List of Books Read in 2011
1. Expecting 411 by Michele Hakakha and Ari Brown. 1.1.11. ***
2. Mr. Monster by Dan Wells. 1.4.11. ****1/2
3. Home for a Spell by Madelyn Alt. 1.6.11. ****
4. Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. 1.7.11. *****
5. The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter. 1.8.11. ***1/2
6. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. 1.12.11. ****
7. The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter. 1.13.11. **1/2
8. Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy by Abigail Reynolds. 1.15.11. ****1/2
9. Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny. 1.18.11. *****
10. Trifles by Susan Glaspell. 1.28.11.
11. Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson. 2.5.11. ***1/2
12. Oedipus the King by Sophocles. 2.6.11.
13. Murder on St. Mark's Place by Victoria Thompson. 2.8.11. ***3/4
14. Murder on Gramercy Park by Victoria Thompson. 2.11.11. ****
15. Murder on Washington Square by Victoria Thompson. 2.16.11. ****
16. Murder on Mulberry Bend by Victoria Thompson. 2.17.11. ****
17. Murder on Marble Row by Victoria Thompson. 2.22.11. ****
18. A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole. 2.24.11. ***
19. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. 2.24.11.
20. Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl. 2.28.11
21. No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole. 3.2.11. ***1/2
22. Murder on Lenox Hill by Victoria Thompson. 3.4.11. ****
23. Let's Kill Uncle by Rohan O'Grady. 3.5.11. ****
24. River Marked by Patricia Briggs. 3.9.11. *****
25. Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night by Kresley Cole. 3.12.11. ***1/2
26. Murder in Little Italy by Victoria Thompson. 3.18.11. ***1/3
27. Greasy Lake by T.C. Boyle. 3.22.11. **1/2
28. Tracking Trash by Loree Griffin Burns. 3.20.11.
29. Canning for a New Generation by Liana Krissoff. 3.20.11.
30. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. 3.23.11. ****1/2
31. Murder in Chinatown by Victoria Thompson. 3.28.11. ****
32. Dark Needs at Night's Edge by Kresley Cole. 4.2.11. ***1/2
33. Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresley Cole. 4.7.11. ***1/2
34. Beastly by Alex Flinn. 4.8.11. **1/2
35. Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole. 4.11.11. ***1/2
36. Murder on Bank Street by Victoria Thompson. 4.14.11. *****
37. Murder on Waverly Place by Victoria Thompson. 4.19.11. ***1/2
38. The Misadventures of Maude March by Audrey Couloumbis. 4.22.11. ****1/2
39. Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. 4.27.11.
40. The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells. 4.30.11. *****
41. Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale. 5.7.11. ****
42. Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole. 5.12.11. ***1/2
43. Demon from the Dark by Kresley Cole. 5.15.11. ****
44. Dreams of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole. 5.19.11. **1/2
45. Murder on Lexington Avenue by Victoria Thompson. 5.29.11. ****
46. A Cast-Off Coven by Juliet Blackwell. 6.3.11. ***1/2
47. Hit List by Laurell K. Hamilton. 6.8.11. ***1/2
48. Murder on Sisters' Row by Victoria Thompson. 6.10.11. ****
49. The Victorian Governess by Kathryn Hughes. 6.12.11. ****1/2
50. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Rigs. 6.17.11. ****1/2
51. Heartless by Gail Carriger. 6.28.11. ****
52. Deeper than Midnight by Lara Adrian. 7.1.11. ***1/2
53. "G" is for Grafton: The World of Kinsey Millhone by Natalie Hevener Kaufman and Carol McGinnis Kay. 7.1.11. ***1/2
54. All Different Kinds of Free by Jessica McCann. 7.15.11. ****
55. I Don't Want to Kill You by Dan Wells. 7.17.11. *****
56. The Real Macaw by Donna Andrews. 7.19.11. ****
57. Hexes and Hemlines by Juliet Blackwell. 7.21.11. ***
58. Dead Girls are Easy by Terri Garey. 7.23.11. **
59. Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong. 7.26.11. ****
60. Killed at the Whim of a Hat by Colin Cotterill. 7.31.11. ****
61. Bookmarked for Death by Lorna Barrett. 8.5.11. ***1/2
62. Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs. 8.7.11. *
63. Death of a Trophy Wife by Laura Levine. 8.19.11. **1/2
64. E is for Evidence by Sue Grafton. 8.13.11. ****
65. F is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton. 8.14.11. ****
66. G is for Gumshoe by Sue Grafton. 8.15.11. ***1/2
67. H is for Homicide by Sue Grafton. 8.17.11. ***
68. I is for Innocent by Sue Grafton. 8.20.11. ****
69. J is for Judgment by Sue Grafton. 9.5.11. ***
70. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. 9.7.11. ****
71. Oedipus the King by Sophocles. 9.11.11.
72. The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert by Ann K. Levine, Esq. 9.11.11. *****
73. A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny. 9.14.11. *****
74. The Mistress Contract by Anonymous. 9.14.11. *
75. Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George. 9.16.11. ****
76. Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George. 9.18.11. ****
77. Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George. 9.22.11. ****
78. Murder Most Persuasive by Tracy Kiely. 9.26.11. ****
79. Bowery Girl by Kim Taylor. 10.2.11. *****
80. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. 10.3.11.
81. Kindling the Moon by Jenn Bennett. 10.6.11. ***
82. No Mercy by Sherrilyn Kenyon. 10.11.11. **
83. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. 10.18.11. ****
84. The Darkest Kiss by Keri Arthur. 10.26.11. ****
85. Darkness Unbound by Keri Arthur. 11.1.11. ****
86. Othello by Shakespeare. 11.1.11.
87. Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. 11.1.11.
88. Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. 11.19.11.
89. Othello by Shakespeare. 11.19.11.
90. Wicked Plants by Amy Stewart. 11.20.11. **
91. The Darcys and The Bingleys by Marsha Altman. 11.25.11. ***
92. Sentenced to Death by Lorna Barrett. 12.5.11. ***1/2
93. The Valley of Fear by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. 12.5.11. ***1/2
94. Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher. 12.6.11. **1/2
95. Whip Smart by Melissa Febos. 12.11.11. ****
96. Eliza's Daughter by Joan Aiken. 12.14.11. ****
97. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. 12.20.11. *****
98. Snuff by Terry Pratchett. 12.26.11. *****
99. Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor, et al. 12.26.11. ***
100. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi. 12.27.11. ****1/2
101. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. 12.29.11. ****
Saturday, December 31, 2011
List of Books Read in 2011 - By Rating
75 in 2011 Challenge
Based on a scale of one
to five
Unrated for varying reasons
Trifles by Susan Glaspell. 1.28.11.
Oedipus the King by Sophocles. 2.6.11.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. 2.24.11.
Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl. 2.28.11
Tracking Trash by Loree Griffin Burns. 3.20.11.
Canning for a New Generation by Liana Krissoff. 3.20.11.
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. 4.27.11.
Oedipus the King by Sophocles. 9.11.11.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey. 10.3.11.
Othello by Shakespeare. 11.1.11.
Oedipus the King by Sophocles. 11.1.11.
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. 11.20.11.
Othello by Shakespeare. 11.20.11.
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. 1.7.11.
Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny. 1.18.11.
River Marked by Patricia Briggs. 3.9.11.
Murder on Bank Street by Victoria Thompson. 4.14.11.
The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells. 4.30.11.
I Don't Want to Kill You by Dan Wells. 7.17.11.
The Law School Admission Game by Ann Levine, Esq. 9.11.11.
A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny. 9.14.11.
Bowery Girl by Kim Taylor. 10.2.11.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. 12.20.11.
Snuff by Terry Pratchett. 12.26.11.
Mr. Monster by Dan Wells. 1.4.11.
Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy by Abigail Reynolds. 1.15.11.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. 3.23.11.
The Misadventures of Maude March by Audrey Couloumbis. 4.22.11.
The Victorian Governess by Kathryn Hughes. 6.12.11.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Rigs. 6.17.11.
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi. 12.27.11.
Home for a Spell by Madelyn Alt. 1.6.11
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. 1.12.11.
Murder on Gramercy Park by Victoria Thompson. 2.11.11.
Murder on Washington Square by Victoria Thompson. 2.16.11.
Murder on Mulberry Bend by Victoria Thompson. 2.17.11.
Murder on Marble Row by Victoria Thompson. 2.22.11.
Murder on Lenox Hill by Victoria Thompson. 3.4.11.
Let's Kill Uncle by Rohan O'Grady. 3.5.11.
Murder in Chinatown by Victoria Thompson. 3.28.11.
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale. 5.7.11.
Demon from the Dark by Kresley Cole. 5.15.11.
Murder on Lexington Avenue by Victoria Thompson. 5.29.11.
Murder on Sisters' Row by Victoria Thompson. 6.10.11.
Heartless by Gail Carriger. 6.28.11.
All Different Kinds of Free by Jessica McCann. 7.15.11.
The Real Macaw by Donna Andrews. 7.19.11.
Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong. 7.26.11.
Killed at the Whim of a Hat by Colin Cotterill. 7.31.11.
E is for Evidence by Sue Grafton. 8.13.11.
F is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton. 8.14.11.
I is for Innocent by Sue Grafton. 8.20.11.
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. 9.7.11.
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George. 9.16.11.
Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George. 9.18.11.
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George. 9.22.11.
Murder Most Persuasive by Tracy Kiely. 9.26.11.
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. 10.18.11.
The Darkest Kiss by Keri Arthur. 10.26.11.
Darkness Unbound by Keri Arthur. 11.1.11.
Whip Smart by Melissa Febos. 12.11.11.
Eliza's Daughter by Joan Aiken. 12.14.11.
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. 12.29.11. ****
The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter. 1.8.11.
Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson. 2.5.11.
Murder on St. Mark's Place by Victoria Thompson. 2.8.11. ***3/4
No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole. 3.2.11.
Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night by Kresley Cole. 3.12.11.
Murder in Little Italy by Victoria Thompson. 3.18.11.
Dark Needs at Night's Edge by Kresley Cole. 4.2.11.
Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresley Cole. 4.7.11.
Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole. 4.11.11.
Murder on Waverly Place by Victoria Thompson. 4.19.11.
Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole. 5.12.11.
A Cast-Off Coven by Juliet Blackwell. 6.3.11.
Hit List by Laurell K. Hamilton. 6.8.11.
Deeper than Midnight by Lara Adrian. 7.1.11.
"G" is for Grafton: The World of Kinsey Millhone by Natalie Hevener Kaufman and Carol McGinnis Kay. 7.1.11.
Bookmarked for Death by Lorna Barrett. 8.5.11.
G is for Gumshoe by Sue Grafton. 8.15.11.
Sentenced to Death by Lorna Barrett. 12.5.11.
The Valley of Fear by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. 12.5.11.
Expecting 411 by Michele Hakakha and Ari Brown. 1.1.11.
A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole. 2.24.11.
Hexes and Hemlines by Juliet Blackwell. 7.21.11.
H is for Homicide by Sue Grafton. 8.17.11.
J is for Judgment by Sue Grafton. 9.5.11.
Kindling the Moon by Jenn Bennett. 10.6.11.
The Darcys and The Bingleys by Marsha Altman. 11.25.11.
Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor, et al. 12.26.11
The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter. 1.13.11
Greasy Lake by T.C. Boyle. 3.22.11.
Beastly by Alex Flin. 4.8.11
Dreams of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole. 5.19.11.
Death of a Trophy Wife by Laura Levine. 8.19.11.
Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher. 12.6.11.
Dead Girls are Easy by Terri Garey. 7.23.11.
No Mercy by Sherilyn Kenyon. 10.11.11.
Wicked Plants by Amy Stewart. 11.20.11.
Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs. 8.7.11.
The Mistress Contract by Anonymous. 9.14.11.
Based on a scale of one
to five Unrated for varying reasons
Trifles by Susan Glaspell. 1.28.11.
Oedipus the King by Sophocles. 2.6.11.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. 2.24.11.
Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl. 2.28.11
Tracking Trash by Loree Griffin Burns. 3.20.11.
Canning for a New Generation by Liana Krissoff. 3.20.11.
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. 4.27.11.
Oedipus the King by Sophocles. 9.11.11.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey. 10.3.11.
Othello by Shakespeare. 11.1.11.
Oedipus the King by Sophocles. 11.1.11.
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. 11.20.11.
Othello by Shakespeare. 11.20.11.
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. 1.7.11.
Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny. 1.18.11.
River Marked by Patricia Briggs. 3.9.11.
Murder on Bank Street by Victoria Thompson. 4.14.11.
The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells. 4.30.11.
I Don't Want to Kill You by Dan Wells. 7.17.11.
The Law School Admission Game by Ann Levine, Esq. 9.11.11.
A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny. 9.14.11.
Bowery Girl by Kim Taylor. 10.2.11.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. 12.20.11.
Snuff by Terry Pratchett. 12.26.11.
Mr. Monster by Dan Wells. 1.4.11.
Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy by Abigail Reynolds. 1.15.11.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. 3.23.11.
The Misadventures of Maude March by Audrey Couloumbis. 4.22.11.
The Victorian Governess by Kathryn Hughes. 6.12.11.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Rigs. 6.17.11.
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi. 12.27.11.
Home for a Spell by Madelyn Alt. 1.6.11
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. 1.12.11.
Murder on Gramercy Park by Victoria Thompson. 2.11.11.
Murder on Washington Square by Victoria Thompson. 2.16.11.
Murder on Mulberry Bend by Victoria Thompson. 2.17.11.
Murder on Marble Row by Victoria Thompson. 2.22.11.
Murder on Lenox Hill by Victoria Thompson. 3.4.11.
Let's Kill Uncle by Rohan O'Grady. 3.5.11.
Murder in Chinatown by Victoria Thompson. 3.28.11.
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale. 5.7.11.
Demon from the Dark by Kresley Cole. 5.15.11.
Murder on Lexington Avenue by Victoria Thompson. 5.29.11.
Murder on Sisters' Row by Victoria Thompson. 6.10.11.
Heartless by Gail Carriger. 6.28.11.
All Different Kinds of Free by Jessica McCann. 7.15.11.
The Real Macaw by Donna Andrews. 7.19.11.
Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong. 7.26.11.
Killed at the Whim of a Hat by Colin Cotterill. 7.31.11.
E is for Evidence by Sue Grafton. 8.13.11.
F is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton. 8.14.11.
I is for Innocent by Sue Grafton. 8.20.11.
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. 9.7.11.
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George. 9.16.11.
Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George. 9.18.11.
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George. 9.22.11.
Murder Most Persuasive by Tracy Kiely. 9.26.11.
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. 10.18.11.
The Darkest Kiss by Keri Arthur. 10.26.11.
Darkness Unbound by Keri Arthur. 11.1.11.
Whip Smart by Melissa Febos. 12.11.11.
Eliza's Daughter by Joan Aiken. 12.14.11.
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. 12.29.11. ****
The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter. 1.8.11.
Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson. 2.5.11.
Murder on St. Mark's Place by Victoria Thompson. 2.8.11. ***3/4
No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole. 3.2.11.
Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night by Kresley Cole. 3.12.11.
Murder in Little Italy by Victoria Thompson. 3.18.11.
Dark Needs at Night's Edge by Kresley Cole. 4.2.11.
Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresley Cole. 4.7.11.
Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole. 4.11.11.
Murder on Waverly Place by Victoria Thompson. 4.19.11.
Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole. 5.12.11.
A Cast-Off Coven by Juliet Blackwell. 6.3.11.
Hit List by Laurell K. Hamilton. 6.8.11.
Deeper than Midnight by Lara Adrian. 7.1.11.
"G" is for Grafton: The World of Kinsey Millhone by Natalie Hevener Kaufman and Carol McGinnis Kay. 7.1.11.
Bookmarked for Death by Lorna Barrett. 8.5.11.
G is for Gumshoe by Sue Grafton. 8.15.11.
Sentenced to Death by Lorna Barrett. 12.5.11.
The Valley of Fear by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. 12.5.11.
Expecting 411 by Michele Hakakha and Ari Brown. 1.1.11.
A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole. 2.24.11.
Hexes and Hemlines by Juliet Blackwell. 7.21.11.
H is for Homicide by Sue Grafton. 8.17.11.
J is for Judgment by Sue Grafton. 9.5.11.
Kindling the Moon by Jenn Bennett. 10.6.11.
The Darcys and The Bingleys by Marsha Altman. 11.25.11.
Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor, et al. 12.26.11
The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter. 1.13.11
Greasy Lake by T.C. Boyle. 3.22.11.
Beastly by Alex Flin. 4.8.11
Dreams of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole. 5.19.11.
Death of a Trophy Wife by Laura Levine. 8.19.11.
Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher. 12.6.11.
Dead Girls are Easy by Terri Garey. 7.23.11.
No Mercy by Sherilyn Kenyon. 10.11.11.
Wicked Plants by Amy Stewart. 11.20.11.
Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs. 8.7.11.
The Mistress Contract by Anonymous. 9.14.11.
Friday, December 30, 2011
101. 
Author: Suzanne Collins
Title: Catching Fire
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: Dystopian
Acquisition: sequel
Date: December 29, 2011
Rating: ****
Despite Katniss' relief at the conclusion of The Hunger Games, it is evident to the reader that "it" is not over; the feeling of unrest, the political ramifications of her actions, and the building personal tension scream out for a sequel, which is presented in Catching Fire.
In this second book of the trilogy, the reader is fully (albeit briefly) introduced to the "head" of this horrendous civilization, and as Collins further develops the society outside of the games it becomes clear that not everyone in the Capitol is as repugnant as President Snow, but rather have been indoctrinated into his insanity.
There is little relief for Katniss and her loved ones, as she struggles to again find her path through the mine-field that is her society. While even more predictable than the first, the second is just as compelling, and leads directly in to the concluding novel, Mockingjay.
Author: Suzanne Collins
Title: Catching Fire
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: Dystopian
Acquisition: sequel
Date: December 29, 2011
Rating: ****
Despite Katniss' relief at the conclusion of The Hunger Games, it is evident to the reader that "it" is not over; the feeling of unrest, the political ramifications of her actions, and the building personal tension scream out for a sequel, which is presented in Catching Fire.
In this second book of the trilogy, the reader is fully (albeit briefly) introduced to the "head" of this horrendous civilization, and as Collins further develops the society outside of the games it becomes clear that not everyone in the Capitol is as repugnant as President Snow, but rather have been indoctrinated into his insanity.
There is little relief for Katniss and her loved ones, as she struggles to again find her path through the mine-field that is her society. While even more predictable than the first, the second is just as compelling, and leads directly in to the concluding novel, Mockingjay.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
My personal goal is to make it to 100 books every year, and last night I accomplished just that!
100.
Author: Marjane Satrapi
Title: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
publication: Paperback
Pages: 153
Genre: Comic
Acquisition: Work text
Date: December 27, 2011
Rating: ****1/2
In October of 2011 I attended a conference called "Contentious Issues in Composition," focusing on - you guessed it - common debates that pop up in community college English departments.* One panel I attended discussed the potential use of graphic novels in the classroom, and, while the discussion itself was not well planned, the presenter's knowledge was clear, and I was introduced to some amazing works that I agreed held a lot of potential. So, always happy to experiment with the design of my course and the materials I use, I took the leap and settled on Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood as the final text for my spring lit/comp courses.
When I began Satrapi's book (the first in a series of four), I was immediately struck by her narrative voice, and the familiar-yet-alien culture in which she grew up. My own experience with graphic novels is limited to a few flops ("classics," The Watchmen, and a few others), and a few successes (most memorably Fun Home), and so I approach her text primarily as a student of the genre. I found the book to be thought-provoking and moving, as well as informative. The stark illustrations are as captivating as they are simple, and provide food for thought on the equality (or lack thereof) of human existence.
In the end, I am very satisfied with my choice, and I look forward to discussing the work in the classroom in April.
*I actually presented at this conference on the response of English faculty to social networking and the evolution of the language as influenced by technology. It was a great experience, and I'm building on my arguments for a second conference next week.
100.
Author: Marjane Satrapi
Title: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
publication: Paperback
Pages: 153
Genre: Comic
Acquisition: Work text
Date: December 27, 2011
Rating: ****1/2
In October of 2011 I attended a conference called "Contentious Issues in Composition," focusing on - you guessed it - common debates that pop up in community college English departments.* One panel I attended discussed the potential use of graphic novels in the classroom, and, while the discussion itself was not well planned, the presenter's knowledge was clear, and I was introduced to some amazing works that I agreed held a lot of potential. So, always happy to experiment with the design of my course and the materials I use, I took the leap and settled on Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood as the final text for my spring lit/comp courses.
When I began Satrapi's book (the first in a series of four), I was immediately struck by her narrative voice, and the familiar-yet-alien culture in which she grew up. My own experience with graphic novels is limited to a few flops ("classics," The Watchmen, and a few others), and a few successes (most memorably Fun Home), and so I approach her text primarily as a student of the genre. I found the book to be thought-provoking and moving, as well as informative. The stark illustrations are as captivating as they are simple, and provide food for thought on the equality (or lack thereof) of human existence.
In the end, I am very satisfied with my choice, and I look forward to discussing the work in the classroom in April.
*I actually presented at this conference on the response of English faculty to social networking and the evolution of the language as influenced by technology. It was a great experience, and I'm building on my arguments for a second conference next week.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
98. 
Author: Terry Pratchett
Title: Snuff
publication: Hardback
Pages:
Genre: Fantasy/Satire
Acquisition: Preordered
Date: December 26, 2011
Rating: *****
Snuff by Terry Pratchett is a novel of evolution: Vimes evolving, culture evolving, and Pratchett evolving. Featuring an older, more diplomatic Samuel Vimes, Snuff does not attempt to stick to maintain, but rather to accept the changes that time brings. While this is presented most obviously in the world's acceptance of goblins as a people, this is also evident in Vimes's own approach to the crimes he sees, the shift in how others perceive Vimes, and the way in which Pratchett himself tells the story. While not the humorous satire that I've come to expect of the series, I still enjoyed Pratchett's masterful storytelling, and his commentary on our own society.
99.
Author: Laini Taylor, et al.
Title: Lips Touch: Three Times
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: Teen Paranormal Romance
Acquisition:
Date: December 26, 2011
Rating: ***
Lips Touch: Three Times is a collection of three supernatural "romances," each exploring the consequences of a single kiss; at least, that's what the product description suggests. Only one story truly follows this pattern, with the other two loosely weaving in an element of romance used to justify the artistic title. In the end, the book contains three very different works, with varying levels of success. This is a collection to which each reader will respond differently, and so the ultimate quality of the work will rely primarily on the reader's expectations. From my own point of view, the stories were nothing groundbreaking, and did little to hold my interest, but will likely satisfy the expectations of the new audience for the genre.
Author: Terry Pratchett
Title: Snuff
publication: Hardback
Pages:
Genre: Fantasy/Satire
Acquisition: Preordered
Date: December 26, 2011
Rating: *****
Snuff by Terry Pratchett is a novel of evolution: Vimes evolving, culture evolving, and Pratchett evolving. Featuring an older, more diplomatic Samuel Vimes, Snuff does not attempt to stick to maintain, but rather to accept the changes that time brings. While this is presented most obviously in the world's acceptance of goblins as a people, this is also evident in Vimes's own approach to the crimes he sees, the shift in how others perceive Vimes, and the way in which Pratchett himself tells the story. While not the humorous satire that I've come to expect of the series, I still enjoyed Pratchett's masterful storytelling, and his commentary on our own society.
99.
Author: Laini Taylor, et al.
Title: Lips Touch: Three Times
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: Teen Paranormal Romance
Acquisition:
Date: December 26, 2011
Rating: ***
Lips Touch: Three Times is a collection of three supernatural "romances," each exploring the consequences of a single kiss; at least, that's what the product description suggests. Only one story truly follows this pattern, with the other two loosely weaving in an element of romance used to justify the artistic title. In the end, the book contains three very different works, with varying levels of success. This is a collection to which each reader will respond differently, and so the ultimate quality of the work will rely primarily on the reader's expectations. From my own point of view, the stories were nothing groundbreaking, and did little to hold my interest, but will likely satisfy the expectations of the new audience for the genre.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
97. 
Author: Suzanne Collins
Title: The Hunger Games
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: dystopian
Acquisition:
Date: December 20, 2011
Rating: *****
Recently, my partner and I were in a book store, and he turned to me and said, "The Hunger Games - that's a classic, isn't it?" And because the title has been floating around my subconscious for an untold length of time I frown and say, "Well, I think so." Some books are like that for us - we'll hear a title a number of times, until we tend to think it's much older and more relevant than it is.
Although The Hunger Games isn't actually "a classic," it is certainly poised to be. Collins takes traditional dystopian tropes and melds them into something both horrifying and enthralling. More compelling than 1984, more horrifying than Fahrenheit 451, and more sympathetic than Ender's Game, Collins manages to take a weave a story that, while not original, remains with the reader more than those of her predecessors. This strength lies in the development of her strong protagonist - Katniss - and the pure humanity that Katniss brings to the narrative.
Author: Suzanne Collins
Title: The Hunger Games
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: dystopian
Acquisition:
Date: December 20, 2011
Rating: *****
Recently, my partner and I were in a book store, and he turned to me and said, "The Hunger Games - that's a classic, isn't it?" And because the title has been floating around my subconscious for an untold length of time I frown and say, "Well, I think so." Some books are like that for us - we'll hear a title a number of times, until we tend to think it's much older and more relevant than it is.
Although The Hunger Games isn't actually "a classic," it is certainly poised to be. Collins takes traditional dystopian tropes and melds them into something both horrifying and enthralling. More compelling than 1984, more horrifying than Fahrenheit 451, and more sympathetic than Ender's Game, Collins manages to take a weave a story that, while not original, remains with the reader more than those of her predecessors. This strength lies in the development of her strong protagonist - Katniss - and the pure humanity that Katniss brings to the narrative.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
96. 
Author: Joan Aiken
Title: Eliza's Daughter
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: historical fiction
Acquisition: Free on Austen's birthday
Date: December 14, 2011
Rating: ****
Perhaps it is due to the fact that I am less familiar with the source material for Joan Aiken's Eliza's Daughter, but I found the novel to be much more enjoyable than many other Austen sequels I have read. The story is largely conscious of the restrictions of the time period, and develops a story that is believable in such a context. I found the narrator compelling, if not always sympathetic, and enjoyed watching her blossom from a discarded child to a capable woman - not an easy feat in Regency England.
Author: Joan Aiken
Title: Eliza's Daughter
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: historical fiction
Acquisition: Free on Austen's birthday
Date: December 14, 2011
Rating: ****
Perhaps it is due to the fact that I am less familiar with the source material for Joan Aiken's Eliza's Daughter, but I found the novel to be much more enjoyable than many other Austen sequels I have read. The story is largely conscious of the restrictions of the time period, and develops a story that is believable in such a context. I found the narrator compelling, if not always sympathetic, and enjoyed watching her blossom from a discarded child to a capable woman - not an easy feat in Regency England.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
95. 
Author: Melissa Febos
Title: Whip Smart
publication: paperback
Pages:
Genre: Memoir
Acquisition: Couldn't resist
Date: December 11, 2011
Rating: ****
When Melissa Febos worked as a dominatrix in a dungeon in New York City she enjoyed casually naming her job for the shock factor of such a revelation; just naming her occupation in unsuspecting company gave her the sense of power that draws her to the job in the first place. The title of her memoir - Whip Smart - seems to serve much the same purpose: it's more for shock value than a true advertisement of the details of the memoir.
Yes, Febos worked as a dominatrix for several years, and her memoir details her interactions with some clients, her relationships with her coworkers, and the way her business influenced her personal life. But more poignant than her occupation - and of greater concern to the memoir - is Febos's drug abuse during her rather tumultuous undergraduate years and her subsequent recovery.
In a way, the "shock value" of the title worked - I, for one, am more likely to purchase a memoir detailing the experiences of a counter-culture figure than that of another drug-addicted college student. However, Febos easily pieces together the details of this time in her life with what appears to be blunt honesty, and it is her narrative voice that ultimately renders this memoir effective.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy memoirs in general, to those who wish to read an interestingly candid discussion of recovery from heroine addiction (without the gospel), and, yes, to those interested in an anthropological discussion of subversive sexual culture.
Author: Melissa Febos
Title: Whip Smart
publication: paperback
Pages:
Genre: Memoir
Acquisition: Couldn't resist
Date: December 11, 2011
Rating: ****
When Melissa Febos worked as a dominatrix in a dungeon in New York City she enjoyed casually naming her job for the shock factor of such a revelation; just naming her occupation in unsuspecting company gave her the sense of power that draws her to the job in the first place. The title of her memoir - Whip Smart - seems to serve much the same purpose: it's more for shock value than a true advertisement of the details of the memoir.
Yes, Febos worked as a dominatrix for several years, and her memoir details her interactions with some clients, her relationships with her coworkers, and the way her business influenced her personal life. But more poignant than her occupation - and of greater concern to the memoir - is Febos's drug abuse during her rather tumultuous undergraduate years and her subsequent recovery.
In a way, the "shock value" of the title worked - I, for one, am more likely to purchase a memoir detailing the experiences of a counter-culture figure than that of another drug-addicted college student. However, Febos easily pieces together the details of this time in her life with what appears to be blunt honesty, and it is her narrative voice that ultimately renders this memoir effective.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy memoirs in general, to those who wish to read an interestingly candid discussion of recovery from heroine addiction (without the gospel), and, yes, to those interested in an anthropological discussion of subversive sexual culture.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
94. 
Author: Carrie Fisher
Title: Wishful Drinking
publication: paperback
Pages:
Genre: Autobiography
Acquisition: Couldn't resist
Date: December 6, 2011
Rating: **1/2
Carrie Fisher is a woman born for the spotlight; with two famous parents she didn't even need to become a cultural icon to find her way into cultural history. However, thanks to a minor film series she's not only a cultural icon, but a shampoo bottle, PEZ dispenser, and even a sex doll (as she is quick to point out herself). And while I believe she is a great storyteller, that unfortunately does not make her a great author.
Wishful Drinking the stage show would be much stronger than Wishful Drinking the book. As a text, however, Fisher's story falls far short of the mark, lacking coherency and development. Full of excessive exclamation points and lacking in organization, the book did not live up to its promise. There's a reason why one of the cover-reviews suggests finding someone to "read this book out loud" - it must be better than reading it to yourself.
Author: Carrie Fisher
Title: Wishful Drinking
publication: paperback
Pages:
Genre: Autobiography
Acquisition: Couldn't resist
Date: December 6, 2011
Rating: **1/2
Carrie Fisher is a woman born for the spotlight; with two famous parents she didn't even need to become a cultural icon to find her way into cultural history. However, thanks to a minor film series she's not only a cultural icon, but a shampoo bottle, PEZ dispenser, and even a sex doll (as she is quick to point out herself). And while I believe she is a great storyteller, that unfortunately does not make her a great author.
Wishful Drinking the stage show would be much stronger than Wishful Drinking the book. As a text, however, Fisher's story falls far short of the mark, lacking coherency and development. Full of excessive exclamation points and lacking in organization, the book did not live up to its promise. There's a reason why one of the cover-reviews suggests finding someone to "read this book out loud" - it must be better than reading it to yourself.
Monday, December 5, 2011
93. 
Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Title: The Valley of Fear
publication: paperback
Pages:
Genre: mystery
Acquisition: work text
Date: December 5, 2011
Rating: ***1/2
The Valley of Fear is published by Conan Doyle in 1914. Feeling shackled by the character for which he is best known, Conan Doyle's writing of the famous eccentric shows his narrative burden; Holmes himself is literally absent for over half of the book, as Part II explores the background of a particular character from Part I. This shift in genre is not entirely successful, as it does not seem to manage the expectations of the established audience; however, both narratives are enjoyable when read as separate bodies of work, and I would argue that they would be most successfully read as such.
92.
Author: Lorna Barrett
Title: [Sentenced to Death]
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: cozy mystery
Acquisition: Necessary baby-feeding ebook
Date: December 5, 2011
Rating: ***1/2
I have apparently missed a book or two in my reading of this series, but my understanding was not hindered by the oversight.
My reading of Sentenced to Death is mixed. I appreciate Barrett's acknowledgement of the difficulties all cozy authors must face: most importantly, how librarians/booksellers/bakers/candlestick makers keep coming across bodies in an otherwise "perfectly safe" environment. Barrett's characters readily recognize the growing crime rate in their community, and proper concern is mixed. This seems to be a flag for the end of the series, as the murder rate will soon outgrow the constraints of a small tourist town.
What I found most difficult about the novel is the murder itself; while Barrett eventually justifies such an outlandish act, the details of the murder are still so extraordinary that it's dificult to believe the murderer could even get it right.
This is one for fans of the series, but probably not one worth picking up for readers not already invested in Tricia and her community.
Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Title: The Valley of Fear
publication: paperback
Pages:
Genre: mystery
Acquisition: work text
Date: December 5, 2011
Rating: ***1/2
The Valley of Fear is published by Conan Doyle in 1914. Feeling shackled by the character for which he is best known, Conan Doyle's writing of the famous eccentric shows his narrative burden; Holmes himself is literally absent for over half of the book, as Part II explores the background of a particular character from Part I. This shift in genre is not entirely successful, as it does not seem to manage the expectations of the established audience; however, both narratives are enjoyable when read as separate bodies of work, and I would argue that they would be most successfully read as such.
92.
Author: Lorna Barrett
Title: [Sentenced to Death]
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: cozy mystery
Acquisition: Necessary baby-feeding ebook
Date: December 5, 2011
Rating: ***1/2
I have apparently missed a book or two in my reading of this series, but my understanding was not hindered by the oversight.
My reading of Sentenced to Death is mixed. I appreciate Barrett's acknowledgement of the difficulties all cozy authors must face: most importantly, how librarians/booksellers/bakers/candlestick makers keep coming across bodies in an otherwise "perfectly safe" environment. Barrett's characters readily recognize the growing crime rate in their community, and proper concern is mixed. This seems to be a flag for the end of the series, as the murder rate will soon outgrow the constraints of a small tourist town.
What I found most difficult about the novel is the murder itself; while Barrett eventually justifies such an outlandish act, the details of the murder are still so extraordinary that it's dificult to believe the murderer could even get it right.
This is one for fans of the series, but probably not one worth picking up for readers not already invested in Tricia and her community.
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