Books #6-10 in 2009
I am really far behind with "reviewing" my books... Here are just a few that I've read since the beginning of the year. Also, I swear I do read stuff written by men. Just, um, not lately.
Book # 6 in 2009: The Secret Lives of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd.
This book is incredible. Sue Monk Kidd is an extraordinary writer who phrases things in a way that are pure poetry... without being over-the-top of sappy. I completely devoured this book and even cried (on MUNI for fuck's sake) as a result. Read it.
Book #7 in 2009: The Invisible Circus, by Jennifer Egan
Probably not a good sign that I had to go to amazon to refresh my memory as to what this book was about, but I actually did enjoy this story of a teenage girl who goes to Europe to retrace the steps of her sister who died ten years before...
I like Jennifer Egan's writing, in general, and not just because she went to the same elementary school as I did. :)
Also, I'm a sucker for a good coming-of-age book with heavy does of angst. If you haven't read any of her novels, however, start with "Look at Me."
Book #8 in 2009: The Year of Magical Thinking, by Joan Didion
Joan Didion's book of essays, "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" had a huge impact on me when I was getting my MFA, so I was excited to read this book about the year following her husband's sudden death.
Here's the thing: Definitely read it. She is a brilliant writer and you won't be able to put it down. It's raw and emotional and really, really sad. However, I couldn't help but wonder about the book she would have written had she waited a few years. But I guess that's the thing about writing. As time passes, so do our stories. And sometimes, I guess, you've just got to get it on paper right then and there. And she did so in a way almost no other writer could.
Book # 9 in 2009: Of Cats and Men, by Nina de Gramont
If you haven't read "Gossip of the Starlings," by Nina de Gramont, then you're not paying attention to my blog posts about the books I read and you're probably not reading this anyway.
Of Cats and Men was Nina's first book and it's a collection of stories in which cats are always a character. Not gonna lie: I hate cats. But the cats in these stories serve such a unique purpose and are so haunting and mesmerizing that it didn't even bother me that they were present throughout. That being said, their place in each story serves a distinct purpose and it never feels like she is using them as a device.
I'm totally biased... I love Nina's writing. Her stories have the ability to transport me into a thoughtful, somber mood... Perfect reading for a lonely foggy day.
Book #10 in 2009: It Sucked and Then I Cried, by Heather Armstrong (Dooce)
I love Dooce's blog. Who doesn't? But I was really disappointed by this book. I felt she relied too heavily on the tone she uses in her blog and, in this form, it just felt contrived.
The subject material (her battle with postpartum depression and all the things no one tells you about pregnancy etc.) deserved more depth. This memoir fell flat for me.
Book #7 in 2009: The Invisible Circus, by Jennifer Egan
I like Jennifer Egan's writing, in general, and not just because she went to the same elementary school as I did. :)
Also, I'm a sucker for a good coming-of-age book with heavy does of angst. If you haven't read any of her novels, however, start with "Look at Me."
Book #8 in 2009: The Year of Magical Thinking, by Joan Didion
Joan Didion's book of essays, "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" had a huge impact on me when I was getting my MFA, so I was excited to read this book about the year following her husband's sudden death.
Here's the thing: Definitely read it. She is a brilliant writer and you won't be able to put it down. It's raw and emotional and really, really sad. However, I couldn't help but wonder about the book she would have written had she waited a few years. But I guess that's the thing about writing. As time passes, so do our stories. And sometimes, I guess, you've just got to get it on paper right then and there. And she did so in a way almost no other writer could.
Book # 9 in 2009: Of Cats and Men, by Nina de Gramont
If you haven't read "Gossip of the Starlings," by Nina de Gramont, then you're not paying attention to my blog posts about the books I read and you're probably not reading this anyway.
Of Cats and Men was Nina's first book and it's a collection of stories in which cats are always a character. Not gonna lie: I hate cats. But the cats in these stories serve such a unique purpose and are so haunting and mesmerizing that it didn't even bother me that they were present throughout. That being said, their place in each story serves a distinct purpose and it never feels like she is using them as a device.
I'm totally biased... I love Nina's writing. Her stories have the ability to transport me into a thoughtful, somber mood... Perfect reading for a lonely foggy day.
Book #10 in 2009: It Sucked and Then I Cried, by Heather Armstrong (Dooce)
The subject material (her battle with postpartum depression and all the things no one tells you about pregnancy etc.) deserved more depth. This memoir fell flat for me.
Comments
Thanks for the great recommendations! I haven't heard of most of these but I will definitely be giving some of them a try!