January 21, 2009
by Betty Smith
A great novel about the life of little Francie Nolan and her family, struggling to survive in the poor section of Brooklyn. As Francie grows up in the pages of this book, we see the ups and downs on her world, attempting to adapt to changes and cling to something stable. Betty Smith writes with ease a story that will gripe you and keep you hooked. Already making it’s way to my top list, this book is a great read about life, love and everything that surrounds you.
January 21, 2009
by Miriam Toews
This book was a good coming-of-age book that reminded me of my teenage years. With a broken family, and no real help from her uncommunacative father, Naomi is left to figure out how to grow up on her own in a small Mennonite community. Of course, her first reaction is to rebel. This book made all the struggles and trials I had as a teenager real. The growing pains and adventures of a young girl were made with true sadness, but with a realistic humor. Though she ends up where only few of us actually do, Naomi is able to cope with the only thing she has left: her biting humor. It’s an incredibly written story of belief and belonging, and the irresistible urge to escape both.
January 21, 2009
by Adam Rapp
In a wittingly written fiction novel about a midwestern college grad trying to make it in New York City, Adam Rapp keeps you coming back. Through the trials and misfortuntes of one man, from troubles at his job as an assistant to a publisher, to girl troubles, to having to sell his only prized possession to make rent: an Underwood Typewriter. I loved this book because Rapp writes like I think, from his sentence structure to his chapter titles, I related completely to this book.
January 21, 2009
by Adriana Trigiani
In a book about feminism and heartache in the 1950’s, Lucia, Lucia was a book I wasn’t sure if I was going to like or not. Though it’s not the best written book I’ve ever read, it’s a compelling story that kept me wanting to know what Lucia’s life was going to turn out to be like. It keeps you questioning if her life, set up to be one of a glamourous career girl in NYC, will continue, or if everything will fall apart. A nice fluff piece if you need a filler-book.
June 27, 2008
A Curious Earth
by Gerard Woodward
read June 2008
Although the book seemed interesting, it didn’t exactly cap
tivate me. I strongly dislike books and stories that refuse to start until you are halfway through done reading it. This book is no exception. The story didn’t even start to pick up or begin until well after 70 pages. You can’t capture me with this. All the while, I really did like the concept of the book. An elderly man learns to live again, even after it seems he should be done with his life. A good book, in all, I just wish it would have begun sooner.
Next up: The Year of Endless Sorrows by Adam Rapp
June 24, 2008
I finished reading The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls last night. I’m not normally intrigued by memoirs or the way they are written. However, I do have to say that The Glass Castle was different. What seemed to me a compilation of memories, it was well written, witty, and kept me going until the end. It definitely got emotion worked up in me, which is hard to do with most memoirs. The way Walls wrote, however, made it hard to believe it was true in parts. I would definitely recommend the book.
It inspired me to take a look at my life, and maybe throw together some sort of memoir. I’ve always wanted to write a book. I’ve tossed around ideas for story lines, even began several. I did write a book in high school, although, you’d have to be lucky to read it. I think only 5 people in the world have read it. Not amazing, but really good considering how inexperienced at life I was back then. This book got me to thinking, maybe just start with my own story. Maybe I need to share my story before creating a new one. Keep a look out for that in the coming weeks.
