The Virgin's Lover

Author: Philippa Gregory
Category: cheats

I read this book while I was in Africa and completely forgot to post it. As with most of her books, I was definitely engaged and loved the storytelling. Every time I read one of her books I learn a ton so it always feels like it's worth my time.

This story focuses on Queen Elizabeth, the daughter of Henry and Anne Boleyn. The feel of the court at this time reminded me most of the first book in the series, The Other Boleyn Girl, which made it completely entertaining.

The Wolfen

Author: Whitley Strieber
Category: cheats

Dougie Fresh told me this was the only book to ever give him nightmares. Written in 1978 and made into a movie, I'd say that it was moderately scary. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised, given how en vogue werewolves and the undead are, if this movie were resurrected by Hollywood. The story itself was pretty good. The only thing I didn't like was that some of the dialogue seemed really disjointed, like I had missed a paragraph or even skipped a page.

The Lost Symbol

Author: Dan Brown

Category: cheats

Cool facts. Lame ending. I'm done with him.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog

Author: Muriel Barbery
Category: book club

Most of this book was slightly over-intellectual but the underlying story is amazing. Once you brush away all the fancy words, analogies, and references a beautiful and inevitable sadness is delivered perfectly. It could have been written no other way.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Author: Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Category: purchases

So, this book was pretty fun. Part of me thinks I might have liked it a little more if I hadn't read the original so recently. The second half was better than the first where I feel like he deviated from the original a little more and made it like a new story for me. Perhaps if I was a crazy Jane Austen fan I would have been offended but I think both versions merit some praise.

The Help

Author: Kathryn Stockett

Category: book club

For a little while now the book club had been tossing around the idea of reading some southern lit but no one had really offered up any suggestions. Shelley read about The Help somewhere and we all agreed that would work.

This story was really well told, with each chapter from a different character's perspective a la Poisonwood Bible. It takes place in the early 60's in Mississippi and focuses on the black women who care for the white babies in the midst of the racial turmoil. It was enlightening and sad to know that such a time and such behavior is not a myth.

My only complaint is that the end seemed a little rushed and almost a little too happy ending-ish but other than that I really enjoyed it and think it will make for a good discussion for book club.

The Penultimate Truth

Author: Philip K. Dick

Category: Cheats

I know, two cheats in a row. Doug-e-fresh passed this on to me a while ago and it's been sitting in my pile for months. Since I already started on the path of cheating why stop now? If you're not cheatin you're not tryin, right Bags?

But on to the book.

Dad, please, don't do this to me again. Books that use made-up words and define them at some later date in the story (if at all) infuriate me. It was almost like Neuromancer all over again. Ok, not THAT bad, but not good.

Once I understood the vocab list, or didn't care anymore, the story got interesting. But I felt like his humor was a weak attempt to emulate my favorite, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. Anyway, it's done. Sorry I didn't like it as much as you, Daddy.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Author: Stieg Larsson

Category: Cheats

So, yeah, I got a little of course with this one. When I was at the bookstore buying Wuthering Heights for my sister I just couldn't leave without buying myself a book. I figured the odds were pretty good that I was going to meet my goal this year so I gave in. I'm lucky I made it out of there with just one...

As soon as the two stories meshed into one this became a good book. I'm sure all the separate background was necessary but still kind of annoying. But I did totally enjoy it after it finally came together and loved the two main characters. I don't normally do mystery/detective novels but this was sufficiently entertaining that it worked for me - so much so that I'll probably read the sequel.

The Road

Author: Cormac McCarthy

Category: Purchases

You might think I've disappeared. Well, sort of. It's been a rough last 4 weeks being on vacation 97% of the time. So I'm a little behind on posting my reads, but believe me, there have been plenty.

I started reading Cormac McCarthy several years ago when I picked up Child of God. I then became mildly obsessed with him and read four other books which led me to All The Pretty Horses. But after that one I lost interest and haven't picked him up until now.

As one of my friend's remarked, The Road was his most universally accessible book. It frightened me and broke my heart. His sparse language was a reflection of the world he so successfully portrayed. And I believed it - I truly believed this world he described could exist in our future. Like I said, scary. Very well done. Recommended. Sad.

Wuthering Heights

Author: Emily Bronte
Category: library

Wow. These are some mean and crazy people in here. Who behaves like that? Did people really act like such animals back in 19th century England? Heathcliff is the true original bastard, for sure.

I enjoyed this classic quite a bit. I don't know what's gotten me into all these old school novels but it's definitely been worth my time. The only thing I didn't have patience for were the rants by Joseph in his crazy dialect. I just couldn't take the time to try to translate that mess of letters and apostrophes into something coherent.

The Reach of a Chef

Author: Michael Ruhlman
Category: stacks

My boss is an entomologist whose hobby is being a foodie and cooking a killer paella. He's actually very good friends with the owner of the store Pink works for and teaches an occasional cooking class or two. I think we probably talk more about food and wine than we do about real work-related material. I'm reminded of this when I think of an email exchange we had:

Gena writes: Can you approve the attached purchase request, please? PS - Warner is wondering how to keep the bottom of the paella from burning and if it's supposed to be crispy or not. Thanks.

Boss replies: Important things first, the crust is called the "socratto"...

He enthusiastically lent me the above book maybe 2 years ago and I've finally just gotten around to reading it. He was right - it was great! The author starts by going back to the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) to see how things have changed since he's been there, which by itself is an interesting commentary on the attitude/role of the student in general these days. Then he moves to the meat of his book, how the image of the chef has changed and how "branding" plays a major role now in measuring success.

I loved it because I knew about several of the chefs he highlighted and enjoyed learning about those I hadn't heard of before. I loved knowing I had at eaten at some of the restaurants he mentions (okay, really only three) and picking up where I'd love to go for our next over-the-top meal ($500 sushi, anyone?). It would be completely entertaining for any foodie.

He talks about food television and how that has played a major role in the chef coming out of the kitchen, so to speak, and capturing the attention of millions of people at a time - something never imagined for a chef. If you're into food and restaurants (or maybe even marketing), then I'm sure you'll find this sufficiently entertaining.

Hot, Flat, & Crowded

Author: Thomas Friedman
Category: Christmas

I finished this book over a week ago but I guess I've been trying to collect my thoughts about it.

I started out my undergrad career focusing on a degree in Environmental Science (during a college interview, the wise dean at Florida Institute of Tech convinced me that there are only so many jobs at Sea World and that I should pass on marine biology as a major, thus landing me at Albright College instead). Because at the time I loved learning about science and didn't want to waste my time on religion (that hasn't changed) or history (that has changed) all my electives were science courses whether they related to my degree or not. In the end, I came home with two degrees: one in Environmental Science and one in Biology.

Most of my working career has revolved around straight biology and it's only been recently that I've recognized my passion probably lies elsewhere within science. The environment is important to me. The concept of social responsibility is important to me. People who take the environment for granted and don't do what they can to cut their consumption are like people who don't vaccinate their kids - they illustrate no concept of the greater good. Sure, it's hard work, but isn't almost everything worthwhile hard work? More on this at a later date...

There are lots of good points to this book. It was a little too long, though, and for a lot of it I felt like I was being reprimanded, that he was standing there shaking his finger at me. But maybe that's the point. I'm convinced that we need to cut our consumption of oil and that ethanol is not the answer, mostly because it takes up the space we should be using to grow better food for our country. That's a whole other topic that has been at the forefront of my mind lately. We eat so much processed shit in this country and high fructose corn syrup is in everything. It should be no secret why Americans are fat and why they're getting fatter and dying of preventable diseases. But I digress.

If nothing else, maybe Friedman's scare tactics will work on some people. His bit about the auto industry is great, how he emphasizes that we have so many smart and talented people in our midst - we just need to let them into the game. Let the innovators play!

Definitely recommended if you can get over reading his tag line in every other paragraph.

Amphigorey

Author: Edward Gorey
Category: Christmas
When I was in grad school one of my roommates had a book called The Gashlycrumb Tinies. It was an alphabet of tots meeting intensely creative (and more often than not cruel) ends.

This started my fascination with Edward Gorey. I loved it so much I had to buy my own copy when I moved out. As one reviewer said, he appeals to, "anyone with a taste for morbid absurdity." I guess you learn something new about yourself everyday.

A lot of his books are hard to come by in their original form so several of them (if not all) are compiled into 4 anthologies: Amphigorey, Amphigorey Too, Amphigorey Also, and Amphigorey Again. Amphigorey contains 15 of his works, including the Gashlycrumb Tinies, but there is a lot of good stuff in there. Some of my other favorites from this book are The Bug Book, The Curious Sofa, and The Willowdale Handcar.

Google Edward Gorey and you'll likely see a good representation of his artwork and you'll instantly be able to recognize his work from that point on. It is utterly unique and fascinating, to say the least. Enjoy!

The Queen's Fool

Author: Philippa Gregory

Category: stacks

Chronologically this is the fourth book in the series whose most recognized novel is The Other Boleyn Girl. While I feel like the story's enchantment was lacking in the third in the series, The Boleyn Inheritance, it was resurrected with The Queen's Fool and makes pushing through to it completely worth the time.

This part of the epic focuses on Queen Mary, King Henry's "bastard" daughter by Queen Katherine, her most sad life and troubled ascent to the throne of England. It also serves to rightly introduce perhaps the most well-known beside Henry himself, the queen-to-be Princess Elizabeth, daughter of King Henry and Anne Boleyn.

I think the beauty of Gregory's novels is that there is real history involved but made utterly compelling by her fabulous imagination. Once I clear out the rest of the queue I'll definitely be putting the next in the series, The Virgin's Lover, at the top of my to-read list!

Dreams From My Father

Author: Barack Obama
Category: Purchases

This book was selected for the book club I didn't want to be in. I'm actually going to make it to the discussion this time so bravo for me, and I guess it also means I should start showing some unconditioned allegiance. Henceforth, it shall simply be referred to as, "book club."

Obama was asked to write this after being selected as the first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review, a fact that escaped me before now. As my Dad would chide me for never reading or watching the news (which I do actually do now, occasionally), I likewise didn't pay much attention to things besides a few key issues during the election so it's no surprise to me that this book was teeming with new information that most of the rest of the world probably already knows. It was like meeting someone for the second time without all the social awkwardness and with all the familiarity of an old friend.

I guess I particularly liked the candidness (is that a word?) with which I felt he wrote. It was published in 1995 so it's pretty clear to me that he had no idea or intentions of being the President, which I think made this a more honest account of his personal history than it may have been otherwise, or if a different kind of person was writing it.

He's a great storyteller and a rather good writer. And my opinion of his massive intelligence is completely solidified. I was going to say that I was less interested in his personal struggle (the main theme of the book) and more in his personal history, but of course one gives way to the other and by the end the two were indistinguishable. Extraordinarily educational and highly recommended.

EDIT: Changed the category to Book Club.

Slapstick

Author: Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Category: Christmas

KVJ is my most favorite author (my cats are named Kilgore and Trout, and certainly by no accident). Several years ago I read just about everything I could get my hands on by him. I had heard that his greatest work had been the Sirens of Titan so I saved that book for maybe 3 or 4 years - the best for last, so to speak (although it clearly turned out I had missed a few others).

Finally, some time early in 2007 I just couldn't hold out any longer so I read it. And then the unimaginable happened. I killed my hero.

Within weeks of my finishing Sirens KVJ passed away. Who knew I had been keeping him alive all along by starving myself of his greatest work? I was devastated, literally.

But alas, I hadn't quite been as completely read in KVJ as I had thought. Missing from my library was not only Slapstick, but also Welcome to the Monkey House, both of which I received first editions for Christmas from my most wonderful Pink.

Slapstick was one of the most heartfelt books I've read by him, even drawing tears in the introduction. For this particular edition KVJ described more about him personally than I ever knew and elicited such tears of sadness. The INTRODUCTION! The story itself, of course, had the usual expected quirkiness of a Vonnegut story, but knowing the basis for which he wrote it made it more meaningful and less satiric for me, slipping it in just behind Cat's Cradle on my list of Vonnegut favorites.

Pride & Prejudice

Author: Jane Austen
Category: stacks

So, the real reason I read this classic was so I could read this later on this summer without feeling like a cheater.

I have to admit, at first I was just going through the motions to assuage any impending guilt but it turns out I was pleasantly surprised at how much I truly enjoyed it. Towards the end all I really wanted to know was if Lizzie and Darcy would be together (as I assume everyone does) which kept me reading at a furious pace.

Gosh, who knew I was such a romantic?

Unaccustomed Earth

Author: Jhumpa Lahiri

Category: Acquisitions

Remember that book club that I didn't want to join? The one that showed me I could enjoy the world of perfume on a non-olfactory level? Lahiri's book was the second one selected by our group but alas, volleyball had me so slammed that I couldn't actually make it to the rendezvous. But being the team player I am, I read it anyway.

Lahiri is not new to me - I read her book The Namesake which was passed on to me by my sister some time last year or the year before.

Unaccustomed Earth is a collection of short stories and the second part is three stories about the same two characters - by far my favorites. I love the way she develops her characters. She spends an almost ridiculous time building them up so you understand them before you get to the meat of the story, but it's fantastic.

Note: this is my last acquisition until I clear out the rest of the categories - yikes!

Next

Author: Michael Crichton

Category: Acquisitions

Dougie Fresh passed this on to me when he was here last. As always, very entertaining author. Nothing really exceptional to say about it - a reliable piece of brain candy.

The Emperor of Scent

Author: Chandler Burr

Category: Christmas

My friend, Shelley, gave me this book after we had read another of Chandler Burr's books, The Perfect Scent, for our book club. I really didn't want to read it - books about perfumes by the New York Times perfume editor (who knew such a thing existed?) just didn't appeal to me - I don't even wear perfume and smelling it gives me a headache.

Nonetheless, my sister convinced me I was being antisocial if I didn't read it so I did. And it was fascinating. When Shelley told me The Emperor was more about the science of smell, I knew the anti-social uber-nerd in me would immediately love it. And I did.