Saturday, February 28, 2009
23. Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. 281 pages. 2.28.09. +
Ken Kesey's novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a whirlwind of eccentricity and brilliance. In a plot that is completely character-driven, Kesey skillfully manipulates stock characters to reflect on larger ideas regarding the individual and his place in society (both on the ward, and at large). The evolution of character and self - highlighted by the "reality" of life on their ward - is fascinating; Kesey attempts to prove that insanity is a product of contemporary culture, and that reality is not as fixed as those in power would have the masses believe. I am currently teaching this novel in an introductory-level English class, and it has proved to be through-provoking and inspiring - even to students who otherwise have no interest in reading novels. This is a novel everyone should read at least once.
Friday, February 27, 2009
21. Hamilton, Laruell K. Swallowing Darkness. 365 pages. 2.22.09.
22. Briggs, Patricia. Bone Crossed. 309 pages. 2.27.09.
Patricia Briggs is very consistent in her writing; the characters and events in her Mercy Thompson novels always seem to read true from one to the next. Bone Crossed clearly follows Iron Kissed, although the beginning follows so closely that I felt lost for the first few paragraphs. While the plot itself seems to be even more outlandish than expected (as much as a fantasy/horror series can seem outlandish), the latest installment will continue to entertain Mercy Thompson fans.
22. Briggs, Patricia. Bone Crossed. 309 pages. 2.27.09.
Patricia Briggs is very consistent in her writing; the characters and events in her Mercy Thompson novels always seem to read true from one to the next. Bone Crossed clearly follows Iron Kissed, although the beginning follows so closely that I felt lost for the first few paragraphs. While the plot itself seems to be even more outlandish than expected (as much as a fantasy/horror series can seem outlandish), the latest installment will continue to entertain Mercy Thompson fans.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
To Kindle, or Not to Kindle?
So, I'm pretty much hot for the new Kindle. I haven't read any reviews so I don't know how well it actually performs, but it sounds pretty fabulous. I've always thought it'd be great to throw in a bad, so I always have a book with me. And good lord, it would be so much easier to take a Kindle on vacation than the stack I usually drag around.
But ... it doesn't look like it's as cost-effective as I thought it would be. New cheesy horror book I just bought? $14.29 on the Kindle. But it's only $15.59 to buy the actual printed book on Amazon (and we all know how neurotic I am about my books). So in the end, the only advantage would be the fact that no one could tell I was reading a cheesy book, but I own up to my junky fiction addiction.
But ... it doesn't look like it's as cost-effective as I thought it would be. New cheesy horror book I just bought? $14.29 on the Kindle. But it's only $15.59 to buy the actual printed book on Amazon (and we all know how neurotic I am about my books). So in the end, the only advantage would be the fact that no one could tell I was reading a cheesy book, but I own up to my junky fiction addiction.
Friday, February 20, 2009
20. Plath, Sylvia. The Bell Jar. 244 pages. 2.20.09.
I am almost sorry to say that my reading of Sylvia Plath's novel The Bell Jar was not nearly as moving or thought-provoking as it seems to be for so many. In my opinion, The Bell Jar's Esther Greenwood is entirely unsympathetic, to the detriment of the novel. While I recognize the necessity of emphasizing her deterioration, I found her to be overly melodramatic and weak (while still recognizing her "condition"), and I loathed her from the start. While I will allow that Plath's prose is more eloquent than her poetry I failed to find evidence of the brilliance so often extolled.
I am almost sorry to say that my reading of Sylvia Plath's novel The Bell Jar was not nearly as moving or thought-provoking as it seems to be for so many. In my opinion, The Bell Jar's Esther Greenwood is entirely unsympathetic, to the detriment of the novel. While I recognize the necessity of emphasizing her deterioration, I found her to be overly melodramatic and weak (while still recognizing her "condition"), and I loathed her from the start. While I will allow that Plath's prose is more eloquent than her poetry I failed to find evidence of the brilliance so often extolled.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
19. Sebold, Alice. The Lovely Bones. 328 pages. 2.17.09.
I read The Lovely Bones for the first time when I was a sophomore in college, and rereading it all these years later has greatly altered my perception of Alice Sebold's novel. At first, I was charmed and delighted by Sebold's willingness to cover such gritty subjects as pedophilia, murder, adultery, and grief. However, now I find myself questioning her motives and techniques. Is The Lovely Bones an unflinching but sympathetic examination of suburban disasters and the bonds of family, or is it merely an exploitation of the gruesome, like an adolescent's macabre stories intended to do no more than unsettle the school counselor? Characters that seem sincere and grounded will become flat and unbelievable within the space of a few pages. Sebold transitions between the poignant and the trivial with an unsettling ease, making it difficult for me to speak to the novel's overall worth with confidence. While I am glad I read the novel - both times - I doubt I will return to it for a third (increasingly dissatisfied) examination.
I read The Lovely Bones for the first time when I was a sophomore in college, and rereading it all these years later has greatly altered my perception of Alice Sebold's novel. At first, I was charmed and delighted by Sebold's willingness to cover such gritty subjects as pedophilia, murder, adultery, and grief. However, now I find myself questioning her motives and techniques. Is The Lovely Bones an unflinching but sympathetic examination of suburban disasters and the bonds of family, or is it merely an exploitation of the gruesome, like an adolescent's macabre stories intended to do no more than unsettle the school counselor? Characters that seem sincere and grounded will become flat and unbelievable within the space of a few pages. Sebold transitions between the poignant and the trivial with an unsettling ease, making it difficult for me to speak to the novel's overall worth with confidence. While I am glad I read the novel - both times - I doubt I will return to it for a third (increasingly dissatisfied) examination.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
15. Poe, Edgar Allan. Complete Poems. 125 pages. 2.12.09.
16. McCarthy, Jenny. Belly Laughs. 165 pages. 2.14.09.
Jenny McCarthy's Belly Laughs is nothing short of adorable. I am currently expecting my second child, and picked up this book after hearing several positive reviews from other expectant mothers. McCarthy is straight-forward and honest about the joys and tribulations of pregnancies without ever losing her sense of humor. She makes several "taboo" subjects approachable, and in the face of so many books aimed at "scaring" pregnant women into doing things a certain way, McCarthy gives readers the bare facts while reassuring them that they can handle anything mother nature throws at them. Even if they don't agree with some of her choices, McCarthy's experiences will amuse and reassure her audience - especially those expecting their first baby.
17. De La Cruz, Melissa. Masquerade. 305 pages. 2.14.09.
18. Hamilton, Laurell K. A Lick of Frost. 342 pages. 2.14.09.
16. McCarthy, Jenny. Belly Laughs. 165 pages. 2.14.09.
Jenny McCarthy's Belly Laughs is nothing short of adorable. I am currently expecting my second child, and picked up this book after hearing several positive reviews from other expectant mothers. McCarthy is straight-forward and honest about the joys and tribulations of pregnancies without ever losing her sense of humor. She makes several "taboo" subjects approachable, and in the face of so many books aimed at "scaring" pregnant women into doing things a certain way, McCarthy gives readers the bare facts while reassuring them that they can handle anything mother nature throws at them. Even if they don't agree with some of her choices, McCarthy's experiences will amuse and reassure her audience - especially those expecting their first baby.
17. De La Cruz, Melissa. Masquerade. 305 pages. 2.14.09.
18. Hamilton, Laurell K. A Lick of Frost. 342 pages. 2.14.09.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
14. Bryson, Bill. The Mother Tongue: English, and How it Got That Way. 245 pages. 2.12.09
Bill Bryson's The Mother Tongue is a delightful read suitable for any language enthusiast. While several readers have singled out the (apparently copious) errors in the book, I myself read it for its entertainment value only, and was not troubled by these technicalities. Though by no means a scholarly text, Bryson's book provides readers with a wealth of information and trivia; in less than 250 pages he touches on everything from dialects to dictionaries, crosswords to curse words. Each of the sixteen chapters is closely focused on a subject related to the use, history, or development of the English language (both in England and other English-speaking countries), and can be read (and judged) on its own merits. Likely written in the late 1980s, and published in 1990, some of Bryson's "modern" examples are a bit dated. However, most of his illustrations are historical in nature, which will allow several generations of readers to follow along with the same level of comprehension. Who knew that a book on spelling and grammar could be so entertaining?
Bill Bryson's The Mother Tongue is a delightful read suitable for any language enthusiast. While several readers have singled out the (apparently copious) errors in the book, I myself read it for its entertainment value only, and was not troubled by these technicalities. Though by no means a scholarly text, Bryson's book provides readers with a wealth of information and trivia; in less than 250 pages he touches on everything from dialects to dictionaries, crosswords to curse words. Each of the sixteen chapters is closely focused on a subject related to the use, history, or development of the English language (both in England and other English-speaking countries), and can be read (and judged) on its own merits. Likely written in the late 1980s, and published in 1990, some of Bryson's "modern" examples are a bit dated. However, most of his illustrations are historical in nature, which will allow several generations of readers to follow along with the same level of comprehension. Who knew that a book on spelling and grammar could be so entertaining?
Monday, February 9, 2009
12. Stevenson, Robert Louis. Treasure Island. 303 pages. 2.4.09.*
Stevenson's classic treasure hunt is a story that will always be remembered in cultural history. Generations of readers can easily relate to Jim's adventures, and will find it easy to navigate through the narrative itself, despite evolving vocabulary, speech patterns, and usage. Full of charming characters such as Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins, adventure, treasure, pirates and intrigue, Treasure Island is a treat for all ages.
13. Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. 37 pages. 2.9.09.+
Rereading - and teaching - Oedipus Rex as an adult was an interesting experience. While I am always a bit wary of translations, the text itself (as translated by Robert Fitzgerald) is rich with literary devices, and the use of foreshadowing is especially poignant. Sophocles adeptly leads his audience through a series of emotions, guiding responses and perceptions with ease. One characteristic of the play that I found most thought-provoking was the removal of violence. While I'm sure this was done in part to accommodate the logistics of the ancient Greek stage (how would you show someone hanging, for example), I can't help but feel it was also done in order to allow the audience to focus on the emotionally-charged consequences as opposed to the gore that is Oedipus' fate. A wonderful work.
Stevenson's classic treasure hunt is a story that will always be remembered in cultural history. Generations of readers can easily relate to Jim's adventures, and will find it easy to navigate through the narrative itself, despite evolving vocabulary, speech patterns, and usage. Full of charming characters such as Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins, adventure, treasure, pirates and intrigue, Treasure Island is a treat for all ages.
13. Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. 37 pages. 2.9.09.+
Rereading - and teaching - Oedipus Rex as an adult was an interesting experience. While I am always a bit wary of translations, the text itself (as translated by Robert Fitzgerald) is rich with literary devices, and the use of foreshadowing is especially poignant. Sophocles adeptly leads his audience through a series of emotions, guiding responses and perceptions with ease. One characteristic of the play that I found most thought-provoking was the removal of violence. While I'm sure this was done in part to accommodate the logistics of the ancient Greek stage (how would you show someone hanging, for example), I can't help but feel it was also done in order to allow the audience to focus on the emotionally-charged consequences as opposed to the gore that is Oedipus' fate. A wonderful work.
Monday, February 2, 2009
10. Glaspell, Susan. Trifles and "A Jury of her Peers". 48 pages. 1.29.09 +
11. Peacock, Caro. A Dangerous Affair. 303 pages. 2.2.09.
I went into A Dangerous Affair cold, not having read A Foreign Affair. As such, I have to admit that reading the sequel without having read the original novel may in fact have had a negative impact on my reading.
A Dangerous Affair is sweet enough as a young adult novel, but I found it wanting in several ways; Peacock's plot is unoriginal, and her characters are often 2-dimensional. As a student of literature and a Victorian enthusiast I held high hopes for Peacock's novel, and was largely disappointed.
However, I would certainly recommend the book for high school students, especially those that can be difficult to engage.
11. Peacock, Caro. A Dangerous Affair. 303 pages. 2.2.09.
I went into A Dangerous Affair cold, not having read A Foreign Affair. As such, I have to admit that reading the sequel without having read the original novel may in fact have had a negative impact on my reading.
A Dangerous Affair is sweet enough as a young adult novel, but I found it wanting in several ways; Peacock's plot is unoriginal, and her characters are often 2-dimensional. As a student of literature and a Victorian enthusiast I held high hopes for Peacock's novel, and was largely disappointed.
However, I would certainly recommend the book for high school students, especially those that can be difficult to engage.
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