Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
The Poisonwood Bible by Babara Kingsolver
My Mother's House by Margaret McMullan
Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult
The Great Pretender by Millenia Black
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks