3 posts tagged “books 2009”
I didn't read these all in a row, and I'm actually mortified to even admit that I did read them, but sometimes you just need a super-easy book to read... Also, I have a problem in that I will read anything that is put in front of me.
The only saving grace? I flew through all of these and spent no more than 2 to 3 hours on any of them. And yes, I realize, that is still 15 hours of my life that I will never get back. I'm okay with that. You, however, should not follow my example. Clearly.
Book #11 in 2009: Something Borrowed, by Emily Griffin
I think in this case, you CAN judge a book by its cover. Total chicklit. Super fast, easy, fun read. Not really worth going into any more, except to say that I did then read...
Book #12 in 2009: Something Blue, by Emily Griffin
Yeah. I know. And believe me, it's about to get worse...
Book #13 in 2009: Baby Proof, by Emily Griffin
No comment.
Book #14 in 2009: The Client, by John Grisham
My only excuse is that 1. John Grisham is kind of entertaining and 2. This was THE ONLY book on the shelf at my ski house.
Book #15 in 2009: Gossip Girl, by Cecily Von Ziegesar
Book #12 in 2009: Something Blue, by Emily Griffin
Book #13 in 2009: Baby Proof, by Emily Griffin
Book #14 in 2009: The Client, by John Grisham
Book #15 in 2009: Gossip Girl, by Cecily Von Ziegesar
Are you even still reading this? I feel like this is a list of what NOT to read. But... someone gave me this book at a party, and hey! I do obsessively worship the TV show. I thought it only fair to see how it all started...
Book #16 in 2009: Sundays at Tiffany's, by James Patterson
Yeah. It's a book about a ghost who falls in love with a woman, years after he was her childhood imaginary friend. Just LET THAT SINK IN.
Book #16 in 2009: Sundays at Tiffany's, by James Patterson
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.
I totally dropped the ball on books I've read in 2009... but here are just a few from the past few months. Frankly, it's hard for me to find time to read in the winter when I'm spending almost every weekend in Tahoe... but I've managed to get a few under my belt.
The Things They Carried, by Tim O' Brien:
Definitely recommend "The Things They Carried." It's a "war" book, I suppose, but it really is about more than just Vietman. I especially appreciated it as someone who fancies herself a writer since he plays with form and style throughout.
Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides:
I have no idea why it took me years and years to finally pick this book of my shelf and read it. Obviously, a must read and a modern classic.
The Reader, by Bernhard Schlink:
I didn't see the film, but I found "The Reader" to be enjoyable. I can tell something was lost in the translation, but a good (fast) read nonetheless.
Wicked, by Gregory Maguire:
Ok, I could NOT get into "Wicked" when I started it, but I stuck with it, and I absolutely fell in love with the Wicked Witch of the West. An amazing book that looks at politics and love from a completely fresh lens, all within the World of Oz we thought we knew as children.
I went to see the musical less than a week after I finished the book, and though I loved the sets and lighting and costumes and music, I found the story lacking... It's a saccharine version of a very dark story.
The Great Man, by Kate Christensen:
I wouldn't think I'd like a book about aging women, but this was so well-written and insightful. The story is about a renowned artist who passes away leaving behind his wife and their autistic son... as well as his mistress and their two daughters... and the one secret that no one wants his biographers to discover. Definitely worth the read.
More books to come....
Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides:
I have no idea why it took me years and years to finally pick this book of my shelf and read it. Obviously, a must read and a modern classic.
The Reader, by Bernhard Schlink:
Wicked, by Gregory Maguire:
Ok, I could NOT get into "Wicked" when I started it, but I stuck with it, and I absolutely fell in love with the Wicked Witch of the West. An amazing book that looks at politics and love from a completely fresh lens, all within the World of Oz we thought we knew as children.
I went to see the musical less than a week after I finished the book, and though I loved the sets and lighting and costumes and music, I found the story lacking... It's a saccharine version of a very dark story.
The Great Man, by Kate Christensen:
I wouldn't think I'd like a book about aging women, but this was so well-written and insightful. The story is about a renowned artist who passes away leaving behind his wife and their autistic son... as well as his mistress and their two daughters... and the one secret that no one wants his biographers to discover. Definitely worth the read.
More books to come....
