books 2010 #42 - 45

The Other Side of the Bridge by Mary Lawson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I just loved this book. The characters were interesting and well-developed, the story heart-wrenching, the prose lovely.

We all agreed it has some of the feeling of East of Eden (which I also loved). We had a great book club discussion, and I found it interesting that we had no desire or need for either of the two boys to leave their small town in search of something bigger and better. As Pete said, he had all he needed where he was.

The story and the characters that inhabit it have stayed with me, and have left me contemplating what it is I need to be happy. I think I have all I need right here as well.



A Far Cry from Kensington by Muriel Spark

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars, really. This slim novel is a funny little read. Mrs. Hawkins is a young woman living in London in the mid 1950s and working in the publishing industry. She describes herself as obese, and it seems her weight makes people view her as capable, motherly, reliable. At a certain point, she begins to slim down, and this is disconcerting to many.

She loves to give advice, and I find this endearing. An example: "It's easy to get thin. You eat and drink the same as always, only half... I offer this advice without fee; it is included in the price of this book." Also, "It is a good thing to go to Paris for a few days if you have had a lot of trouble, and that is my advice to everyone except Parisians."

The characters are quirky, there is a little mystery, and I like the tone. I think I'll check out more of Muriel Spark's work.



The School Of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very quick read. Light and lovely, a sensuous delight.

Lillian teaches cooking classes at her restaurant, and every chapter revolves around a certain character and a certain ingredient. Food is handled lovingly and the people who come together in class are just as gentle with each other. (The chapter about Lillian's upbringing was particularly intriguing.)

A few favorite quotes:

"She observed how dough that was pounded made bread that was hard and moods that were equally so. She saw that cookies that were soft and warm satisfied a different human need than those that were crisp and cooled."

"Sometimes, nina, our greatest gifts grow from what we are not given." (I think we all need an Abuelita.)

"Antonia made celebrations of things he had always dismissed as moments to be rushed through on the way to something more important. Being around her, he found even everyday experiences were deeper, nuanced, satisfaction and awareness slipped in between the layers of life like love notes hidden in the pages of a textbook."


Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


While it's true that I enjoy punctuation, I think this is universally an entertaining book. I have wanted to read it for years, but put it off, thinking it would be pedantic at best, when in reality I was laughing! Out loud! I thoroughly enjoyed Truss's humor. A big thumbs up to the punctuation repair kit included in the book. (But I'm still on the fence as to where I stand with regard to prescriptivism vs. descriptivism in language.)


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my favorite reads from 2010:

The Help
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
The Forgotten Garden
Little Bee
The Little Giant of Aberdeen County
Swan Place
Here Be Dragons
The Road
The Other Side of the Bridge

books 2010 #38 - 41

Private Altars: A Novel by Katherine Mosby

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jill just gave me back this book. Apparently it was one I bought from a library sale, and she borrowed it, although it didn't even look at all familiar to me. I didn't have anything waiting in the wings, so I picked it up. A few things here and there felt familiar as I read. I had no idea what was going to happen in the book, but I started to recognize my own underlining style, so I can only conclude that I had read it before at some point. A sad commentary on my retention. Good grief.

The good news is that I really liked it. The main character is a young, educated woman who moves to a small town after she marries. Neither Vienna nor the townspeople can understand or relate to each other, and she ostracizes herself, creating an almost mythic curiosity about her home and her family. The town doctor tells her husband, who is clearly disappointed with the way things have turned out, "She's not crazy, she's educated."

She manages to tutor her children at home for many years before a truant officer forces them to school, and as a result of their education, they are faced with similar peer problems to those of their mother.

While the characters and the story itself are compelling, the language is what most pleased me. Mosby's writing is precise and beautiful, perhaps a reflection on her career as a poet. Recommended for wordsmiths and fans of Southern Gothic fiction.



The Road by Cormac McCarthy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I don't know how a novel about a thoroughly bleak, post-apocalyptic world filled with emptiness and strife can be beautiful, but this one is.

The relationship between the father and son, who are never named but only called the man and the boy, is achingly tender. The boy's innocence provides such a striking foil to the dark and dreary world he inhabits. A moving tribute to the human spirit and "the good guys."



The Tea-Olive Bird-Watching Society by Augusta Trobaugh

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This was a light, quick read. Swan Place is still my favorite of Trobaugh's novels, but this one is enjoyable in an "Earl had to die" kind of way.




The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Early on, I would have given this 4 stars. Now it's more like 3-3.5.

It takes place in the 12th century, and includes monks, bishops, earls, kings, gluttony, greed, violence, war, revenge, forgiveness. I was fascinated by all that was involved in building a cathedral - what kinds of tools they used, the evolving knowledge and innovations, and how it took decades.

There are characters that are all good, characters that are all bad, and a few that seem more real. Still, I was invested enough to want to find out what happens to them.

Ultimately, I would have liked this book more without the rape scenes. Too graphic.


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books 2010 #32 - 37

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I've been vacillating between 3 and 4 stars on this one. I was excited to read it, and it definitely held my interest, but I didn't like it as much as the first two in the series. It's darker, which is no surprise for a dystopian, world at war scenario.

I really do like Katniss. She feels real to me – reluctant and scared at times, yet passionate and gritty enough to do what needs to be done. Peeta's character had more depth here, but it seemed like Gale's had less, which was disappointing. The plot was unpredictable, so bonus points on that front. Overall, pretty enjoyable, but I don't know that it's appropriate for the younger YA set.


Making Children's Clothes: 25 Stylish Step-by-step Sewing Projects for 0-5 Years by Emma Hardy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Love it! So many cute projects, most of which I would like to try. Eva flipped through it with me and said, "I want that!" on almost every page. Looks totally doable, too, even for this novice seamstress.



Here be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I was completely sucked in to this long, historical novel about 13th century Wales and England. This is all that I love about historical fiction. It was complex, smart, and informative. The characterizations were very well done, full and real. And, as usual, I found myself feeling surprised by how little human interactions have changed over the centuries.

Best of all, it was epic, which I find highly enjoyable.


Love and Other Impossible Pursuits by Ayelet Waldman

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Here's the thing: maybe I just am not a fan of Ayelet Waldman. This looked and sounded intriguing, but I ended up not liking the main character much, and that was a problem for me. She just seemed so selfish. I get that she was flawed, human, yada yada yada. But when you break up a marriage, there are plenty of consequences, most of them complicated and unpleasant. I reiterate: I cannot stand it when I feel like a book is trying to make me root for infidelity. This is probably one I should have not bothered to finish.



River Jordan: A Novel by Augusta Trobaugh

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This was a pleasant, easy, quick read. I enjoyed the characters and their voices. I think I would have liked it better if I hadn't been comparing it to Trobaugh's Swan Place, which I ultimately liked more.



The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After talking about this book at book club, I liked it better. I'm inching towards 4 stars now.

It definitely held my attention, I liked that it sent my mind in all different directions, but if anything I found myself wishing it were a little creepier. And revealing, if subtly, the identity of the little stranger in the very last paragraph seemed somewhat abrupt in this 500-page book.


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books 2010 #25-31

Sophie and the Rising Sun by Augusta Trobaugh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A poignant love story between a middle-aged Southern woman and a Japanese man around the time of WWII. Trobaugh addresses themes of racism and tolerance, and what it means to love someone and to be a true friend. I found all of the characters to be captivating - this is definitely more character-driven than plot-driven (although some surprising things happen as well). Sweet and thoroughly enjoyable.


Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This was a fun read, but a rare case where I actually enjoyed the movie more than the book. Wonderful BBC production.





Swan Place by Augusta Trobaugh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Yet another Southern novel that I really enjoyed. Trobaugh did a wonderful job with characterization and capturing the language of people of different ages and races – all of the voices rang with authenticity.


Dove is a young girl with big hardships and a lot of responsibility. The relationships in her life are very satisfying and the plot was not predictable. Highly recommended.



The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Octavian is both a prince and a slave. He is the subject of a disturbing experiment performed by a group of extreme rational philosophers to determine whether people of African descent are inferior to whites.

Much of the book revolves around Octavian trying to figure out his own identity, a tricky proposition indeed. Though classified as YA literature, I wouldn't recommend it to the younger of the YA set.



The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is truly a peculiar book, stranger than I imagined when I started it. Rose's gift of being able to taste the emotions of the people who prepare her food is, for the most part, a curse.


I found the characters fascinating, and I was really rooting for Rose, and even her standoffish brother. If anything, I wanted more, the ending came a little too soon for my liking.



The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Angel's Game has much in common with The Shadow of the Wind, which I loved. Barcelona is heavily featured, a character itself. The Cemetery of Forgotten Books makes another appearance. It wasn't until I went to book club that I realized that Sempere's son is Daniel's father (from Shadow of the Wind) and that The Angel's Game is actually a prequel. Knowing that made so much more sense - I wish I'd known that when I started the book.

I really enjoyed the writing and the way that books, writing, and writers have so much power. (Because, of course, they do.) There's a little romance, a hefty dose of mystery, and the Satan character is plenty creepy. True to form, he deals in counterfeits, making dangerous and illicit things appear to be desirable or at least acceptable, playing to people's vanity.

My favorite characters were the ones who tried to save David from himself, who found that there are definitely fates worse than death.



Shoot the Moon by Billie Letts

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This was a quick read, pleasant enough, but I just didn't like the writing all that much. I picked this up as a bargain book at B&N because I enjoyed Where the Heart Is. To me, this didn't even compare.



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books 2010 #16-24

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book about the mysterious discovery of a 4-year-old girl on a dock, the unfolding of her life events and two families. I tend to love stories about multiple generations of women, and this one did not disappoint. Engaging characters, nice plot twists, not predictable. Recommended!



The Center of Everything: A Novel by Laura Moriarty

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars.

An enjoyable coming-of-age story set in the mid-80's, so of course I could relate to many of the cultural references. (I had forgotten about OP sweatshirts!)

Evelyn is in the middle of the U.S. (Kansas), in the middle of the conflict between her mother and her grandmother, torn between her love of science and newfound religion, and caught between her two best friends. I found her to be sympathetic and likeable and I wanted to know how her story turned out.



I Am a Mother by Jane Clayson Johnson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

While this book is largely a compilation of quotes from general authorities and noted authors, they are very good quotes!

I do find that, against my better judgment, I can get bogged down with motherhood from time to time. The tedium, the lack of feedback, the guilt, the constant wondering if I'm doing it well enough. The world does not value women who choose to stay home and raise families, so I have had that uncomfortable experience of having a so-called "successful" woman asking me what I'm doing and feeling like I am coming up short.

I know that this reflects poorly on me, that I am the one that needs to be vigilant about remembering that my role is a divine one, and that I chose this calling above all else. Johnson points out that our feelings and attitudes towards motherhood greatly impact our children, and I certainly want my children to know that I love this job and know that I couldn't be doing anything more important with my life. Even though it's the hardest job I can imagine.



Little Bee by Chris Cleave

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An ambitious novel, one that has great sadness, some humor, and hope. I was really impressed with the author's ability to vacillate between wildly different voices: a teenage refugee from Nigeria, a young widow in a London suburb, and "the girls back home," all convincingly.

Little Bee is a wonderful character with some very difficult life experiences.

Favorite line: "I ask you right here please to agree with me that a scar is never ugly... Because take it from me, a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means, I survived."



One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. Kate Atkinson is a pleasure to read - great characters, nicely interwoven stories, and some mystery to boot.






When Will There be Good News? by Kate Atkinson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

While it's been a long time since I read Case Histories (and I don't have a great memory for books), I think this final book in the trilogy was my favorite.

Again, interesting, complex, likeable characters and an intricately drawn web of plot lines. Reggie, a plucky, precocious teenager is definitely my favorite character, although Jackson Brodie is still a big draw.

So glad I had this compelling read while being down with pneumonia!



The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is unlike any other I've read. Truly, the title character, has some sort of hormonal disorder which causes her to grow quickly and to never stop. From birth, she is consigned to life as an outsider. Her perfectly beautiful, petite sister provides such a stark contrast that Truly seems even more large, ungainly, and freakish than she really is. Truly experiences a lot of heartache, a lot of strife, and yet she manages to find a measure of acceptance and happiness in her life.

I can't think of one character in this book that isn't a real case study (all of the Robert Morgans come to mind). Call it quirky, call it unusual, but you certainly can't call it boring.



Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip Heath

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I listened to this audiobook. It had some interesting theories about how to effect change in our lives, or in the lives of others (as in a business setting). But it was awfully pedantic. Par for the course for most self-help books, I guess.Here's what I remember offhand:Shrink the change. Change the environment. Make the change into a new habit that is easier to adopt.Sometimes we aren't resistant to change as much as we are unclear about how we need to approach the change.I'll let you know if it actually helps me to make the change.



The Last Child by John Hart

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm going to give this a solid 3.5 stars.The mystery was great, it was a page-turner, the characters were interesting, it was just the subject matter that made it difficult (children abducted and murdered).13-year-old Johnny, whose twin had been abducted the previous year, was a fascinating character. His grieving father left the family, his mother completely fell apart and fell victim to a manipulative man who owned half the town, who alternately abused her and provided her with drugs. Johnny was relentless in the search for his sister, and had some pretty scary experiences along the way. Detective Hunt, who also refused to give up on the case and who developed a real affection and admiration for Johnny, was compelling as well.Recommended for fans of crime mysteries. Not for the faint of heart, however.

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books 2010 #9-15

The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was an interesting read about Nefertiti's niece, Nefertari. She was a fascinating character, and the first 2/3 or so of the book was very compelling – I didn't want to put it down. I would have given it 4 stars up to that point, but it just wasn't as well-paced toward the end.



April & Oliver: A Novel by Tess Callahan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

April & Oliver is about – well, April and Oliver, two people who were raised as cousins but are not actually blood relatives. They have always been close, and there is a lot of sexual tension between them. April makes a mess out of her life, and Oliver wants to rescue her. I guess I found it all just a bit ho hum.

I listened to the audiobook version. While it definitely held my attention, I couldn't bring myself to really care about any of the characters – with the exception of their grandmother, who has quite a small role.



O Pioneers! by Willa Cather

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have discovered that I really like Cather. And while I definitely enjoyed O Pioneers, I just didn't love it as much as Song of the Lark.





Blindspot: A Novel by Jane Kamensky

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this historical fiction about pre-Revolutionary War America. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, and I enjoyed the unraveling of the mystery. I only wish there hadn't been such a preponderance of unnecessary sex. For that reason, I'm not sure I can recommend it.



The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! I really didn't know anything about it, I only knew that I had heard good things about it. I loved the character of Edgar. I found the dogs fascinating, especially his communication with them. I loved Almondine.

This book made me think. I couldn't get it out of my head, even after reading other books, and that's a beautiful thing.



Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the most I've liked a Sandra Dallas book since Diary of Mattie Spenser. Hennie is an old woman living in a Colorado mining town. She made a vow to befriend every woman that moves into town to try to help them overcome the loneliness she experienced as a young woman.

There is enough sadness in the first 30 pages to last a lifetime, but Hennie's experiences make her a strong woman indeed. I love her character and the friendships she forms. Quilting has a nice supporting role, as well.



The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Calpurnia is such a great character! I love strong girls and women in literature, and Calpurnia is inquisitive, strong-minded, and passionate. This book is also a wonderful example of the tremendous impact that grandparents can have on a child, her developing relationship with her grandfather was a complete joy to me.

"I was all to him, wasn't I? And he was all to me."

The section where she discovered that she was meant to be a wife and mother instead of a scientist was heartbreaking. She compares herself to a coyote with her paw caught in a trap. So sad. But the ending was oh so hopeful.

Beautifully written, beautiful book.

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books 2010 #1-8

Life is hard again. Lucas and Eva both relapsed into fever and congestion, which means that they are not getting much sleep, and neither am I. I took them to the doctor and they both have sinus infections. Damn Winter inversion!!

I'm exhausted and not very productive. I don't really feel like blogging, but it bugs me when I have the same post up for multiple days. So, I decided to post about the books I have read so far this year (because I already had a draft going).


The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I'm vacillating between 3 and 4 stars on this one.

Here's the thing. I know I would have enjoyed The Hunger Games a LOT more had I not seen the Japanese movie Battle Royale. The premise (teens taken forcibly by the government to a remote location and forced to battle to the death, leaving a lone survivor) is so similar that it definitely detracted from the novelty of it all.

That said, the plot is fascinating and well-paced, the characters enjoyable, and this book explores themes of dealing with authority, humanity, friendship, rebellion, love, survival. I really did like Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Haymitch, and Cinna.

A fun, quick read, and if you haven't seen Battle Royale, you will probably like it more than me!



Gentlemen and Players: A Novel by Joanne Harris


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a real departure from the other books I've read by Joanne Harris, and I thought she handled the mystery and suspense beautifully.

The setting is an all-boys private school in England, where there is an undercurrent of change, and not for the better. A criminal mastermind is at work, creating small annoyances that quickly snowball to larger problems that leave reputations and lives hanging in the balance.

Nice plot twists that I didn't see coming.



Apples for Jam: A Colorful Cookbook by Tessa Kiros


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Such a beautiful cookbook! All the recipes are organized by color, which I've never seen before, and I enjoyed the photos, drawings, and little anecdotes. Highly readable, which is a big plus for cookbooks. I've only made 3 recipes so far, but they all were very good.



Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Again vacillating between 3 and 4 stars. I decided on 4 because I was compelled to read it and finished it in 2 days, so it's definitely a page-turner.

This had some good plot twists and took things in a direction I didn't see coming, which is always welcome. I definitely enjoyed the character development, as we get to know Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Haymitch, and even Katniss's mother better.

I just wish it didn't end on such a cliffhanger! All the better to get you waiting for volume 3.



The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm kind of surprised that I hadn't heard of this work until recently. This short story chronicles one woman's descent into madness. When her physician husband prescribes rest and solitude as the cure for her post-partum depression, she wants to believe that he knows what he's talking about.He doesn't.She is confined to the room with the yellow wallpaper and she sinks fast. Creepy, and all the more so because it seems so real.



The Help by Kathryn Stockett


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was between 4 and 5 stars on this one. I don't think it's among my favorite books ever, but it was still a highly enjoyable read, and one I'd definitely recommend to just about anyone.

The whole time I read this book, which is set in the South in the early 60s, I could not get over how recent this all was. It's just so unbelievable that people could be so openly racist, so cruel -- with no repercussions -- and that it wasn't even very long ago.

And the irony! Did they really not see the conflict between saying that you could not teach blacks to be clean, and yet they hired these supposedly unclean people to clean their homes, cook their food, and raise their children?! It's mind boggling.

I absolutely loved the characters of Aibileen and Minny, and Skeeter wasn't far behind. Hilly was one of those people that is so manipulative, self-serving, and abominable that you can hardly believe it.

My favorite thing of all was that Aibileen discovered she had a gift for loving children, and for helping them to feel special, to feel good about themselves. Every time she would tell Mae Mobley her "secret stories," I would feel there was hope for the future.



Real World Adobe Illustrator CS3 by Mordy Golding


My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A very useful tome for learning Illustrator (one of my goals this year) -- I only wish I didn't have to return it to the library! This might be one I need to buy.




Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students by Ellen Lupton


My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My first response to this book was that it was a little on the technical side for me. Then I saw in other readers' reviews that it was good but a little too simplistic. Huh. Well I guess I'm just a type neophyte, then.

I think I was hoping to be more inspired by the book. I was inspired, but in more subtle ways than I expected. I did learn things that I didn't know about typefaces, and I enjoyed seeing visual representations of the type in text.

My favorite sections were on grids and hierarchy.

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