Reading 100 Books

The List as of Today

2012-01-31T13:21:00.004-06:00

1. God is the Gospel
2. American Gods
3. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
4. Atlas Shrugged
5. Life of Pi
6. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
7. Confessions from an Honest Wife
8. Telegraph Days
9. The Courage to Start
10. Mirror Mirror
11. The Sirens of Titan
12. Gates of Fire
13. Something Happened
14. A Thousand Acres
15. Good Faith
16. Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel
17. No Need for Speed
18. Anna Karenina
19. Get Out of That Pit
20. Jesus, the one and only
21. The Bluest Eye
22. Prodigal Summer
23. The Know-It-All
24. The Witches
25. Fantastic Mr. Fox
26. The Myth of a Christian Nation
27. For Whom the Bell Tolls
28. Out of the Silent Planet
29. The Four Loves
30. The Complete Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde
31. Unspoken
32. Unafraid
33. Finding Stefanie
34. Lies My Teacher Told Me
35. The Executioner's Song
36. Love Beyond Reason
37. Middlesex
38. The Shack
39. The Amazing Adventure of Kavalier & Clay
40. The Joy Luck Club
41. Hinds' Feet on High Places (re-read)
42. Mountains of Spices
43. A Walk in the Woods
44. Fast Food Nation
45. The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing
46. The Maltese Falcon
47. How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth
48. The Poisonwood Bible (re-read)
49. Two Rivers
50. It's Not News, It's Fark
51. The Road
52. Persuasion (re-read)
53. The Silver Chair (re-read)
54. Lucky Man
55. Matilda
56. The Adventures of Augie March
57. Possession
58. Everything's Eventual
59. Written By Herself
60. Perelandra
61. That Hideous Strength
62. Memoirs of a Geisha
63. The Time Machine
64. Peculiar Treasures (re-read)
65. On a Whim (re-read)
66. Coming Attractions
67. Last Light
68. Night Light
69. True Light
70. Your Money or Your Life
71. The Perfect Thing
72. Moneyball
73. The Fifth Book of Peace
74. Early Bird
75. An Anthropologist on Mars
76. Exclusion & Embrace
77. A Short History of Nearly Everything
78. Sex, Drugs & Cocoa Puffs
79. Predictably Irrational
80. Finding Battlestar Gallactica
81. Hopes and Impediments
82. The Love Dare
83. Redeeming Love
84. Sappho's Leap
85. High Fidelity
86. Pilgrim's Progress
87. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (re-read)
88. The Pillars of the Earth
89. The Confessions of Nat Turner
90. A Christmas Carol
91. Gulliver's Travels and Other Writings
92. The 158-Pound Marriage
93. The Winged Seed
94. Driving Mr. Albert
95. Notes to Myself (re-read)
96. The Emotions
97. Mel Gibson's Passion and Philosophy
98. How to Win Every Argument
99. The World As I See It
100. Twelve Steps for the Recovering Pharisee

35 Read, 65 Unread (or not yet Re-read)

Books Read in 2011

2011-12-31T22:43:00.003-06:00

1. Room, Emma Donoghue
2. Stuck in the Middle, Virginia Smith
3. Early-Start Potty Training, Linda Sonna
4. Nanny Returns, Emma McLaughlin
5. Age Before Beauty, Virginia Smith
6. Amanda, Debra White Smith
7. Choosing to SEE, Mary Beth Chapman
8. Third Time's a Charm, Virginia Smith
9. Lucky Man, Michael J. Fox
10. Lucky Girl, Mei-Ling Hopgood
11. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon
12. The Help, Kathryn Stockett
13. No Impact Man, Colin Beavan
14. Dune Road, Jane Green
15. Departures, Robin Jones Gunn
16. Where Do I Go, Neta Jackson
17. Who Do I Talk To, Neta Jackson
18. In a Heartbeat, Leigh Anne Touhy
19. Cinderella Ate My Daughter, Peggy Orenstein
20. Harry Bentley's Second Chance, Dave Jackson
21. Who Do I Lean On, Neta Jackson
22. Harry Bentley's Second Sight, Dave Jackson
23. The Yada Yada Prayer Group, Neta Jackson
24. The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Down, Neta Jackson
25. Steady Days, Jamie C. Martin
26. The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Real, Neta Jackson
27. The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Tough, Neta Jackson
28. The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Caught, Neta Jackson
29. The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling, Neta Jackson
30. The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out, Neta Jackson
31. Who Is My Shelter, Neta Jackson
32. The Complete Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi
33. The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin
34. Radical, David Platt
35. Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert
36. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Mo Willems
37. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Amy Chua
38. Committed, Elizabeth Gilbert
39. Misconception, Paul Morrell
40. Down Came the Rain, Brooke Shields
41. Inconceivable, Carolyn Savage
42. God is the Gospel, John Piper
43. American Gods, Neil Gaiman
44. Multiple Blessings, Kate Gosselin
45. Here If You Need Me, Kate Braestrup
46. Bent Road, Lori Roy
47. Going Rogue, Sarah Palin
48. Julie and Julia, Julie Powell
49. The Price of Privilege, Madeline Levine
50. It's Not News It's Fark, Drew Curtis
51. Surrogacy Was the Way, Zara Griswold
52. Delivering Hope, Pamela MacPhee
53. Inconceivable, Julia Indichova
54. Stories I Only Tell My Friends, Rob Lowe
55. The Facts of Life and other Lessons My Father Taught Me, Lisa Whelchel
56. Permission Slips, Sherri Shepherd
57. The Pilgrim's Progress, John Bunyan
58. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Donald Miller
59. Through Gates of Splendor, Elisabeth Elliot
60. Bossypants, Tina Fey
61. Morning Glory, Diana Peterfreund
62. Origins, Annie Murphy Paul
63. State of Wonder, Ann Patchett
64. The Reading Promise, Alice Ozma
65. Skipping Christmas, John Grisham
66. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
67. Taking Care of the Me in Mommy, Lisa Whelchel
68. Life of Pi, Yann Martel
69. Sisterhood Everlasting, Ann Brashares
70. Happily Ever After, Susan May Warren
71. Too Small To Ignore, Wess Stafford
72. Craving God, Lisa TerKeurst
73. Happy Accidents, Jane Lynch

Life of Pi

2011-12-15T11:20:00.000-06:00

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Life of Pi has been on my list of "to read" books for years now. I began reading and wasn't feeling it for almost the entire first part. I honestly think that first part could have been skipped entirely (the writing or the reading of it). But I knew, even as I read it, that it was setting us up for something. The background itself isn't very important, but the declarations of faith, and the other philosophical parts of it, are needed before introducing the main conflict of the story.
Part two, the story of life on the Pacific, the story of survival, was so intriguing I didn't want to put the book down. Pi's taming of the tiger is what kept me into it, I think. I knew he eventually made it to land, but I still just kept reading, not knowing how or when. The end of part one assured me that "the story has a happy ending." I just wasn't sure. I am still not.
The book does indeed keep you pondering. It has been entertaining me all morning, and I finished reading the book last night.

View all my reviews

Surrogacy Was The Way

2011-09-12T12:05:00.001-05:00

Surrogacy Was the Way: Twenty Intended Mothers Tell Their Stories by Zara Griswold

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely essential reading for anyone embarking on the journey of surrogacy!
As a potential Gestional Surrogate (GS) I found each story (from the Intended Mother's point of view) to be informational and educational. This journey is emotional beyond imagining, and the best we can each do is try to understand where we are both coming from.
I think this book also highlights one major aspect of surrogacy--matching. The right match, much like a marriage, must not be entered into hastily or lightly. Just because logistics work out, doesn't mean the match is right. There must be a "good vibe" between the surrogate and the intended parents, before making the match official.

View all my reviews

American Gods

2011-07-21T23:09:00.000-05:00

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is so weird! I enjoyed it but there were parts of it that I just couldn't get on board with... it was fun learning about all the different legends/myths and gods. Also freaky at times. And depressing.
Overall I just tried to get through it as quickly as possible.
But I really cared for the main character. The periphery characters were just that, too much on the sidelines, and I really didn't care about any of them. Even the disappearing teenager... I had totally forgotten about that story arc for a while, so I had to be reminded that I should care about her.
The way that gods are explained was lacking. Can they die? Are they real? Most of them have physical bodies but some don't. Why? What is the difference exactly between a god and a culture hero? There were just too many loose ends in this vein for me to fully enjoy the book.

View all my reviews

God is the Gospel

2011-07-18T14:55:00.000-05:00

God Is the Gospel: Meditations on God's Love as the Gift of Himself by John Piper

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finally, I have finished reading God is the Gospel! I really like John Piper's writing, but it seems I can usually only stand it for a few pages at a time. He's just so deep theologically, and it takes me days sometimes to mull over what he is saying. However, two days ago I felt a new determination to FINISH my original 100 Books List before December of this year. So I got through the second half of God is the Gospel in just two days. I'm so happy! It is a huge accomplishment--it feels even bigger than finishing Anna Karenina, although it is about 600 pages shorter! It was good timing for me to finish this book, as I had recently read Radical (and liked it as well). This book carries some similar themes, mainly the concept that knowing and loving God should be the central aspect of our "religion," yet so often we are distracted... by the American Dream of happiness (as Radical's author David Platt pointed out) or even just by the good gifts God gives us (as Piper points out here). If we love the gift more than the Giver, we're screwed up! That's my take-away.

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Committed

2011-07-11T19:47:00.001-05:00

Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thought this was MUCH better than the more-well-known Eat Pray Love.

View all my reviews

Down Came the Rain

2011-07-09T19:50:00.000-05:00

Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression by Brooke Shields

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great book; it made me sad, remembering my (much less traumatic) bout of PPD. Good inspiration to get help when you need it!

View all my reviews

Rediscovering "Departures"

2011-04-26T09:18:00.009-05:00

Ten years ago I read the Christy Miller series of books by Robin Jones Gunn, after a good friend recommended them for their spiritual application. Spiritual? A set of teen books? Usually these things are all fluff--which girl likes which boy, blah blah blah. Yes, there is some of that here. HOWEVER, I had clearly underestimated Ms. Gunn. Not only are the spiritual applications there, the characters also seem so real--as in, they go through challenges, have ups and downs, pray and try to let God work, mess up sometimes, and start all over again. What I have loved about the character of Christy Miller is that she falters, but she is growing. From Book One of the series, we see a dramatic shift in her character that is nevertheless subtle enough to be valid.
In Departures, we see Christy after having just graduated from high school. Now, I have read the books that are further in the series, so I know how it all ends up. This novella is more of an intermission-type of story. It was interesting, though, and I did like what the author did with the characters in less than 100 pages.
The second novella was about Sierra Jensen, who Gunn also wrote a series of books about, and who eventually does hover in the periphery of the Christy books as well. I hadn't read much about Sierra but I liked her immediately. In this book, she is only fifteen, yet she seems really grounded (but, again, not unrealistically so). This contrasts the Christy character at age fifteen, who was much more flighty and goofy. I like that the character knows who she is and seeks out a relationship with God on her own. Inspiring stuff!
Thank you, Ms. Gunn, for these stories, which upon rediscovery, are just as wonderful as ever!

(By the way, I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for writing my honest review. You can read an excerpt of the book: here)

Reading Pledge!

2011-02-19T20:08:00.007-06:00

I will read every day.
I will pass on the great books I enjoy. (I just wish Room was lending-enabled on my Kindle...)
I will give books as gifts to children in my life.
I will create my personal "Bookprint" by sharing the five books that influenced who I am today at www.youarewhatyouread.com and will encourage my friends and colleagues to do the same. (Consider yourself "encouraged" to do so.)
I will be a reading role model for my child by reading every day.
I will have books at home for my child to enjoy.
I will help my child carve out time in the day just for reading.
From birth through the teen years, I will read to and with my child.
I will encourage my child to choose the books he or she wants to read.
I will take my child to sign up for a library card.
I will volunteer to read to children at school or in my community.

http://www.scholastic.com/readeveryday/live.htm

Room

2011-01-02T20:22:00.006-06:00

I loved this book! I know it isn't on my book list, but I wanted to mention it here because it is one of the best novels I have read in a long time. I downloaded a sample of the book to my Kindle, and I was so intrigued, I needed to get the rest of the book as soon as possible! It did not disappoint.
The plot centers around a five-year-old boy (the narrator, incidentally) and his Ma. They are alone in a room, and apparently they don't leave the room. Ever. Want to know why? I know! Read the book! It was interesting, engaging, at times chilling, and even though I didn't think it could, left me feeling good about life.
No one told me to say this, either. I just loved the book that much, and I hope you do, too.

Books Read in 2010

2010-12-31T22:13:00.001-06:00

1. Your Money or Your Life, Joe Dominguez
2. 90 Minutes in Heaven, Don Piper
3. My So-Called Freelance Life, Michelle Goodman
4. The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman
5. Remember Me, Sophie Kinsella
6. Belly Laughs, Jenny McCarthy
7. The Devil in the White City, Erik Larson
8. Free For All, Don Borchert
9. How My Breasts Saved the World, Lisa Wood Shapiro
10. Twenties Girl, Sophie Kinsella
11. I Sleep at Red Lights, Bruce Stockler
12. Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay, Stefanie Wilder-Taylor
13. Baby Laughs, Jenny McCarthy
14. Life Laughs, Jenny McCarthy
15. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Susanna Clarke
16. Accidentally on Purpose, Mary F. Pols
17. Last Light, Terri Blackstock
18. Night Light, Terri Blackstock
19. True Light, Terri Blackstock
20. Dawn's Light, Terri Blackstock
21. The Shack, William P. Young
22. 29, Adena Halpern
23. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie
24. 10 Things Your Minister Wants to Tell You, Oliver Thomas
25. Babyville, Jane Green
26. Swapping Lives, Jane Green
27. Ruth, Kelly Minter
28. Official Book Club Selection, Kathy Griffin
29. The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan
30. Match Point, Erynn Mangum
31. Heart of the Matter, Emily Giffin
32. So Long Insecurity, Beth Moore
33. Sex Drugs and Cocoa Puffs, Chuck Klosterman
34. The Courage to Start, John Bingham
35. Mini Shopaholic, Sophie Kinsella
36. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
37. Back to Life, Kristin Billerbeck
38. Early Bird, Rodney Rothman
39. Cybill Disobedience, Cybill Shepherd
40. First Impressions, Debra White Smith
41. Central Park, Debra White Smith
42. Coming Attractions, Robin Jones Gunn
43. Twas the Night, Sandra Hill
44. A Mother for Choco, Keiko Kasza

9. The Courage to Start (Miscellaneous, #1)

2010-11-02T20:57:00.002-05:00

Inspiring... now maybe I'll start running again... someday...

80 Books in 2 Months? Let's Do This...

2010-10-30T21:29:00.002-05:00

So... my original goal was to read 100 Books from a list. Then I expanded the goal to be reading 10 books each from 10 different categories. Then I told myself I should finish them all before the end of 2010. It just sounded cool.

While I haven't failed yet, I'm well on my way to doing so. My problem isn't that I don't read. It is that I read whatever happens to be interesting; this is rarely the things that were on my original list! Maybe I just have to do something different... it's the rebel in me.

Anyway, November is almost here and we are pretty much all sickies in this house (I haven't caught it yet, Thank you God!)... so lots of time to sit and read...

Can I do it? Can I finish the 80 books that are left on my list--in just TWO MONTHS??????

78. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs (Nonfiction, Memoir/Humor, #7)

2010-10-30T20:56:00.002-05:00

I really liked it, although at times it was a little TOO cynical for me. I look forward to reading more of the K-man.

40. The Joy Luck Club (Historical, #7)

2010-08-30T20:55:00.002-05:00

As a mother of a daughter, although neither of us is Chinese, I loved this book and the portrayal of frail human emotion. It was a good story--engaging and uplifting.

38. The Shack (Fantasy, #8)

2010-07-06T20:54:00.003-05:00

Very inspiring read! I loved the representation of the Holy Spirit and the concept of fractal (as I often feel my life is just a big ol' mess, but it's beautiful to Him/Her--God). The only part I didn't like was (of course) the part about the daughter. Make it through the first four VERY DEPRESSING and TRAUMATIC chapters, and the rest is great.

48. The Poisonwood Bible [re-read] (Historical, #8)

2010-06-29T16:01:00.005-05:00

This is a re-read. Yet I gleaned so much from the reading of it a second time. It has been about 10 years since I read this novel. It was about time for another reading of it.

The book tells the story of a Southern Baptist preacher missionary and his family (wife and four daughters) who head to the Belgian Congo in the late 1950s. What I love about this book is that it subtly but effectively mocks imperialism, self-righteousness, and the hypocritical Christian. The narrative alternates between five viewpoints: the four girls and their mom.

It was definitely worth the first and second readings!

Dawn's Light (Fiction Series, #10)

2010-06-17T16:01:00.003-05:00

Wow. All I can say is, I applaud the authors who write books in series. This final book in Blackstock's Restoration series truly completed the set. It was heart-wrenching, yet satisfying. It was NOT predictable as the rest of the books had been! It was so incredibly sad, it felt like real life. This, to me, is the mark of a good novelist. When I can read about these characters and feel that they are alive, I know it is a good novel. When I start to think I must keep reading, or something terrible might happen to them, I know it is a good novel.
Also, because I am a girl, a wedding at the end of a book is always pleasant for me.
Blackstock is an excellent author and I enjoyed reading this series of books by her!

69. True Light (Fiction Series, #9)

2010-06-10T16:00:00.002-05:00

More happenings with the Branning family, as the power is still out, and now a shooting of a friend has taken place. Another friend of the family, Mark, is suspected of shooting the boy. Although anyone can see he is being framed! But, by whom?

This third book in the Restoration series was intriguing enough for me to keep reading, but really I just wanted to get through it to see what was next for the characters in (what I knew to be) the fourth and final book in the series.

68. Night Light (Fiction Series, #8)

2010-06-04T15:59:00.002-05:00

The second in the Restoration series, this book focuses on four children who are surviving on their own. The Branning family takes them in and sends word to their grandparents. Meanwhile, the community begins to work together during the power outage. Yet evil is still abundant, and must be fought off--with prayer!

I liked this second book in the series, although it didn't pull me in as much as the first one had.

67. Last Light (Fiction Series, #7)

2010-06-01T15:58:00.002-05:00

The first of Blackstock's Restoration series, this book grabbed me in seconds. It is a science fiction type account, a What If? world where technology ceases to work. Airplanes crash in mid-flight. Cars don't work. Even digital watches fail. People are forced to walk or bike where they need to go. Electricity is a thing of the past. Even running water doesn't work.
Crime begins to escalate. One family struggles to survive.
A murderer is on the loose...

Great book! And there are three more where that one came from!

3. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (Fantasy, #2)

2010-05-21T15:56:00.002-05:00

With any large tome, I feel intimidated just looking at the book. Yet I feel inspired, as well. I have begun and failed to finish so many books over 400 pages. Yet I have succeeded with some as well--most were for college classes. I knew that with a new baby it might be difficult to sit and read a large book, but I wanted to start making some headway on my book list(s), so I got the audiobook from the library. I listened to this book for five weeks, mostly while breastfeeding my child! Letting my mind drift away to Clarke's magical England truly helped me get through the first difficult weeks of parenting (and no sleep). My husband and I joked that our daughter would start speaking with a British accent, since we listened to the book so much!
I found familiarity in this novel, although I had never read anything quite like it before. I began to think of Clarke as Charles Dickens meets Jane Austen, yet there was another element as well. I won't go so far as to say it was a Harry Potter-like essence, although Clarke does speak of magic as an everyday occurrence. It was more like historical fiction. Clarke spoke of real countries and a real war, just with magic thrown in.
Maybe I was sleep-deprived, but I started to believe her.
I loved this novel. I give it five stars (out of five). I loved the character development. I loved how she introduced the characters--leaving the reader in anticipation of Strange's arrival throughout the entire part one of the book, dragging out Norrell's introduction so that it suited his rather mundane existence. She had me believing in them, struggling with them, rooting for them.
When it ended, 700-some pages later, I was sad. I wanted more of that world. This is how I know when I have truly loved a novel!

How My Breasts Saved the World: Misadventures of a Nursing Mother (Miscellaneous, #4)

2010-04-10T15:53:00.004-05:00

I needed this book. I was just days into being a new mom, and I had had no idea how hard it would be! I needed comfort, security, and reassurance that all of what I was going through is what other moms had struggled with in new parenthood as well.
After reading this book, I felt like the author was one of my new Mommy Friends. We related. We understood each other. In short, I read this at exactly the right time in my life, and I loved it.
The only downside is that after reading it, I wanted more books that were memoirs of new parenthood--not necessarily breastfeeding per se, but just the struggles involved with taking care of the new human being. I became obsessed with finding more of this kind of book! I even started writing one of my own... Anyway, I found some good ones--I Sleep at Red Lights (written by the DAD of a toddler and newborn triplets), and Sippy Cups are Not for Chardonnay (her chapter on being okay with switching to formula was what I needed to read at the time). Still none compared to my first Virtual Mommy Friend found in the pages of Wood Shapiro's work. I found a friend there in a time of struggle... and she was just what I needed.

The Devil in the White City (Historical, #9)

2010-03-13T01:26:00.001-06:00

This book is a history lesson about the Chicago World's Fair, the architect behind the project, and a murderer not involved at all. It is Chicago at the turn of the (20th) century, and it is thrilling. I normally don't like nonfiction that is this seemingly bland. However, Larson made it read like a novel, and I finished this nearly 400 page tome in less than five days.

95. Notes to Myself [re-read] (Miscellaneous, #8)

2010-02-07T12:08:00.003-06:00

This is my first re-read from the list. It was interesting reading the book again after eight years. "Notes to Myself" is a very introspective look at life, as the title suggests. I found it inspirational and calming. I think the first time I read the book I was wary of the author; perhaps I thought he was too humanistic or new-age-y. (Is that a word? It should be.) Now, however, I only find him refreshing and insightful. Many of his thoughts are things I have thought about before, or it seems, I have wanted to think them but didn't know how. Thus, Prather's work is fulfilling and thought-provoking.
It is also, in some ways, self-contradictory (as Prather himself admits). Don't analyze yourself too closely, he tells us, while analyzing himself quite closely. Yet this is the way of introspection. To think too much about our lives will cause us to live them disingenuously, yet we can't be real with ourselves without examining our motives and behaviors. Quite the predicament! Just don't dwell on it too long.
Below are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

"It will be interesting to see what happens" is a more realistic attitude toward future consequences than worry. Excitement, dejection, and irritation also assume a knowledge of results that I cannot possess.
My trouble is I analyze life instead of live it.
Now that I know I'm no wiser than anyone else, does this wisdom make me wiser?
...Happiness is a present attitude, not a future condition.
When I am careful about the thoughts I brood on, because thought precedes feeling, circumstances can no longer dictate my mood.
Maybe the fear that more was expected of me than I had to give was groundless...
Since it will always be now, learning to respond to now is the only thing there is to learn.
Honesty without care is conceit.
If a man takes off his sunglasses I can hear him better.
As I write I am in a state of learning, becoming, arriving, and not in a state of knowing and having arrived.

My So-Called Freelance Life (Miscellaneous, #7)

2010-02-01T13:40:00.002-06:00

Author Michelle Goodman has already written a great book about getting out of the 9-to-5 cubicle office drone lifestyle (and it does not involve forming a Fight Club). Her Anti 9-to-5 Guide was an enjoyable read, but I liked her new book a lot better. Part of the reason might be that I am actually working as a freelance writer now, so more of the book is relevant for my own freelance life. She gives much valuable advice on how to get started freelancing, the importance of budgeting and getting health insurance, setting up your home (or away) office, taxes, and the like. She also does this without being boring--proving her own professionalism as a writer.
Overall, I liked this book, even though some of it doesn't apply to me. Goodman does address this issue though, stating that there are as many ways to do the freelance life as there are freelancers in the world.

90 Minutes in Heaven (Miscellaneous, #5)

2010-01-23T13:39:00.002-06:00

I was skeptical about reading Piper's memoir of having died, gone to Heaven, and come back to life. Can this be true? How would that happen? Maybe more importantly, why?
This is actually what Piper struggles with throughout the book. Why was he killed in a tragic car accident and whisked away to Heaven only to be brought back to Earth to endure extreme physical pain and a lifelong recovery? It is something that Piper comes back to time and time again. This gave the book a very real quality and I actually started to believe it. Yep, if I had gone to Heaven and had to come back to Earth, I'd probably be a little mad too.
The story is not only convincing but captivating, making the book a quick read and an enjoyable one (even if Piper does seem to get a bit whiny at times). There were many instances in the book where the hand of God is evident in Piper's life and the lives of those around him; the impact of praying to God is also demonstrated powerfully.

Library Thing's 1010 Category Challenge

2010-01-10T15:52:00.008-06:00

Some of you may know of the "book community" called Library Thing. Although I am already a member over at GoodReads, I decided to join Library Thing as well, so that I could participate in the Early Reviewers program. (Get free books! Review them! Very cool...) Anyway, as 2010 began, I was feeling a little sad about my 100 Books List. I hadn't made very much progress, although I had been reading since May. So my solution was to make another Books List! (It is an obsessive-compulsive thing with me, I think.) I have incorporated all the books still left on my original 100 Books, and added a few, and instilled categories. So now I'm not only reading 100 books, I am reading 10 books in each of 10 categories in the year 2010. This is, on Library Thing, known as the 1010 Category Challenge. I am definitely up for the challenge for this new year. Bring on the books...

Inspirational Nonfiction

1. God is the Gospel
2. Get Out of That Pit
3. Jesus, the One and Only
4. The Myth of a Christian Nation
5. The Four Loves
6. Love Beyond Reason
7. How to Read the Bible For All Its Worth
8. Exclusion and Embrace
9. The Love Dare
10. 12 Steps for the Recovering Pharisee (Like Me)

Fiction Series

1. Out of the Silent Planet
2. Perelandra
3. That Hideous Strength
4. Peculiar Treasures
5. On a Whim
6. Coming Attractions
7. Last Light
8. Night Light
9. True Light
10. Dawn's Light

Fantasy (or Science Fiction)

1. American Gods
2. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
3. Mirror Mirror
4. The Sirens of Titan
5. The Witches
6. Fantastic Mr. Fox
7. The Complete Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde
8. The Shack
9. Mountains of Spices
10. The Silver Chair

Nonfiction, mostly Memoir and Humor

1. The Know-It-All
2. A Walk in the Woods
3. Early Bird
4. It's Not News, It's Fark
5. Lucky Man
6. A Short History of Nearly Everything
7. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs
8. The Perfect Thing
9. Driving Mr. Albert
10. The Fifth Book of Peace

Award Winners

1. Life of Pi (Booker Prize)
2. The Executioner's Song (Pulitzer Prize)
3. Middlesex (Pulitzer Prize)
4. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (Pulitzer Prize)
5. The Road (Pulitzer Prize)
6. Possession (Booker Prize)
7. The Confessions of Nat Turner (Pulitzer Prize)
8. The Echo Maker (National Book Award)
9. The Stone Diaries (Pulitzer Prize)
10. March (Pulitzer Prize)

20th Century Literature

1. Something Happened
2. The Bluest Eye
3. Prodigal Summer
4. Everything's Eventual
5. The 158-Pound Marriage
6. The Adventures of Augie March
7. Sappho's Leap
8. On The Road
9. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
10. The Stranger

Miscellaneous

1. The Courage to Start
2. No Need for Speed
3. Fast Food Nation
4. How My Breasts Saved the World: Misadventures of a Nursing Mother
5. 90 Minutes in Heaven
6. Stumbling on Happiness
7. My So-Called Freelance Life
8. Notes to Myself
9. The Winged Seed
10. The World As I See It

Nonfiction, mostly Essay Collections

1. Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel
2. Moneyball
3. How to Win Every Argument
4. Mel Gibson's Passion and Philosophy: The Cross, the Questions, the Controversy
5. The Emotions: Studies in Emotion and Social Interaction
6. Lies My Teacher Told Me
7. Written By Herself
8. Hopes and Impediments
9. Finding Battlestar Galactica
10. Predictably Irrational

Historical

1. Gates of Fire
2. Persuasion
3. Two Rivers
4. Memoirs of a Geisha
5. The Pillars of the Earth
6. High Fidelity
7. The Joy Luck Club
8. The Poisonwood Bible
9. The Devil in the White City
10. The Book Thief

Big Classics

1. Anna Karenina
2. Atlas Shrugged
3. For Whom the Bell Tolls
4. Hinds' Feet on High Places
5. The Maltese Falcon
6. Pilgrim's Progress
7. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
8. A Christmas Carol
9. Gulliver's Travels and Other Writings
10. Night

A Few More Down :: Here's to More Reading in 2010!

2010-01-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

1. God is the Gospel
2. American Gods
3. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
4. Atlas Shrugged
5. Life of Pi
6. ~~Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister~~
7. ~~Confessions from an Honest Wife~~
8. ~~Telegraph Days~~
9. The Courage to Start
10. Mirror Mirror
11. The Sirens of Titan
12. Gates of Fire
13. Something Happened
14. ~~A Thousand Acres~~
15. ~~Good Faith~~
16. Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel
17. No Need for Speed
18. Anna Karenina
19. Get Out of That Pit
20. Jesus, the one and only
21. The Bluest Eye
22. Prodigal Summer
23. The Know-It-All
24. The Witches
25. Fantastic Mr. Fox
26. The Myth of a Christian Nation
27. For Whom the Bell Tolls
28. Out of the Silent Planet
29. The Four Loves
30. The Complete Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde
31. ~~Unspoken~~
32. ~~Unafraid~~
33. ~~Finding Stefanie~~
34. Lies My Teacher Told Me
35. The Executioner's Song
36. Love Beyond Reason
37. Middlesex
38. The Shack
39. The Amazing Adventure of Kavalier & Clay
40. The Joy Luck Club
41. Hinds' Feet on High Places
42. Mountains of Spices
43. A Walk in the Woods
44. Fast Food Nation
45. ~~The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing~~
46. The Maltese Falcon
47. How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth
48. The Poisonwood Bible (re-read)
49. Two Rivers
50. It's Not News, It's Fark
51. The Road
52. Persuasion (re-read)
53. The Silver Chair (re-read)
54. Lucky Man
55. ~~Matilda~~
56. The Adventures of Augie March
57. Possession
58. Everything's Eventual
59. Written By Herself
60. Perelandra
61. That Hideous Strength
62. Memoirs of a Geisha
63. ~~The Time Machine~~
64. Peculiar Treasures (re-read)
65. On a Whim (re-read)
66. Coming Attractions
67. Last Light
68. Night Light
69. True Light
70. ~~Your Money or Your Life~~
71. The Perfect Thing
72. Moneyball
73. The Fifth Book of Peace
74. Early Bird
75. ~~An Anthropologist on Mars~~
76. Exclusion & Embrace
77. A Short History of Nearly Everything
78. Sex, Drugs & Cocoa Puffs
79. Predictably Irrational
80. Finding Battlestar Gallactica
81. Hopes and Impediments
82. The Love Dare
83. ~~Redeeming Love~~
84. Sappho's Leap
85. High Fidelity
86. Pilgrim's Progress
87. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (re-read)
88. The Pillars of the Earth
89. The Confessions of Nat Turner
90. A Christmas Carol
91. Gulliver's Travels and Other Writings
92. The 158-Pound Marriage
93. The Winged Seed
94. Driving Mr. Albert
95. Notes to Myself (re-read)
96. The Emotions
97. Mel Gibson's Passion and Philosophy
98. How to Win Every Argument
99. The World As I See It
100. Twelve Steps for the Recovering Pharisee

70. Your Money or Your Life

2010-01-01T14:43:00.000-06:00

I started reading this book purely out of curiosity. I had no intention of subscribing to the formula that is presented or doing any actual work the authors ~~demand~~ suggest I do. I did learn a lot from this book, although at times it was dry/repetitive, and somewhat contradictory. Dominguez and Robin, the co-authors of the book, have devised a system of tracking living expenses and income that make a regular old budget (something people struggle with enough as it is) seem like child's play. They assert that budgets don't work because they require will power and people always give up on trying to restrain themselves. Yet they go into great detail to explain how using their program must be done to the exact letter. For me, it just seemed a little too hypocritical. However, the authors' hearts are definitely in the right place, as they attempt to teach one the value of a dollar, and how that affects the quality of life. They are of the Save More, Spend Less mentality--a stunning new concept?--which I am definitely in support of as well. I just don't think I need to track back every dollar I've ever made to do so, or make a wall chart showing how much I make and where it is all going. In short, I liked the book and it inspired me to be more conscious of my spending/saving, but it was too preachy at times.

Books Read in 2009

2009-12-31T22:02:00.002-06:00

1. The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom
2. Juno: The Shooting Script, Diablo Cody
3. To Own a Dragon, Donald Miller
4. Girl on the Couch, Lorna Martin
5. Reason for Hope, Jane Goodall
6. Find Me, Rosie O'Donnell
7. Jesus: A Story of Enlightenment, Deepak Chopra
8. Breakthrough: Discovering the Kingdom, Derek Morphew
9. Love the One You're With, Emily Giffin
10. Will Work From Home, Tory Johnson
11. Stepping Up, Beth Moore
12. Leaving Microsoft to Change the World, John Wood
13. The Undomestic Goddess, Sophie Kinsella
14. Matilda, Roald Dahl
15. Born Standing Up, Steve Martin
16. The Nonrunner's Marathon Guide for Women, Dawn Dais
17. A Thousand Acres, Jane Smiley
18. Confessions from an Honest Wife, Sarah Zacharias Davis
19. Unspoken, Francine Rivers
20. Finding Stefanie, Susan May Warren
21. Unafraid, Francine Rivers
22. Telegraph Days, Larry McMurtry
23. Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers
24. The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing, Melissa Bank
25. On Becoming Baby Wise, Gary Ezzo
26. Devil in the Details, Jennifer Traig
27. The Time Machine, H. G. Wells
28. So Many Books So Little Time, Sara Nelson
29. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Gregory Maguire
30. Good Faith, Jane Smiley
31. An Anthropologist on Mars, Oliver Sacks

75. An Anthropologist on Mars

2009-12-28T13:50:00.001-06:00

Neurologist Oliver Sacks has a talent for telling an entertaining anecdote based on neurological disorders. I liked this book, and each of the "paradoxical tales" was interesting. However, at times, Sacks was a bit too detailed in his descriptions of the disorders. It was good information, just something more like what you might read in a textbook. Other parts of the book were very entertaining, though. Some of the stories were really sad--the artist whose recent stroke led to brain damage that caused him to see only in black and white--others were more enjoyable. It is amazing all the human brain is capable of, even when seemingly "damaged." I would encourage others to read this book, but be prepared to wade through some information that might leave your brain hurting.

15. Good Faith

2009-12-08T13:43:00.000-06:00

Another Jane Smiley novel, and one I enjoyed immensely. Although I had started this book last winter, I only made it to page 145. Even after having to skim those pages again to remember the somewhat complex plot, I sailed through the rest of the novel in no time. The story is about 1980s real estate, love, and friendship--all of which balance on a concept called trust (i.e., good faith). Without giving away too much of the plot, it was predictable that the main character, Joe, would be undone by trusting too much in his new friend and real estate partner. However I think the overall concept of liking a flawed character resonates even within Joe himself, who is definitely not perfect in his own right (drugs, adultery), yet maintains the status of "average, okay guy" and even gains sympathy from the reader.

6. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister

2009-11-23T14:19:00.001-06:00

I have just a few thoughts on this book. It was more enjoyable than I expected it to be, and it was less complex than I expected it to be. (That is not to say it didn't get me thinking!) I know the reason for these expectations--a dark, complicated, depressing novel--are due solely to my reading of other Maguire works--Wicked, Son of a Witch, and A Lion Among Men. This trilogy, dubbed The Wicked Years, is nothing if not dark, twisted, and endlessly labyrinthine. I did enjoy reading those books. It is just that after reading them, one expects the author to be ruthless, leaving no chance for a satisfying, traditionally "happy" ending.

There was enough of a twist at the end of Confessions that I was surprised, but overall this retelling of the classic fairy tale remained true to what a fairy tale must be--the pretty girl marries the prince, the mean stepmother is thwarted in the end. However, the themes throughout the book were compelling and thought-provoking: What IS beauty? Does physical beauty always translate to spiritual beauty? Does physical imperfection always translate to an evil heart--jealousy, rage, and scorn? When a work of art is perfect, does the artist regret creating it?

The Modern Library's 100 Best Novels List (and Counter-List)

2009-11-15T14:52:00.003-06:00

http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/100bestnovels.html

This link will take you to the site for The Modern Library, whose board has chosen the 100 Best Novels of all time. The list includes such greats as Ulysses (which I've never read) and The Great Gatsby (which I've read about 15 times). It is an ambitious list, and SocrMom78 over at 100 Books in 100 Weeks has decided to undertake the reading of all 100 in just 100 weeks. Good luck and good reading to her!

The parallel Reader's List of 100 books on the Modern Library site is just as good, and includes some great works forgotten on the Board's List. (Ahem, To Kill a Mockingbird!) Anyway, check out the site if you are in need of a good book recommendation.

63. The Time Machine

2009-11-09T16:04:00.002-06:00

What I liked the most about this book--what makes any dystopian view of society in science fiction good in my opinion--is that it was slightly crazy yet completely correct. The basic sociological idea behind the story is that if humans continue to separate themselves from all work and strive only for peace, prosperity and luxury in the personal realm, then we will quickly be divided into two groups-- (1)those who must work for (2)those who don't have to. It is the basic proletariat-bourgeoisie argument. However, it doesn't seem that Wells follows Marxism to the letter, as his futuristic realm involves much socialism, which he depicts as dumbing down the species considerably. It is as if he is saying to achieve our goals of social justice will make us lazy and stupid.
I sure felt stupid when I first started reading this book. It is a short novel, and I knew it was some type of science fiction--the title tipped me off there-- but I didn't bargain for having to look up two words in the dictionary before even finishing the first page! (If you're curious, the words are fecundity and recondite.) I also didn't imagine I would have a feminist qualm with Wells when it was all said and done. It is true I had been thinking about feminism during the first few days of reading this book, but I didn't think the two should meet. However one of the first thoughts I had when finishing the novel was about the awful portrayal of women therein. There are only two mentions of women at all: one a servant; one a diminuitive twit, who follows the main character like a lap dog, is treated likewise, and eventually dies as a sacrifice for our hero's escape. Bad form, Wells.
On the whole, though, I did enjoy the book and the thoughts provoked since reading it.

Updated List

2009-10-17T12:06:00.001-05:00

I've only read nine of the 100 so far! Time to kick this reading thing into high gear...

1. God is the Gospel
2. American Gods
3. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
4. Atlas Shrugged
5. Life of Pi
6. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
7. ~~Confessions from an Honest Wife~~
8. ~~Telegraph Days~~
9. The Courage to Start
10. Mirror Mirror
11. The Sirens of Titan
12. Gates of Fire
13. Something Happened
14. ~~A Thousand Acres~~
15. Good Faith
16. Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel
17. No Need for Speed
18. Anna Karenina
19. Get Out of That Pit
20. Jesus, the one and only
21. The Bluest Eye
22. Prodigal Summer
23. The Know-It-All
24. The Witches
25. Fantastic Mr. Fox
26. The Myth of a Christian Nation
27. For Whom the Bell Tolls
28. Out of the Silent Planet
29. The Four Loves
30. The Complete Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde
31. ~~Unspoken~~
32. ~~Unafraid~~
33. ~~Finding Stefanie~~
34. Lies My Teacher Told Me
35. The Executioner's Song
36. Love Beyond Reason
37. Middlesex
38. The Shack
39. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
40. The Joy Luck Club
41. Hinds' Feet on High Places
42. Mountains of Spices
43. A Walk in the Woods
44. Fast Food Nation
45. ~~The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing~~
46. The Maltese Falcon
47. How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth
48. The Poisonwood Bible (re-read)
49. Two Rivers
50. It's Not News, It's Fark
51. The Road
52. Persuasion (re-read)
53. The Silver Chair (re-read)
54. Lucky Man
55. ~~Matilda~~
56. The Adventures of Augie March
57. Possession
58. Everything's Eventual
59. Written By Herself
60. Perelandra
61. That Hideous Strength
62. Memoirs of a Geisha
63. The Time Machine
64. Peculiar Treasures (re-read)
65. On a Whim (re-read)
66. Coming Attractions
67. Last Light
68. Night Light
69. True Light
70. Your Money or Your Life
71. The Perfect Thing
72. Moneyball
73. The Fifth Book of Peace
74. Early Bird
75. An Anthropologist on Mars
76. Exclusion & Embrace
77. A Short History of Nearly Everything
78. Sex, Drugs & Cocoa Puffs
79. Predictably Irrational
80. Finding Battlestar Gallactica
81. Hopes and Impediments
82. The Love Dare
83. ~~Redeeming Love~~
84. Sappho's Leap
85. High Fidelity
86. Pilgrim's Progress
87. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (re-read)
88. The Pillars of the Earth
89. The Confessions of Nat Turner
90. A Christmas Carol
91. Gulliver's Travels and Other Writings
92. The 158-Pound Marriage
93. The Winged Seed
94. Driving Mr. Albert
95. Notes to Myself (re-read)
96. The Emotions
97. Mel Gibson's Passion and Philosophy
98. How to Win Every Argument
99. The World As I See It
100. Twelve Steps for the Recovering Pharisee

45. The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing

2009-10-01T13:50:00.000-05:00

I have been wanting to read this Melissa Bank novel--really a series of interconnected short stories--for years now. I had read snippets before and a particular phrase always struck me as both interesting and romantic:

"'Well,' he said. 'Get over here.'
And so I went."

It may have been where I was in my life at the time versus where I am now. Or perhaps it was just that reading that in context of the rest of the novel gives it a new meaning. Either way, I now see that this small paragraph is simply descriptive of the narrator's tendency toward co-dependence. It is not romantic, but sad.

I liked the book as a whole, although individually I can see the stories being poignant as well. I love a happy ending though (spoiler alert) so for me it was satisfying for things to eventually turn out well for the narrator.

8. Telegraph Days

2009-09-30T13:44:00.000-05:00

This is a Larry McMurtry book which was recommended to me by my husband. I have not historically been a McMurtry fan, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this 1800s Western told from the point of view of a young female telegraph operator. She had run-ins and/or relationships with all the famous historical figures of the day: Wild Bill Hickock, Jesse James, even George Custer ("Georgie"). Overall very entertaining and a good read.

83. Redeeming Love

2009-09-17T13:41:00.000-05:00

I would recommend this book to anyone! It is an amazing story of GRACE. I like Francine Rivers anyway, but even if you are not a fan of hers, you should read this book.

32. Unafraid

2009-08-31T12:27:00.000-05:00

I finally finished the Lineage of Grace series by Francine Rivers. This was a good book about the life of Mary (and Jesus, of course). Although it was about the life and death of Jesus, mostly, it was told from a mother's perspective. I can't really say much else. I liked the book!

33. Finding Stefanie

2009-08-17T12:19:00.000-05:00

This is the third book in a series of novels by Susan May Warren set in southeast Montana--really closer to Sheridan, Wyoming than anything in Montana. Still, it has been fun to read about this ranchin' family, their struggles and victories, and spiritual growth. And their romances, of course. This was the last book in the series and focused on the only daughter in the family, Stefanie. I liked seeing things from her point of view since she was the "good girl" who had stayed home to take care of the ranch while her brothers were off "finding themselves." See the title? Now it's Stefanie's turn to find herself. She manages to do so without leaving the ranch at all. I enjoyed this book because I liked the entire series and got to know each of the characters. There was also a sub-plot about foster kids that was well-written and poignant.

31. Unspoken

2009-07-12T12:10:00.000-05:00

This is the fourth book in Francine Rivers' Lineage of Grace series. I love this series, because Rivers takes a Biblical story--sometimes no more than a paragraph long--and makes an entire novella out of it. This one is the story of Bathsheba. In a weird way, it reminded me of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise. Stay with me here. Remember when they first got together, and Katie kept saying things to the press about how she dreamed of being Mrs. Tom Cruise ever since she was a little girl? Well, that is how Rivers chooses to depict this story. We start with Bathsheba as an eight-year-old, swooning over the not-yet-king David. Even after she gets married, she pines for David, and well, if you are familiar with the Bible at all, you probably know "the rest of the story."

What I really like about Rivers expanding on these stories is how relate-able she makes the characters. I mean, no offense to the Bible, God, etc. but sometimes when you're reading through it's like, "Well, that was a stupid move, David. Anyway, back to my life..." It is hard to connect with the motivations of all involved and all the intricacies of what went on. However, I'm not suggesting that each Bible story should be a novel. The Bible is already massive. Can you imagine? 'These next few chapters will become a 500-page book.' Heaven forbid. That's probably one of the reasons we're warned not to "add anything" to the Scripture. It would just be way too long!

Anyway, this story is all about how God redeems and restores us even when we've messed up big time. It's pretty awesome. 'Cause HE is pretty much awesomeness itself.

14. A Thousand Acres

2009-07-11T11:31:00.000-05:00

After reading Moo and part of Good Faith, I find Jane Smiley's writing to be so distinct. The only way I can explain it is that her narrative voice comes across as a friend telling me the story, yet with a subtle sarcasm underneath, as if she doesn't believe what she's telling me. It's actually really cool! I don't know anyone else that writes like that, except maybe Charles Dickens, a little bit. Also, Smiley tends to paint characters in a flawed yet likable way, which I think is a difficult thing to do. This makes her characters seem real.

Spoiler Alert! A Thousand Acres is very depressing. What do I mean by that? Well, to steal a line from Phoebe of Friends: "It should have been called 'It's a Sucky Sucky Life and just when you think it can't suck anymore, it does!'" Yep, from the opening line on, things just keep getting worse. I am really glad the main character survives--in the literal sense. People kept dying and being blinded and having to get jobs at Perkins... you just never knew what disaster was going to strike next. In a sense, this novel was all about possession. Of land, but also of another person's space. It was interesting how many of the themes overlapped. (This, by the way, is the key to writing a Pulitzer-prize winner!) Discord in marriage, horrible parenting, incestual rape, farming. It's all one and the same.

Even though it was REALLY DEPRESSING, I enjoyed this book. Because of Smiley's writing style itself (as aforementioned), but also because I finished reading the novel with a sense that the present is all about the past. Instead of trying to cover things up and go with the flow, confronting one's past is the way to move on. It was interesting to me that I felt good after reading this. It is one of those books that you keep thinking about days and weeks after reading. (It helps that my friend Bekah read it too, and I get to discuss it with her in a few days!) In some ways, I feel like everything I read in the book was a backwards lesson. In other words, DON'T handle things how these people did. Those are some of the best life lessons.

Audiobooks We Listened To (Driving To and From Montana)

2009-07-10T10:33:00.000-05:00

1. To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, read by Sissy Spacek

2. 48 Days to the Work You Love, written and read by Dan Miller (partial)

3. Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life, written and read by Steve Martin

4. Mirth of a Nation [comedy sketches], written and read by many authors (partial)

5. Pure Drivel, written and read by Steve Martin (partial)

6. The Screwtape Letters, written by C. S. Lewis, read by Ralph Cosham (partial)

A List-in-Progress + Very Ambitious Goal-Setter

2009-07-09T12:15:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across this in-progess list of 101 books to read when I was looking for info on a 10k I will be running in August. The author of this blog seems to me to be both inspiring and tiring. I wish I could be like her, but I would never be able to do what she's doing currently. Her overall goal is to complete 101 goals in 1001 days. Yet her 101 goals often contain goals-within-goals that resemble so many wooden dolls hidden inside other wooden dolls. I can't keep track, and I have no idea how she is updating so frequently and keeping everything straight. She even admits when she's missed a goal for the week. Why bother? Is anyone really going to call her on a failure? Who else can keep track of what she's supposed to be doing? If it were me, I'd be spending so much time keeping track of what I was supposed to be attempting, I'd have no time to do it.

Kudos to you, taraSG. You make the blog world much more interesting!

The NonRunner's Marathon Guide for Women

2009-07-08T10:55:00.000-05:00

Yet another not-on-the-list book that I simply had to read. We found this book in a small, quaint, enviable bookstore in Missoula, Montana--the kind of place that makes me want to live in the bookstore itself. I love little shops like that, but I always want to buy everything I see that is of interest. Sometimes I fool myself into thinking I will actually remember the names of all the books I've seen that I want to buy. Yet I know this never happens. When I'm looking for the book weeks or months later, I become that silly book-lover who wonders what the title of "that book that has stripes on the cover" was, again. So when I picked up the NonRunner's Marathon Guide, I knew I didn't want to forget it. It was perfect for me.

I rationalized buying this new book--I could have found it used somewhere or borrowed it from the library--with these thoughts:

1. I'm making a contribution to a LOCAL, small, privately-owned bookshop.

2. It was perfect for me.

3. I'm so going to run that marathon someday.

4. No sales tax in Montana!

5. The cover is shiny.

6. The book feels good in my hands.

7. I barely bought any souvenirs on this trip.

8. The trip was almost over, and I still had cash on hand (or my husband did--same thing).

9. If I don't buy this book now, I'll never remember the name of it to look up later.

10. If I don't buy this book now, I'll buy a different running book later on that will not appeal to me as much.

All that to say, this is a funny yet inspiring look at the marathon for people who never thought they could run a marathon! I loved it. I let my neighbor+running partner Joanna borrow and read it. She loved it. Read it if you're a runner, or if you want to maybe, sort of, kind of, be a runner. Someday.

7. Confessions from an Honest Wife

2009-07-04T15:59:00.001-05:00

I finished another book from the list! And started two others not on the list... again, structure is so not my thing...

Anyway, this was a pretty good book. I think I'm giving it a 3.5 out of 5. I read it along with my small group (four other married ladies), and we discussed it as we went along. That was the best part of this book for me. I love reading and discussing a book WITH someone because then it is not just about me and my own thoughts. It was great for me because I tend to be rather cynical and negative.

Overall I liked the idea of this book more than the book itself. I think vulnerability and honesty are two of the best traits someone can have. When they are absent, the world surrounding the individual is superficial at best. This book consists of 20 short essays, narratives from the "trenches" of marriage. There were some that I thought were annoying and some that made sense to me and that I could relate with.

As with reading anything, I tried to take in the good (things that spoke to me and/or challenged me to be a better person) while forgetting the bad. The bad, in this case, was what I can only refer to as meaningless complaining. I know that the point of the book was to complain, in a way. But sometimes I felt the problem could have been solved with a little more communication in the actual marriage. Like I said, though, overall a great read (and a quick read, always a plus).

Anyone who (a) is married, (b) is going to be married, (c) might be thinking about someday ever getting married, or (d) just wants to understand women or married people a little better, might consider reading this book.

100 Books You Can Read Online for Free

2009-06-19T10:31:00.000-05:00

...and apparently you should!

Click below for the list of 100, and links to read them FREE online:

http://www.bestcollegesonline.com/blog/2009/03/31/100-free-online-books-everyone-should-read/

From The Canterbury Tales to The Kama Sutra, this is an extensive list that will cover many of the "should-reads" in life... for those of us who are interested in that sort of thing!

I'm jealous of this list. It's much more organized than mine.

55. Matilda

2009-06-18T10:16:00.000-05:00

My first book from the list of 100 that I have finished is Roald Dahl's classic, Matilda. After reading it, I think I may have read it before. Either way, I knew how it was going to end. I may have seen the movie at some point as well.

I love Dahl's satiric remarks, especially near the beginning of the book. Examples:

"It's a funny thing about mothers and fathers. Even when their own child is the most disgusting little blister you could ever imagine, they still think that he or she is wonderful."

"If I were a teacher I would cook up some real scorchers for the children of doting parents. 'Your son Maximilian,' I would write, 'is a total wash-out. I hope you have a family business you can push him into when he leaves school because he sure as heck won't get a job anywhere else.'"

Dahl is awesome.

I also love Quentin Blake's illustrations. They are as classic as Dahl's writing.

The Undomestic Goddess

2009-06-16T08:43:00.000-05:00

Leave it to me to start off by reading a book that I didn't even put on my list. My need to rebel against structure--even structure I myself set up--is obviously taking over here. I have started about four of the books on THE LIST, but last weekend we were at a garage sale, and I found Chick Lit books for 50 cents! Of course, I had to have them. I hadn't read these particular ones before, and come on! 50 cents.

So we start off the blog with the great Sophie Kinsella. I have read the entire Shopaholic series, and loved it. I have also read a few of Madeline Wickham's books. (This is Kinsella's pseudonym. Or, Kinsella is Wickham's pseudonym. Anyway, they're the same person!) I enjoy her books a lot because of the always too-quirky-to-be-believed main character (female), and the always too-understanding-and-handsome-to-be-believed main character (male) who inevitably interact. I have realized that her books are VERY formulaic. Okay, ALL Chick Lit is the same. Heck, a lot of fiction is practically carbon copies of itself, just change a few names.

Still, I like it. I don't need the plot to be a complete mystery. I enjoy the fact that the minute details are different, and revealed slowly over the course of 350 pages. And it feels good to be able to read that 350 pages in less than two days. The first book has been read.

Now, to start on my actual list of 100. Next time!

Have you read The Undomestic Goddess? What did you think of it? Spoilers are allowed in comments section, so feel free to discuss.

What ARE my next 100 books?

2009-05-24T16:41:00.000-05:00

My List of the next 100 Books I'm going to read* (or finish reading, or read again):
*probably not in this particular order!

1. God is the Gospel
2. American Gods
3. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
4. Atlas Shrugged
5. Life of Pi
6. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
7. Confessions from an Honest Wife
8. Telegraph Days
9. The Courage to Start
10. Mirror Mirror
11. The Sirens of Titan
12. Gates of Fire
13. Something Happened
14. A Thousand Acres
15. Good Faith
16. Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel
17. No Need for Speed
18. Anna Karenina
19. Get Out of That Pit
20. Jesus, the one and only
21. The Bluest Eye
22. Prodigal Summer
23. The Know-It-All
24. The Witches
25. Fantastic Mr. Fox
26. The Myth of a Christian Nation
27. For Whom the Bell Tolls
28. Out of the Silent Planet
29. The Four Loves
30. The Complete Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde
31. Unspoken
32. Unafraid
33. Finding Stefanie
34. Lies My Teacher Told Me
35. The Executioner's Song
36. Love Beyond Reason
37. Middlesex
38. The Shack
39. The Amazing Adventure of Kavalier & Clay
40. The Joy Luck Club
41. Hinds' Feet on High Places
42. Mountains of Spices
43. A Walk in the Woods
44. Fast Food Nation
45. The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing
46. The Maltese Falcon
47. How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth
48. The Poisonwood Bible (re-read)
49. Two Rivers
50. It's Not News, It's Fark
51. The Road
52. Persuasion (re-read)
53. The Silver Chair (re-read)
54. Lucky Man
55. Matilda
56. The Adventures of Augie March
57. Possession
58. Everything's Eventual
59. Written By Herself
60. Perelandra
61. That Hideous Strength
62. Memoirs of a Geisha
63. The Time Machine
64. Peculiar Treasures (re-read)
65. On a Whim (re-read)
66. Coming Attractions
67. Last Light
68. Night Light
69. True Light
70. Your Money or Your Life
71. The Perfect Thing
72. Moneyball
73. The Fifth Book of Peace
74. Early Bird
75. An Anthropologist on Mars
76. Exclusion & Embrace
77. A Short History of Nearly Everything
78. Sex, Drugs & Cocoa Puffs
79. Predictably Irrational
80. Finding Battlestar Gallactica
81. Hopes and Impediments
82. The Love Dare
83. Redeeming Love
84. Sappho's Leap
85. High Fidelity
86. Pilgrim's Progress
87. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (re-read)
88. The Pillars of the Earth
89. The Confessions of Nat Turner
90. A Christmas Carol
91. Gulliver's Travels and Other Writings
92. The 158-Pound Marriage
93. The Winged Seed
94. Driving Mr. Albert
95. Notes to Myself (re-read)
96. The Emotions
97. Mel Gibson's Passion and Philosophy
98. How to Win Every Argument
99. The World As I See It
100. Twelve Steps for the Recovering Pharisee