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Definitely not for meArchive for April, 2007
« Previous Entries Monday, April 30th, 2007Books Read in April 2007
23. Grendel by John Gardner **
24. March by Geraldine Brooks ***1/2
25. The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald ****1/2
26. The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai ***1/2
27. The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards ****1/2
28. The Translator by Leila Aboulela ****
Pages read in April: 1610
Pages read in 2007: 7643
Have you reviewed any of the above titles at your own blog? If you wish, enter them into Mr. Linky below.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Thursday, April 26th, 2007The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter
by
Kim Edwards
2005, 401 pp.
Rating: 4.5
I was impressed by this book, and especially so as it was the author’s debut.
The following paragraph isn’t really a “spoiler” as it happens in the first few pages of the book.
Dr. David Henry and his wife Norah can’t get to the hospital in time to have their baby, so they go to his own doctor’s office. The birth goes fine and a healthy baby boy named Paul is born. However, they unexpectedly have twins (it’s 1964), and there is a “problem” with their daughter–she has Down’s Syndrome. Due to his own family background of having a chronically ill sister, David tells the nurse Caroline to take it to a “home”. Meanwhile, he tells his wife that their daughter Pheobe has died. The rest of the book goes into their marriage and family relationships in the aftermath of this “secret”.
I loved the story for several reasons. First, it was very well written and was a very easy read. I read the book in a 24 hour period. Also, it is mostly set in Lexington, Ky, and I live only an hour from there. Many of the descriptions of the bluegrass area were things I recognized and appreciated. I related to almost all the main characters for personal reasons. In fact, this book was one I chose to offer about myself for the Something About Me Challenge. David feels like an “imposter” in his professional life, Norah has postpartem depression, and Paul is kept from the knowledge that his sister is alive. These were all issues that I have experienced as well.
The book is a little sad and explores the consequences of family secrets, but it is also hopeful. I look forward to Kim Edwards’ next novel.
Also reviewed by:
Popularity: 10% [?]
Thursday, April 26th, 2007The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
The Inheritance of Loss
by
Kiran Desai
2005, 318 pp.
Winner: Booker Prize, NBCC
Rating: 3.5 3
While this book has garnered much critical acclaim, I found it very difficult to complete. It took me over two months to get through it. Once I put it down, I just wasn’t compelled to pick it up again. It sort of felt like a school assignment. Luckily, the last 1/3 of the book went by much faster than the first 2/3. Before reading, I would highly recommend doing a little research if you are ignorant (like I was) of Indian culture or history. One link that shed a little light on the subject for me was here.
There are two settings for the book–America and Kalimpong. Sai lives with her grandfather, a former judge, at the foothills of the Himalayas. She falls in love with Gyan, her tutor, who is sympathetic to the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF). The clash of ideals between the Indians who want change and those who wish to retain aspects of British colonialism is one of the two main conflicts in the novel.
The other conflict is that of the Indians who emigrate to the United States and the conditions of their lives once they live there. Biju, who is the son of the Judge’s cook, is one of the lucky few who get a visa to go to America. But once he is there, is he really better off? The novel asks the question — how much does each person care about their individual culture, nationality, and family. What does our “inheritance” mean to us?
While I appreciate these themes and do think the writing was brilliant at times, I wouldn’t recommend this book for most readers.
- Carl V. - April 26, 2007
- Beautiful title, beautiful cover art, but just not something that sounds appealing to me for some reason. Maybe because it looks like too much work. That doesn’t sound very literary of me, but most of the times I don’t want to have to slog through a book.Lisa - April 26, 2007I am really really struggling to finish this. I can’t make myself pick it up again. When I’m actually reading it I enjoy it, but it does not inspire me to return to it. Some recent discussion has made me curious about what happens with the Judge, but not so much as to keep reading.
- I do think it’s a beautiful book, and I even like the writing.
- 3M - April 26, 2007
- Carl–I almost always finish books I don’t like all the way to the end. I wouldn’t have finished this one, though, if it wasnn’t our April read for BookAwards.Lisa–I really struggled, too. I felt exactly the same way. I’m glad I finished it, but it took me about 2 months! The last 1/3 goes by a lot faster if you’re that far. I think it is about page 200 or so.
- Framed - April 29, 2007
- I have read similar comments about this book. It’s always nice to find a book I simply don’t “have to” read. There’s so many that I do.
- Stephanie - May 3, 2007
- I had the same problem as you - just had such a hard time getting through it!
Stephanie
www.thewrittenword.wordpress.com
Popularity: 24% [?]
Thursday, April 26th, 2007Booking through Thursday 4/26
Does what you read vary by the season? For instance, Do you read different kinds of books in the summer than the winter?
If so, do you break it down by genre, length of book, holiday, or…?
Answer:
The only seasonal reading I do is at Christmas. In November, I try to read a Christmas-related book. Last year I read A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg and enjoyed it very much. This year I hope to read Mr. Ives’ Christmas (Hijuelos).
If Carl does a RIP Challenge, I may participate in that. I wasn’t blogging last year, but it looked like fun.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Wednesday, April 25th, 2007Thursday Thirteen #12
13 Newberys on my TBR List
The top six I will definitely be reading for the Newbery Challenge .
1. The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (2007)
2. Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates (1951)
3. The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli (1950)
4. I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino (1966)
5. Shadow of a Bull by Maia Wojciechowska (1965)
6. The White Stag by Kate Seredy (1938)
Bonus/Alternates
7. A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park (2002)
8. Gay Neck, the Story of a Pigeon by Dhan Gopal Mukerji (1928)
9. Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary (1984)
10. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle (1963)
11. Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski (1946)
12. Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray (1943)
13. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (1990)
Popularity: 5% [?]
Tuesday, April 24th, 2007Update: By the Decade Reading Challenge
I have updated the challenge site a bit. I have listed the participants’ books here, and I’ve listed books by decade here. Check out what everyone else is reading for the challenge!
Thanks again for participating!
Popularity: 3% [?]
Tuesday, April 24th, 2007Wordless Wednesday #12
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Saturday, April 21st, 2007Dystopian Challenge
April 6th through November 6th
If you can call this a “genre”, it is one of my favorites. I’ve hesitated in joining the challenge, though, because this year I’ve already read:
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
and in the past I’ve read 1984 and Animal Farm by George Orwell.
However, I did have two or three potential titles that were on my TBR list for this year: Never Let Me Go and The Handmaid’s Tale; and Oryx and Crake had been on my list, but I moved it to 2008. As I was looking at some of the possible titles at Wikipedia, I found A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick. I’ve been meaning to watch the movie, so this is the perfect opportunity to read the book first. I also found The Messenger and Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry, which are seqels to The Giver. So my choices became a little clearer.
I have chosen:
A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
Messenger by Lois Lowry FINISHED
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry FINISHED
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood FINISHED
Never Let Me Go by K. Ishiguro
Bonus/Alternates that I probably won’t find time for but would like to read are:
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
Children of Men by P.D. James
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
We by Yevgeny Zamyatin FINISHED
Popularity: 3% [?]
Friday, April 20th, 2007Mooching and Swapping
I’ve been fairly successful with paperbackswap lately. I now have 50+ credits to use after I move! I just started my inventory on bookmooch, but that looks like a nice site as well.
I have quite a few children’s books listed if anyone’s interested.
My bookmooch inventory is here.
My paperbackswap inventory is here.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Thursday, April 19th, 2007National Library Week April 15-21
This week is National Library Week.
I celebrated by giving 64 books to my small local library that they didn’t have in their system. I’ll probably give at least 100 more to the bigger library that I frequent for their library sale. I’ll also probably give over 100 to my homeschool co-op group.
Why? So I don’t break the movers’ backs when we move. Don’t worry–I have thousands left for my new home!
Popularity: 7% [?]
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