2013 Books
Jan. 2nd, 2014 07:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sonoranrnAs part of my annual tradition, here is the list of books I read in 2013, in the order I read them, complete with some of my thoughts on each one.
1. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls -- A prequel, of sorts, to the author's memoir A Glass Castle, this is a collection of family stories about Walls' feisty, independent, wild-west grandmother, Lily. She was a take-no-shit firecracker of a woman and I loved reading about her and her life. A great start to the year.
2. Heirloom: Notes From an Accidental Tomato Farmer by Tim Stark -- Just what it says, this is a book about a man who pretty much stumbled into being a tomato farmer. While passingly interesting, it's a good thing he does so well at farming as writing isn't his forte. All the name-dropping of chefs who buy his produce was off-putting as well.
3. One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde -- The sixth in Fforde's Thursday Next series. A little slow, but as clever as I've come to expect from Fforde. Good for fans of the series.
4. The Men Who Stare at Goats by Jon Ronson -- In Ronson's usual style, this is *his* experience with researching/investigating the military's experiments with psychic powers, so it has a bit of a memoir feel to it. Interesting reading, but I didn't love it.
5. Room by Emma Donoghue -- When all the fuss about this began, I somehow missed that it was fiction. Had I known that, I probably wouldn't have read it. About 20 pages in, I thought this wasn't the right fit for me, but I was curious enough to see how it would conclude. It seems people fall pretty solidly in the loved-it or hated-it camp and I was definitely in the latter. Not for me at all.
6. Dust City by Robert Paul Weston -- This sounded SO much better than it was: the son of the Big Bad Wolf (who, himself, is doing time for the double murders of Red Riding Hood and her grandmother) is living at the Home For Wayward Wolves and soon finds himself enmeshed in the dark underbelly of Dust City. Great concept! Poorly executed. Very disappointed in the end.
7. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeannette Winterson **10 out of 10 stars!** -- I found this a really beautiful book. The main character is raised in a n evangelical family, but gradually comes to terms with herself, her lesbianaism, and her own faith, though not without a struggle and losses along the way. It seems to be at least loosely based on the writer's own life which definitely gives it that ring of authenticity. The writing is fantastic; at times really lyrical and thought-provoking. Definitely recommended; a highlight of the year.
8. Death by Pad Thai: And Other Unforgettable Meals by Douglas Bauer (editor) -- Fast and enjoyable, good for picking up in fits and starts as it is a collection of essays. Some of the entries are funny, some touching, all definitely memorable. Good for the fan of food and/or memoirs.
9. The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman -- The Grimm Collection, housed in New York, contains magical items from fairy tales. This is the first in the series involving this collection and, therefore, spends a fair amount of time establishing background. There is a nice mix of fantasy/reality and I think the series will develop well. A cute little YA novel; nothing spectacular.
10. The Onion Book of Known Knowledge: Mankind's Final Encyclopedia From America's Finest News Source -- I'd heard an interview with one of the editors of The Onion who suggested reading this cover-to-cover, in order, because there are continuing jokes and story lines. I only found one of each, and neither made wading through the whole book worth it. Some funny entries, mostly "meh". Disappointing.
11. Porno by Irvine Welsh -- This is my second or third book by Welsh and, as before, I struggled with the slang/accented speech and lack of sufficient punctuation (especially quotation marks). The storyline (a porn money making scheme) was interesting enough to keep me slogging through it, but I don't know how much more of Welsh's work I'll pick up.
12. Notes from the Underwire: Adventures from My Awkward and Lovely Life by Quinn Cummings -- A decent collection of stories from what is, really, a pretty average life. Yes, Quinn was a child actor, but that doesn't come up very often. At least one story was hilarious enough to make up for any of the mediocre ones.
13. Confessions of Emergency Room Doctor by Rocky Lang -- Didn't care for this at all. I've heard many of the stories before as the bulk of them are urban legend. There are plenty of good books on the subject out there; avoid this one.
14. The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist -- I found this an interesting concept. Set in the future, people are only allowed to live past a certain age if they are deemed "useful" by society. Those not deemed as such are sent to "The Unit" where they live in luxury (though with no contact with the outside world) and are used in various ways to extend the lives of useful people. Predictably, the crux of the story revolves around the argument of what determines someone as useful. One of the main ways to become useful is to breed. While logical, it made me unable to relate to a lot of the book and made it less enjoyable for me. Not badly written, just not as much my type of book as I was hoping it would be.
15. The Magic and the Healing by Nick O'Donohoe -- This was a cute read. I haven't delved into any fantasy in quite some time, but the idea of a fantastical beast vet was intriguing and new. The characters are somewhat stock, but that didn't bother me too much. Fairly predictable, but still enjoyable. Don't know that I'll read anymore in the series, but I did have fun with this one.
16. Jailhouse Stories: Memories of a Small-Town Sheriff by Neil Haugerud -- While Haugerud seems like an excellent small town sheriff, he isn't much of a writer. I guess I wanted this to be more of a "Cops meets A Prarire Home Companion" but the author is a far cry from Garrison Keillor.
17. Little Brotherby Cory Doctorow -- I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, considering I'm not all that interested in computer security and IT and all that. I liked the merge of several subgroups and the fact that, while a YA book and therefore includes the obligatory girls-parents-identity bit, that wasn't the focus. At times it was a little heavy on "Fight the Man!" and "if you're not worried you're not paying attention" concepts, but he supports them well. Don't know that I'll read the rest of the series, but maybe.
18. Regarding Ducks and Universes by Neve Maslakovic -- A quirky, crazy, universe-jumping, time-splitting romp. Some interesting concepts here, to be sure. A little predictable towards the end, but still a good ride. I enjoyed this one.
19. Them: Adventures with Extremists by Jon Ronson -- People are strange, and this is a good example of just how strange they can get, and how dangerous extreme views and opinions can make someone. As is true with other of Ronson's books, this is very much the author's experiences in investigative reporting. It's a personal account more than anything else. Not his best work, for me, but enjoyable nonetheless.
20. Teasing Secrets from the Dead: My Investigations at America's Most Infamous Crime Scenes by Emily Craig -- Fascinating. A pull no punches glimpse into the real work of medical illustrator turned forensic anthropologist. Not overly medically complex but not super simplified either. Not for the weak of stomach. Recommended.
21. Evertaster by Adam Glendon Sidwell -- Generally speaking, I liked this. It's a cute little story - kind of Indian Jones meets Top Chef. I found it a bit predictable with a lot of suspension of disbelief even for a fantasy story (ex. flying out of the country to Peru with no flight plan, no passports, etc.), but still a decent kids' book. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the whole "a mother's love is the strongest, bestest thing EVER" concept, though, and that's what will keep me from reading the sequel.
22. Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff -- **9 out of 10 stars** It's hard to talk this, as the very best thing about it is a massive spoiler. Reading the PS at the end and the author's discussion of "the glamour of evil" made it even better. This one lingered with me for quite a while; definitely interested me in more by him.
23. I Don't Care About Your Band: Lessons Learned from Indie Rockers, Trust Funders, Pornographers, Felons, Faux-Sensitive Hipsters, and Other Guys I've Dated by Julie Klausner -- This was a fun read for me. I can easily see why some women get upset at some of what she's written, but I enjoyed it for what it was. I can relate to the author in enough ways that, at times, the book felt pretty personal to me, which is both comforting and disturbing. She made me laugh out loud a few times, which was what I was hoping for. Above all, I appreciate her constant message to women reading: "You are awesome and gorgeous worth it. Of course you are, don't be silly." Not enough women hear that these days.
24. The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True by Richard Dawkins -- This was a nice refresher of some basic science as well as a reminder of some of myths I've learned over the years. At times I was a bit unsure of what age range Dwkins was directing this to as he explains some basic concepts but uses some fairly large vocabulary words along the way. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and, to me, totally make up for anything the text itself is lacking.
25. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke -- A wonderful concept (a man who can read characters out of story and into real life) and a fun read, though quite long. While I was curious about how it all turned out, at times it seemed to drag for me. I think there was just more detail and more, well, *words* than needed to keep the story moving forward.
26. Hannibal Rising by Thomas Harris -- I'm not normally a fan of war fiction, so was a little hesitant to go forward with this, but I loved the rest of this series and enjoyed the movie version, so felt it deserved a go. I had not invented my own history for Hannibal, so had nothing to compare it to. I also hold no doubts about the damaging powers of war and the strength of the desire for revenge. I applaud Harris for coming up with a backstory that explains all the facets of such a complicated character as Hannibal Lecter.
27. Street Blues: The Experiences of a Reluctant Policeman by Andrew Brown -- I quite liked this. Though not a police officer, I've had enough contact with them, and worked enough crazy scenes as an EMT, that I think I can make at least the beginnings of a comparison of Americans and South African police forces. I found the similarities and differences to be the most interesting part of the book for me. (Which is not to say that the rest of it wasn't interesting, because it was. Brown is quite a good storyteller.) People are the same the world over, as are police - good, bad, green, jaded. How they are equipped to handle what is thrown at them (sometimes literally!) can vary wildly. This gives excellent insight to what day to day police face in Africa.
28. What Doctors Feel: How Emotions Affect the Practice of Medicine by Danielle Ofri -- **10 out of 10 stars** Dr. Ofri is an excellent writer who speaks directly from her heart, and gives great insight into the simple truth, all too often forgotten, that doctors are people too. Ofri examines a great many of the difficulties doctors face: scores of paperwork, difficult patients and/or families, insurance and legal problems, sleep depravation. Ofri uses facts and figures as supporting evidence, but weaves them in seamlessly so they don't come across dry at all. She also gives very real, very personal examples of every emotion she touches on and I don't doubt for a moment that every doctor has been in similar situations. People in medicine will be reminded that they're not alone in the emotions that so often come up. Patients and families will get some insight as to what it's like to be on the other end f the stethoscope. Touching, beautiful, though-provoking. A truly excellent read.
29. Nature Noir: A Park Ranger's Patrol in the Sierra by Jordan Fisher Smith -- This was an interesting read! I've read quotes and facts before about how dangerous ranger work is and this book definitely supports those. Smith definitely faced his fair share of hazards, undoubtably always wondering when the area was going to be flooded. His love for the park is clear, though, which is refreshing. I also liked how he merged his own experiences with park history. Recommended.
30. Personal Demons by Christopher Fowler -- I have come to find I enjoy short stories; I didn't used to. This is an older work of Fowler's and he admits to holding back a lot due to what he perceived the public would accept. There are some interesting concepts here and I'm curious to read some recent work of his, now that there seems to be "no-holds-barred" in literature.
31. Inkspell by Cornelia Funke -- I had to see where the story went. I did enjoy this one more as so much of it is set in the Inkworld. Still very wordy and longer than I think it needed to be, but a fun read. (I do wish Funke hadn't played up the relationship between the two kids as much as she did. I liked Meggie being independent and strong and yet still a kid at heart. Having her "fall in love" (at, what, 13?) was a disappointing plot point for me.)
32. Dear Me: A Letter To My Sixteen Year Old Self by Joseph Galliano -- I think this book would be just as interesting if it was written by everyday people, as opposed to just those who have gone one to fame and success. Thankfully, there seem to be lots of places for people to post their own (the book's website, Facebook page, Twitter, etc.) which I think I'll enjoy checking out. This also made me think a lot about what I would write to myself, which has proved to be an interesting thought exercise.
33. Something from the Nightside by Simon R. Green -- I am not traditionally a fan of the noir/detective/PI genre. That being said, I liked this book far more than I expected to. Yes, it's a bit trite and the characters are fairly one-dimensional, but that is pretty par for the genre, really. Having such flat and traditional characters really allows the reader to focus on the setting - the bizarre and dark world that is the Nightside. Looking forward to the next one.
34. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot -- This turned out to be was a family's story and science mixed together in a very readable, very thought-provoking book. I did find myself feeling badly for the Lacks family. They were poorly educated, with little to no understanding of science or medicine. The bits of information they wound up with regarding Henrietta's cells must have been confusing and frightening to them. From a legal standpoint, the medical field and researchers did nothing wrong in their acquisition, use, and sale of HeLa cells. What about ethically? I must admit I'd never thought about "tissue rights" before. This prompted some interesting thoughts on the subject.
35. Agents of Light and Darkness by Simon R. Green -- Since I enjoyed the first, I figured I should continue on and see what this series had to offer. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first, but it was still a decent romp. I was a little exasperated at how surprised the main character was to learn who Jude really is (I mean, COME ON), but aside from that I enjoyed it. I definitely liked the "angels as the army of god" stance; not quite the cherubs with harps treatment that is so over done. All in all, a creative enough second book that I'll read the third.
36. The Hidden Life of Deer: Lessons from the Natural World by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas -- Written by a layperson, this is a collection of observations based on deer fed in a backyard forest clearing. I thought it was only okay; a lot of what she writes read as common sense to me. She also spends a fair amount of the book defending her decision to feed the deer, as she has read and been told that, in the long run, it isn't good for the herds. There were pockets of interesting observations, but overall, not something I'd recommend.
37. The Watermelon King by Daniel Wallace -- This isn't a long book, but it felt that way at times; like the author was padding it with some fluff to make it a novel instead of a short story. Regardless, I was still enjoying it pretty much right up 'til the end. Then the whole bit with the vines happened. (I'm intentionally being vague so as not to create a spoiler.) It was just a little offhand thing, almost, but it made me want to toss the book aside. I actually *believed* it all, felt that, crazy as it was, the plot was actually *possible*, in a small town. I didn't feel I was suspending my disbelief much at all, so this totally fantastical vine bit was jarring and annoying. All-in-all, a decent read with an obnoxious ending.
38. If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name: News from Small-Town Alaska by Heather Lende -- I thought this was pretty good. t is a collection of stories, so it's great to pick up and read bits at a time. I think it's best that way, actually, as in some cases she introduces a person in relation to their obituary, then mentions them again in a later story as if they were still alive. Lende is religious and a parent - two things I am not - so at times I couldn't relate to her, above and beyond the fact that I don't live in small town Alaska. Regardless, the book provides a glimpse into a life so different from mine, that at times I found it fascinating.
39. Nightingale's Lament by Simon R. Green -- Third in the series. Still enjoying the creativity in this. If I was the type of person who admitted to "guilty pleasures", this would be one of them. (I don't feel guilty about enjoying things, though, no matter how looked down upon they may be by others.)
40. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie -- While familiar with the story, I'd never actually read this. It's different from any movie version I've seen: Peter is pretty much a selfish, asshole brat child. I'm okay with that, really. Children can be that way and I appreciate a child character that isn't all sunshine and rainbows.
41. Beneath the Neon: Life and Death in the Tunnels of Las Vegas by Matthew O'Brien -- When I first picked this book up, I thought the author had found some secret network of tunnels under Las Vegas that I was unaware of. I admit I was a bit disappointed to discover he was writing about drainage tunnels. Unfortunately what I did find to be an interesting topic suffered at the hands of the author. Maybe it was his writing style, maybe he didn't delve deep enough in his investigative questions for me, I'm not sure, but the writing fell flat for me for the most part. Also, there wasn't enough variation in the stories he found - people were living in the tunnels because of drink, drugs, and/or gambling. Except for the odd bit here and there, the book was pretty much that same story over and over. It seems that the information he did get leant itself more to an article than a full length book.
42. Was by Geoff Ryman -- **9 out of 10 stars** This a combination of several stories, all interconnected, though we as readers don't see how until quite deep into the book. We follow a young girl (the original Dorothy) as she struggles through life in frontier times, which was my favorite storyline. (I was a sucker for Little House on the Prairie growing up and still have a soft spot for books set in that period.) I thought tying in the stories of a young man dying of AIDS and a man working in a psychiatric unit would be a stretch, they all linked in wonderfully and believably. I found the writing fluid, characters sympathetic, and the overall flow very pleasing.
43. The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket -- I gotta say, I didn't like this much. Oft heralded as it is, I found in quite boring and not very creative at all. Won't bother with the rest of the series.
44. The Knife Man: Blood, Body Snatching, and the Birth of Modern Surgery -- by Wendy Moore **9 out of 10 stars** Fascinating, well researched, and incredibly readable, I found this to be excellent. It wasn't a fast read for me, but I still enjoyed it thoroughly. Hunter was, quite simply, a brilliant and amazing man who refused to accept the beliefs at the time until and unless he could prove them to himself. It is truly amazing to me how far ahead of his time he really was. The book covers his whole life, which encompasses a great number of concepts and experiences. Definitely a recommended read.
45. Chicken Soup for the Nature Lover's Soul: Inspiring Stories of Joy, Insight and Adventure in the Great Outdoors by Jack Canfield -- A pleasurable read. As with all Chicken Soup books I've read, some stories are better than others, but overall this is a genuinely feel-good book.
46. The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two by Catherynne M. Valente -- I just adore this whole series. It is just so creative and so much fun. Sure, some of the basic plots are trite, but isn't that true of most stories when you get down to the bare bones of it all? Looking forward to the continuation of the series.
47. Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern -- I thought this was pretty dang funny. I read other reviews that lambast the author (or, more accurately, his father) for all the swearing, especially how much of it was directed at a child. I understand why people have this knee-jerk reaction, and it may have bothered me if I wasn't able to read between the lines and see just how much this man truly loves his son. Is it an appropriate way to communicate? Maybe not, but it does seem that the author always knew what his dad thought about him, the world, and any given situation, and there's a lot to be said for that.
48. The Animal Review: The Genius, Mediocrity, and Breathtaking Stupidity That Is Nature
by Jacob Lentz, Steve Nash -- Overall, I found this pretty stupid. I smiled (not laughed) maybe twice, and while the occasional fact was interesting, truth got so muddled with the authors' attempts to be funny that I was more bored than anything else.
49. The Menstruating Mall by Carlton Mellick III -- Mellick is definitely not for everyone and sometimes is hit-or-miss for me, but I liked this one. Trap a group of stereotypes in a mall and kill them off one by one until they "break out of their molds" and see what happens. Great social commentary buried in all the craziness. A fast read that is more than it first appears.
50. The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch -- This is really two stories combined into one: Jean and Locke are working against Sabetha to try and throw and election while every other chapter is a flashback to when all three were children and collaborating in a theatre-related adventure set up by their benefactor and teacher, Chains. I thought the political angle would put me off as I don't usually have interest in that type of storyline, but there was enough mischief and fun that I didn't mind it a bit. In short, another glorious romp and I'm looking forward to number 4!
51. Anguished English: An Anthology of Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language by Richard Lederer -- I thought this would be more a humorous look at grammar errors (a la "Eats, Shoots and Leaves") instead of a collection of grammatical errors. This is really just one big, long list of such mistakes. Thus, while occasionally amusing, generally speaking I found myself getting bored. For me, it's a book I could have thumbed through in the store and been just as satisfied as I was by reading the whole thing.
52. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card -- My main problem with this book is that it's science-fiction, and that is just not a genre of interest to me. I did appreciate Card's deeper meanings and can clearly see why this is such an important book for so many friends of mine. I can see how some who themselves feel alone in a crowd of people could find comfort in Ender's character. As always with books that have young adults/children as main characters, I stumbled a bit at how brilliant they all are and how much they accomplish at such young ages. Not having kids of my own, I don't have a good concept as to what is possible at what age, so some of it reads as totally impossible to me. I found the themes and characterization interesting, I just don't think I can get past the sci-fi aspect enough to continue the series.
53. Dog Man: An Uncommon Life on a Faraway Mountain by Martha Sherrill -- An enjoyable biography about a man who helped preserve and promote the Akita dog breed. I frequently felt bad for Morie's family as he so obviously felt more love and dedication to the dogs than to them. Overlooking that, Morie is an amazing man and I liked reading about his life.
54. Promise Not to Tell by Jennifer McMahon -- SPOILER ALERT Meh. This had promise at first, and I did read it all the way through to find out who committed the crimes, but the supernatural aspect was a little much for me. I really hoped there was going to be some other explanation for the mother's actions aside from her being essentially possessed by the Potato Girl. Had i known how hokey ghost-story this would turn out to be, I doubt I'd have picked it up. I found the characters very one-dimensional, though I will credit McMahon with what reads as pretty accurate behavior in children (bullying, pack mentality, etc).
55. From Baghdad to America by Jay Kopelman -- Considering this a is a follow-up to -From Baghdad, With Love-, I was expecting it to be more about Lava. Instead, it seems to primarily be Kopelman's way of wrestling with the PTSD he surely has, but won't admit to. It was a bit too "oo-rah" for me and some of Kopelman's offhand statements rubbed me the wrong way (for example, his comment about nurturing children to be exclusively the mother's job). I also find it frustrating that he makes such a big point of encouraging others to go seek help for PTSD but steadfastly denies his own need for such help, instead using Lava as an example of a creature suffering from such a disorder. Points for encouraging others, but it seems to fall a little flat with his own denial.
1. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls -- A prequel, of sorts, to the author's memoir A Glass Castle, this is a collection of family stories about Walls' feisty, independent, wild-west grandmother, Lily. She was a take-no-shit firecracker of a woman and I loved reading about her and her life. A great start to the year.
2. Heirloom: Notes From an Accidental Tomato Farmer by Tim Stark -- Just what it says, this is a book about a man who pretty much stumbled into being a tomato farmer. While passingly interesting, it's a good thing he does so well at farming as writing isn't his forte. All the name-dropping of chefs who buy his produce was off-putting as well.
3. One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde -- The sixth in Fforde's Thursday Next series. A little slow, but as clever as I've come to expect from Fforde. Good for fans of the series.
4. The Men Who Stare at Goats by Jon Ronson -- In Ronson's usual style, this is *his* experience with researching/investigating the military's experiments with psychic powers, so it has a bit of a memoir feel to it. Interesting reading, but I didn't love it.
5. Room by Emma Donoghue -- When all the fuss about this began, I somehow missed that it was fiction. Had I known that, I probably wouldn't have read it. About 20 pages in, I thought this wasn't the right fit for me, but I was curious enough to see how it would conclude. It seems people fall pretty solidly in the loved-it or hated-it camp and I was definitely in the latter. Not for me at all.
6. Dust City by Robert Paul Weston -- This sounded SO much better than it was: the son of the Big Bad Wolf (who, himself, is doing time for the double murders of Red Riding Hood and her grandmother) is living at the Home For Wayward Wolves and soon finds himself enmeshed in the dark underbelly of Dust City. Great concept! Poorly executed. Very disappointed in the end.
7. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeannette Winterson **10 out of 10 stars!** -- I found this a really beautiful book. The main character is raised in a n evangelical family, but gradually comes to terms with herself, her lesbianaism, and her own faith, though not without a struggle and losses along the way. It seems to be at least loosely based on the writer's own life which definitely gives it that ring of authenticity. The writing is fantastic; at times really lyrical and thought-provoking. Definitely recommended; a highlight of the year.
8. Death by Pad Thai: And Other Unforgettable Meals by Douglas Bauer (editor) -- Fast and enjoyable, good for picking up in fits and starts as it is a collection of essays. Some of the entries are funny, some touching, all definitely memorable. Good for the fan of food and/or memoirs.
9. The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman -- The Grimm Collection, housed in New York, contains magical items from fairy tales. This is the first in the series involving this collection and, therefore, spends a fair amount of time establishing background. There is a nice mix of fantasy/reality and I think the series will develop well. A cute little YA novel; nothing spectacular.
10. The Onion Book of Known Knowledge: Mankind's Final Encyclopedia From America's Finest News Source -- I'd heard an interview with one of the editors of The Onion who suggested reading this cover-to-cover, in order, because there are continuing jokes and story lines. I only found one of each, and neither made wading through the whole book worth it. Some funny entries, mostly "meh". Disappointing.
11. Porno by Irvine Welsh -- This is my second or third book by Welsh and, as before, I struggled with the slang/accented speech and lack of sufficient punctuation (especially quotation marks). The storyline (a porn money making scheme) was interesting enough to keep me slogging through it, but I don't know how much more of Welsh's work I'll pick up.
12. Notes from the Underwire: Adventures from My Awkward and Lovely Life by Quinn Cummings -- A decent collection of stories from what is, really, a pretty average life. Yes, Quinn was a child actor, but that doesn't come up very often. At least one story was hilarious enough to make up for any of the mediocre ones.
13. Confessions of Emergency Room Doctor by Rocky Lang -- Didn't care for this at all. I've heard many of the stories before as the bulk of them are urban legend. There are plenty of good books on the subject out there; avoid this one.
14. The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist -- I found this an interesting concept. Set in the future, people are only allowed to live past a certain age if they are deemed "useful" by society. Those not deemed as such are sent to "The Unit" where they live in luxury (though with no contact with the outside world) and are used in various ways to extend the lives of useful people. Predictably, the crux of the story revolves around the argument of what determines someone as useful. One of the main ways to become useful is to breed. While logical, it made me unable to relate to a lot of the book and made it less enjoyable for me. Not badly written, just not as much my type of book as I was hoping it would be.
15. The Magic and the Healing by Nick O'Donohoe -- This was a cute read. I haven't delved into any fantasy in quite some time, but the idea of a fantastical beast vet was intriguing and new. The characters are somewhat stock, but that didn't bother me too much. Fairly predictable, but still enjoyable. Don't know that I'll read anymore in the series, but I did have fun with this one.
16. Jailhouse Stories: Memories of a Small-Town Sheriff by Neil Haugerud -- While Haugerud seems like an excellent small town sheriff, he isn't much of a writer. I guess I wanted this to be more of a "Cops meets A Prarire Home Companion" but the author is a far cry from Garrison Keillor.
17. Little Brotherby Cory Doctorow -- I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, considering I'm not all that interested in computer security and IT and all that. I liked the merge of several subgroups and the fact that, while a YA book and therefore includes the obligatory girls-parents-identity bit, that wasn't the focus. At times it was a little heavy on "Fight the Man!" and "if you're not worried you're not paying attention" concepts, but he supports them well. Don't know that I'll read the rest of the series, but maybe.
18. Regarding Ducks and Universes by Neve Maslakovic -- A quirky, crazy, universe-jumping, time-splitting romp. Some interesting concepts here, to be sure. A little predictable towards the end, but still a good ride. I enjoyed this one.
19. Them: Adventures with Extremists by Jon Ronson -- People are strange, and this is a good example of just how strange they can get, and how dangerous extreme views and opinions can make someone. As is true with other of Ronson's books, this is very much the author's experiences in investigative reporting. It's a personal account more than anything else. Not his best work, for me, but enjoyable nonetheless.
20. Teasing Secrets from the Dead: My Investigations at America's Most Infamous Crime Scenes by Emily Craig -- Fascinating. A pull no punches glimpse into the real work of medical illustrator turned forensic anthropologist. Not overly medically complex but not super simplified either. Not for the weak of stomach. Recommended.
21. Evertaster by Adam Glendon Sidwell -- Generally speaking, I liked this. It's a cute little story - kind of Indian Jones meets Top Chef. I found it a bit predictable with a lot of suspension of disbelief even for a fantasy story (ex. flying out of the country to Peru with no flight plan, no passports, etc.), but still a decent kids' book. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the whole "a mother's love is the strongest, bestest thing EVER" concept, though, and that's what will keep me from reading the sequel.
22. Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff -- **9 out of 10 stars** It's hard to talk this, as the very best thing about it is a massive spoiler. Reading the PS at the end and the author's discussion of "the glamour of evil" made it even better. This one lingered with me for quite a while; definitely interested me in more by him.
23. I Don't Care About Your Band: Lessons Learned from Indie Rockers, Trust Funders, Pornographers, Felons, Faux-Sensitive Hipsters, and Other Guys I've Dated by Julie Klausner -- This was a fun read for me. I can easily see why some women get upset at some of what she's written, but I enjoyed it for what it was. I can relate to the author in enough ways that, at times, the book felt pretty personal to me, which is both comforting and disturbing. She made me laugh out loud a few times, which was what I was hoping for. Above all, I appreciate her constant message to women reading: "You are awesome and gorgeous worth it. Of course you are, don't be silly." Not enough women hear that these days.
24. The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True by Richard Dawkins -- This was a nice refresher of some basic science as well as a reminder of some of myths I've learned over the years. At times I was a bit unsure of what age range Dwkins was directing this to as he explains some basic concepts but uses some fairly large vocabulary words along the way. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and, to me, totally make up for anything the text itself is lacking.
25. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke -- A wonderful concept (a man who can read characters out of story and into real life) and a fun read, though quite long. While I was curious about how it all turned out, at times it seemed to drag for me. I think there was just more detail and more, well, *words* than needed to keep the story moving forward.
26. Hannibal Rising by Thomas Harris -- I'm not normally a fan of war fiction, so was a little hesitant to go forward with this, but I loved the rest of this series and enjoyed the movie version, so felt it deserved a go. I had not invented my own history for Hannibal, so had nothing to compare it to. I also hold no doubts about the damaging powers of war and the strength of the desire for revenge. I applaud Harris for coming up with a backstory that explains all the facets of such a complicated character as Hannibal Lecter.
27. Street Blues: The Experiences of a Reluctant Policeman by Andrew Brown -- I quite liked this. Though not a police officer, I've had enough contact with them, and worked enough crazy scenes as an EMT, that I think I can make at least the beginnings of a comparison of Americans and South African police forces. I found the similarities and differences to be the most interesting part of the book for me. (Which is not to say that the rest of it wasn't interesting, because it was. Brown is quite a good storyteller.) People are the same the world over, as are police - good, bad, green, jaded. How they are equipped to handle what is thrown at them (sometimes literally!) can vary wildly. This gives excellent insight to what day to day police face in Africa.
28. What Doctors Feel: How Emotions Affect the Practice of Medicine by Danielle Ofri -- **10 out of 10 stars** Dr. Ofri is an excellent writer who speaks directly from her heart, and gives great insight into the simple truth, all too often forgotten, that doctors are people too. Ofri examines a great many of the difficulties doctors face: scores of paperwork, difficult patients and/or families, insurance and legal problems, sleep depravation. Ofri uses facts and figures as supporting evidence, but weaves them in seamlessly so they don't come across dry at all. She also gives very real, very personal examples of every emotion she touches on and I don't doubt for a moment that every doctor has been in similar situations. People in medicine will be reminded that they're not alone in the emotions that so often come up. Patients and families will get some insight as to what it's like to be on the other end f the stethoscope. Touching, beautiful, though-provoking. A truly excellent read.
29. Nature Noir: A Park Ranger's Patrol in the Sierra by Jordan Fisher Smith -- This was an interesting read! I've read quotes and facts before about how dangerous ranger work is and this book definitely supports those. Smith definitely faced his fair share of hazards, undoubtably always wondering when the area was going to be flooded. His love for the park is clear, though, which is refreshing. I also liked how he merged his own experiences with park history. Recommended.
30. Personal Demons by Christopher Fowler -- I have come to find I enjoy short stories; I didn't used to. This is an older work of Fowler's and he admits to holding back a lot due to what he perceived the public would accept. There are some interesting concepts here and I'm curious to read some recent work of his, now that there seems to be "no-holds-barred" in literature.
31. Inkspell by Cornelia Funke -- I had to see where the story went. I did enjoy this one more as so much of it is set in the Inkworld. Still very wordy and longer than I think it needed to be, but a fun read. (I do wish Funke hadn't played up the relationship between the two kids as much as she did. I liked Meggie being independent and strong and yet still a kid at heart. Having her "fall in love" (at, what, 13?) was a disappointing plot point for me.)
32. Dear Me: A Letter To My Sixteen Year Old Self by Joseph Galliano -- I think this book would be just as interesting if it was written by everyday people, as opposed to just those who have gone one to fame and success. Thankfully, there seem to be lots of places for people to post their own (the book's website, Facebook page, Twitter, etc.) which I think I'll enjoy checking out. This also made me think a lot about what I would write to myself, which has proved to be an interesting thought exercise.
33. Something from the Nightside by Simon R. Green -- I am not traditionally a fan of the noir/detective/PI genre. That being said, I liked this book far more than I expected to. Yes, it's a bit trite and the characters are fairly one-dimensional, but that is pretty par for the genre, really. Having such flat and traditional characters really allows the reader to focus on the setting - the bizarre and dark world that is the Nightside. Looking forward to the next one.
34. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot -- This turned out to be was a family's story and science mixed together in a very readable, very thought-provoking book. I did find myself feeling badly for the Lacks family. They were poorly educated, with little to no understanding of science or medicine. The bits of information they wound up with regarding Henrietta's cells must have been confusing and frightening to them. From a legal standpoint, the medical field and researchers did nothing wrong in their acquisition, use, and sale of HeLa cells. What about ethically? I must admit I'd never thought about "tissue rights" before. This prompted some interesting thoughts on the subject.
35. Agents of Light and Darkness by Simon R. Green -- Since I enjoyed the first, I figured I should continue on and see what this series had to offer. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first, but it was still a decent romp. I was a little exasperated at how surprised the main character was to learn who Jude really is (I mean, COME ON), but aside from that I enjoyed it. I definitely liked the "angels as the army of god" stance; not quite the cherubs with harps treatment that is so over done. All in all, a creative enough second book that I'll read the third.
36. The Hidden Life of Deer: Lessons from the Natural World by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas -- Written by a layperson, this is a collection of observations based on deer fed in a backyard forest clearing. I thought it was only okay; a lot of what she writes read as common sense to me. She also spends a fair amount of the book defending her decision to feed the deer, as she has read and been told that, in the long run, it isn't good for the herds. There were pockets of interesting observations, but overall, not something I'd recommend.
37. The Watermelon King by Daniel Wallace -- This isn't a long book, but it felt that way at times; like the author was padding it with some fluff to make it a novel instead of a short story. Regardless, I was still enjoying it pretty much right up 'til the end. Then the whole bit with the vines happened. (I'm intentionally being vague so as not to create a spoiler.) It was just a little offhand thing, almost, but it made me want to toss the book aside. I actually *believed* it all, felt that, crazy as it was, the plot was actually *possible*, in a small town. I didn't feel I was suspending my disbelief much at all, so this totally fantastical vine bit was jarring and annoying. All-in-all, a decent read with an obnoxious ending.
38. If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name: News from Small-Town Alaska by Heather Lende -- I thought this was pretty good. t is a collection of stories, so it's great to pick up and read bits at a time. I think it's best that way, actually, as in some cases she introduces a person in relation to their obituary, then mentions them again in a later story as if they were still alive. Lende is religious and a parent - two things I am not - so at times I couldn't relate to her, above and beyond the fact that I don't live in small town Alaska. Regardless, the book provides a glimpse into a life so different from mine, that at times I found it fascinating.
39. Nightingale's Lament by Simon R. Green -- Third in the series. Still enjoying the creativity in this. If I was the type of person who admitted to "guilty pleasures", this would be one of them. (I don't feel guilty about enjoying things, though, no matter how looked down upon they may be by others.)
40. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie -- While familiar with the story, I'd never actually read this. It's different from any movie version I've seen: Peter is pretty much a selfish, asshole brat child. I'm okay with that, really. Children can be that way and I appreciate a child character that isn't all sunshine and rainbows.
41. Beneath the Neon: Life and Death in the Tunnels of Las Vegas by Matthew O'Brien -- When I first picked this book up, I thought the author had found some secret network of tunnels under Las Vegas that I was unaware of. I admit I was a bit disappointed to discover he was writing about drainage tunnels. Unfortunately what I did find to be an interesting topic suffered at the hands of the author. Maybe it was his writing style, maybe he didn't delve deep enough in his investigative questions for me, I'm not sure, but the writing fell flat for me for the most part. Also, there wasn't enough variation in the stories he found - people were living in the tunnels because of drink, drugs, and/or gambling. Except for the odd bit here and there, the book was pretty much that same story over and over. It seems that the information he did get leant itself more to an article than a full length book.
42. Was by Geoff Ryman -- **9 out of 10 stars** This a combination of several stories, all interconnected, though we as readers don't see how until quite deep into the book. We follow a young girl (the original Dorothy) as she struggles through life in frontier times, which was my favorite storyline. (I was a sucker for Little House on the Prairie growing up and still have a soft spot for books set in that period.) I thought tying in the stories of a young man dying of AIDS and a man working in a psychiatric unit would be a stretch, they all linked in wonderfully and believably. I found the writing fluid, characters sympathetic, and the overall flow very pleasing.
43. The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket -- I gotta say, I didn't like this much. Oft heralded as it is, I found in quite boring and not very creative at all. Won't bother with the rest of the series.
44. The Knife Man: Blood, Body Snatching, and the Birth of Modern Surgery -- by Wendy Moore **9 out of 10 stars** Fascinating, well researched, and incredibly readable, I found this to be excellent. It wasn't a fast read for me, but I still enjoyed it thoroughly. Hunter was, quite simply, a brilliant and amazing man who refused to accept the beliefs at the time until and unless he could prove them to himself. It is truly amazing to me how far ahead of his time he really was. The book covers his whole life, which encompasses a great number of concepts and experiences. Definitely a recommended read.
45. Chicken Soup for the Nature Lover's Soul: Inspiring Stories of Joy, Insight and Adventure in the Great Outdoors by Jack Canfield -- A pleasurable read. As with all Chicken Soup books I've read, some stories are better than others, but overall this is a genuinely feel-good book.
46. The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two by Catherynne M. Valente -- I just adore this whole series. It is just so creative and so much fun. Sure, some of the basic plots are trite, but isn't that true of most stories when you get down to the bare bones of it all? Looking forward to the continuation of the series.
47. Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern -- I thought this was pretty dang funny. I read other reviews that lambast the author (or, more accurately, his father) for all the swearing, especially how much of it was directed at a child. I understand why people have this knee-jerk reaction, and it may have bothered me if I wasn't able to read between the lines and see just how much this man truly loves his son. Is it an appropriate way to communicate? Maybe not, but it does seem that the author always knew what his dad thought about him, the world, and any given situation, and there's a lot to be said for that.
48. The Animal Review: The Genius, Mediocrity, and Breathtaking Stupidity That Is Nature
by Jacob Lentz, Steve Nash -- Overall, I found this pretty stupid. I smiled (not laughed) maybe twice, and while the occasional fact was interesting, truth got so muddled with the authors' attempts to be funny that I was more bored than anything else.
49. The Menstruating Mall by Carlton Mellick III -- Mellick is definitely not for everyone and sometimes is hit-or-miss for me, but I liked this one. Trap a group of stereotypes in a mall and kill them off one by one until they "break out of their molds" and see what happens. Great social commentary buried in all the craziness. A fast read that is more than it first appears.
50. The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch -- This is really two stories combined into one: Jean and Locke are working against Sabetha to try and throw and election while every other chapter is a flashback to when all three were children and collaborating in a theatre-related adventure set up by their benefactor and teacher, Chains. I thought the political angle would put me off as I don't usually have interest in that type of storyline, but there was enough mischief and fun that I didn't mind it a bit. In short, another glorious romp and I'm looking forward to number 4!
51. Anguished English: An Anthology of Accidental Assaults Upon Our Language by Richard Lederer -- I thought this would be more a humorous look at grammar errors (a la "Eats, Shoots and Leaves") instead of a collection of grammatical errors. This is really just one big, long list of such mistakes. Thus, while occasionally amusing, generally speaking I found myself getting bored. For me, it's a book I could have thumbed through in the store and been just as satisfied as I was by reading the whole thing.
52. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card -- My main problem with this book is that it's science-fiction, and that is just not a genre of interest to me. I did appreciate Card's deeper meanings and can clearly see why this is such an important book for so many friends of mine. I can see how some who themselves feel alone in a crowd of people could find comfort in Ender's character. As always with books that have young adults/children as main characters, I stumbled a bit at how brilliant they all are and how much they accomplish at such young ages. Not having kids of my own, I don't have a good concept as to what is possible at what age, so some of it reads as totally impossible to me. I found the themes and characterization interesting, I just don't think I can get past the sci-fi aspect enough to continue the series.
53. Dog Man: An Uncommon Life on a Faraway Mountain by Martha Sherrill -- An enjoyable biography about a man who helped preserve and promote the Akita dog breed. I frequently felt bad for Morie's family as he so obviously felt more love and dedication to the dogs than to them. Overlooking that, Morie is an amazing man and I liked reading about his life.
54. Promise Not to Tell by Jennifer McMahon -- SPOILER ALERT Meh. This had promise at first, and I did read it all the way through to find out who committed the crimes, but the supernatural aspect was a little much for me. I really hoped there was going to be some other explanation for the mother's actions aside from her being essentially possessed by the Potato Girl. Had i known how hokey ghost-story this would turn out to be, I doubt I'd have picked it up. I found the characters very one-dimensional, though I will credit McMahon with what reads as pretty accurate behavior in children (bullying, pack mentality, etc).
55. From Baghdad to America by Jay Kopelman -- Considering this a is a follow-up to -From Baghdad, With Love-, I was expecting it to be more about Lava. Instead, it seems to primarily be Kopelman's way of wrestling with the PTSD he surely has, but won't admit to. It was a bit too "oo-rah" for me and some of Kopelman's offhand statements rubbed me the wrong way (for example, his comment about nurturing children to be exclusively the mother's job). I also find it frustrating that he makes such a big point of encouraging others to go seek help for PTSD but steadfastly denies his own need for such help, instead using Lava as an example of a creature suffering from such a disorder. Points for encouraging others, but it seems to fall a little flat with his own denial.
