Book Reviews -- 2006 to 2007
It seems to be harder and
harder to find a good read. Please e-mail me and recommend one of
your
favorites!
As in previous years, this page of book reviews is updated regularly. As my photography and Photoshop have overtaken my reading time, there are fewer books on this list than in previous years. Still, I do find a little time to read, and there are plane trips on the itinerary...
I'm always looking for book recommendations, so please let me know what books you've enjoyed lately, or better yet, just send them on! It seems it's harder and harder to find a good book.
These ratings are on a 1 to 5 scale, 5 being "The Best!" DNF means I did not finish the book. For a list of my favorite books, click here. Click here to see the complete author-sorted list of books read in the last six years. From this author list you can get to the review.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/09/books/review/09gray.html?ex=1183867200&en=af878bfd3ec7a282&ei=5070
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The Stranger at the Palazzo D'Oro Theroux, Paul |
I really like Theroux's writing. This collection of short stories is full of evocative detail, making time and place come to life. The title story is set in a decadent palace resort in a small Italian village. A traveling twenty-one-year old American stops at the Palazzo, envying the life of the rich residents. He is offered an opportunity to become friends with the Grafin, a rich countessa. As the story unfolds, he learns more about himself and discovers her secrets. We get to peer into his psyche and, as a plus, voyeuristically enjoy some hot sexual intrigue. (More Theroux below) | 4.6 |
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Suite Francaise Nemirovsky. Irene |
This book,
comprises two novellas, and a writeup about the author. It opens
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4.5 |
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The Devil in the White City Larson, Erik |
This historically accurate narrative juxtaposes the chronicling of Chicago's 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, a marvelous American achievement and an interesting story, with the almost-unbelievable facts of Dr. H. H. Holmes murders of scores of young women and children in Chicago during the same period. | 4.5 |
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The Time Traveler's Wife Niffenberger, Audrey |
Henry DeTamble (involuntarily) travels through time. Clare Abshire, who he meets at age 6, is to become the love of his life. As this impossibly romantic story unfolds, with its science fiction premise but otherwise "real" story, I was intrigueg. The book is narrated by them both, as they each tell their version of the story, especially the many intersections they share. | 4.3 |
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Half Moon Street Theroux, Paul |
Theroux is a really creative writer and these two novellas are pretty weird. They are both about double lives, and the way things can go awry if one is blindsided. Dr. Lauren Slaughter finds herself in London wanting things she doesn't have and finds a way to get them. Twins George and Gerald De Marr separate after college, but meet again years later. Neither story is (intended to be) believable, but both are imaginative and good reading. | 4.3 |
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The Shadow of the Wind Zafron, Carlos Ruiz |
I quite enjoyed this story. In postwar Barcelona, ten-year-old Daniel Sempere pulls a single book-The Shadow of the Wind -off the dusty shelves of the "Cemetery of Forgotten Books". This labyrinthine sanctuary houses books that have lost their owners, books that are no longer remembered by anyone. Daniel, with one fateful turn of a page, begins an adventure full of mystery and intrigue. | 4.3 |
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Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
Clarke, Susanna |
This wonderful tale of magic in early 19th-century England eventually pits one rather conservative and fearful magician against another more adventurous and curious magician. Such a lovely flight of imagination -- for example, the magicians assist England in the war with Napolean. Both interesting and Fun! | 4.3 |
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Invisible Man Ellison, Ralph |
This classic, written in 1950, traces the weird journey of a promising young black man (a Negro in those days) from his high school days through college and the hard reality of being black. Ellison's language and imagination are marvelous; his imagery makes his scenes, especially the early ones, come to amazing life. Still, 500+ pages was more than I could manage. I took my leave at page 250. | 4.2* |
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Running with Scissors Burroughs, Augusten |
Augusten, at age 12, is shunted off to his crazy mother's weird psychiatrist's home. This memoir about a gay boy's coming of age is both funny and sad. The writing is generally entertaining and the reading is easy. It is hard to believe that this tale is true, but so it's billed. What a weird life he's lived. | 4.0 |
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Decline and Fall Waugh, Evelyn |
This satirical look at British society circa 1920 was Waugh's first book. Although Waugh is perhaps best known for Brideshead Revisited, this madcap story of Paul Pennyfeather and his mis-adventures is fun reading. Paul goes from feast to famine a few times as he meets a mix of caricatures of all classes. | 3.9 |
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True Notebooks Salzman, Mark |
Salzman's book is an interesting juxtaposition of memoir and reality show. After a visit to the LA's Central Juvenile hall, a jail for the most violent juvenile offenders, Salzman agrees to teach a writing class. Twice a week he meets with the young inmates, who share their thoughts, history and regrets in their writings. Their stories are sad, and it seems our society has left them with little hope and less chance for rehabilitation. | 3.9 |
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No Country for Old Men McCarthy, Cormac |
We listened to this book on tape, and that's a great way to do it. The narrator, Tom Stechschulte, seems to inhabit his characters, as he spins the tale using many voices complete with accents and dialects. The book has a first-rate story line (young man finds drug money and dead Mexicans, if he keeps the money, big trouble). It's action-packed, full of tension, suspense, death, and a bit too much blood; a real page-turner, or in our case, a disk-turner. Unfortunately, the action flags badly near the end, shifting from encounters with bad guy to (some sometimes repetitive) philosophy; thus the less than top rating. | 3.8 |
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The Voice of the Violin Camilleri, Andrea |
This novel is part of a series of Inspector Montalbano mysteries that have been translated into English. The story takes place in Sicily, adding a flavor of another country's methods and law hierarchy that US mysteries lack. The Inspector comes across the nude body of a rich and beautiful woman, suffocated in her bed. This book is short and easy to read, but not special. | 3.8 |
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Stone Diaries Shields, Carol |
The winner of the 1995 Pulitzer Prize, this books starts out really strong but eventually fades to OK. The life of Daisy Goodwill, from birth to death, is told -- often from her personal perspective, but also from the viewpoint of others. The novel is full of insights, full of good writing and full of stories. | 3.8 |
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Suspicion of Madness Parker, Barbara |
There's a lot happening under the radar at a posh resort in the Florida Keys. Nineteen year old stepson, Billy tries to kill himself, and his girlfriend is murdered. Attorney Anthony Quintana and his lawyer fiancé Gail Connors arrive to help the family out. As a huge tropical storm descends on the island, the action whips up as well. Who dunnit? | 3.7 |
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White Oleander Fitch, Janet |
Astrid's mother, Ingrid, is a self-centered, free-spirit poet has raised Astrid alone. She's a cunning, headstrong woman who decides to kill her lover after he leaves her. Once mom is in jail, Astrid is shunted from one awful foster home to another, looking for love, wondering about her mother, forced to fit in, and "shedding lives like snakeskin". This is a complex novel with too many parts. I wanted to quit about half way through, but skimmed to the end instead. It's well written and often fascinating; just too much of a good thing. | 3.7 |
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Wyoming Gifford, Barry |
An LA Times Novel of the Year in 2000, this almost-novella (it is a very short book) is written almost entirely in dialogue -- 40 snippets of conversation spanning 90 pages. A mother and her 9-year old son, Roy, drive across the US South and Midwest, while we eavesdrop on their conversations about their lives and the landscapes they pass through. Interesting, though not particularly satisfying. | 3.6 |
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The Abortionist's Daughter Hyde, Elisabeth |
An "free" exchange book from our apartment complex in Port Douglas, this is a murder mystery. Megan's mother, Diana, an abortion doctor, is killed. There are a few suspects, including Megan's dad. Then there's the love interest. The book is not particularly well written, nor is it unpredictable in any way. Still, it was an easy read, and I did finish it. | 3.6 |
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The Sun Also Rises Hemingway, Ernest |
As I search for a wonderful read, I often try some of the classics. This story is one of Hemmingway's first, and one that has received much acclaim. Typical of the author, the sentences are short and to the point, though often the point is rather mundane and boring. Eventually the group of characters arrives in Pamplona for the fiesta week of bull fighting. Here the narrative shines. | 3.4 |
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The Memory Keeper's Daughter Edwards, Kim |
This book was on the NY Times paperback best seller list for over a year, and here it was, a freebie exchange book in Port Douglas. The story starts off well -- a mongo-loid girl, a twin to healthy boy, is born in a snow storm. The doctor father asks the nurse to take the girl to a home, and eventually tells his wife the baby died. I enjoyed the first 100 pages, good writing, a good story. Then it got repetitive, predictable, boring and trite. Still, I skimmed to the end, but take my advise and don't you bother. | 3.0 |
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44 Shortland Street Smith, Alexander McCall |
This novel written by the author of the Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency is a serial, written for the newspapers in Scotland. As such, it's a bit of a soap opera, filled with characters and little short stories. It's easy bedtime reading, but not especially interesting. | 3.1 |
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Eat, Pray, Love Gilbert, Elizabeth |
This novel is currently a NY Times bestseller. Obviously lots of people like it. It IS somewhat amusing, and an easy read as it is broken up into small bites. Still, there isn't much of substance here (at least in the first third, which is all I read), and not much of a story. If you're struggling with self image, or with bad love choices, you'll likely empathize with the author and enjoy this book. | DNF |
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Beautiful Swimmers Warner, William W |
This book about watermen, crabs and the Chesapeake Bay may appeal to the boater, the fisherman or the crabber. It's a loving treatise that explores the life of the Atlantic Blue Crab. It won the Pulitzer Prize in 1976. Unfortunately, I needed something more adventuresome. | DNF |
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Back when we were Grownups Tyler, Anne |
Rebecca
Davitch is mistress of The Open Arms, a party house for up-market events.
As she turns 50 or 60, she realizes her life has drifted to a place where
she's not at all inside the person she seems to be on the outside.
Unfortunately, after 65 pages it was too slow going for me, so I gave it up. |
DNF |
* Did not finish, but the early going was amazing.
Home Summary of Best Books Book Reviews 2005