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Here is a folder for you to list the books you read in January 2013.

Please provide:
~ A GoodRead link
~ A few sentences telling us how you felt about the book.
~ How would you rate the book

Looking at my history for the last year, I seem to be reading just 2 books a month. Not enough. In January I read just 2 fairly short books but they seemed to move very slowly:

The Remains of the Day and
The Last September . They were both books that I was excited to read and I found that I was disappointed in both. Remains of the Day will not become a favorite because I failed to see the point of most of it. The main character is painted in such faded colors somehow. You don't get his agenda.

The Last September was very enjoyable throughout but the ending left me unfulfilled. Something more was needed. I also found the characters to be lacking in the development. The writing itself was beautifully lyrical and I felt that the book could have been done much better. I should be a writer! Ha! Something to try.

Lori wrote: "They were both books that I was excited to read and I found that I was disappointed in both ..."

Elizabeth Bowen's (1899-1973) writing style is somewhat compared with 2 other modern female writers-- Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) and Katherine Mansfield (1888�1923). I have only read one book by her --The House in Paris with which initially I struggled. Bowen has perfected the story of personal and historical dislocation. She uses internal self-talk (like Woolf's verbal stream of consciousness) with desires, willful self-deceptions, and social anxieties. She focuses on the drama within the individual.

I have always wanted to read The Remains of the Day after watching the film with Anthony Hopkins & Emma Thompson. How can you not love Mr Stevens and his devoted service? And the relationship between James Stevens and Miss Kenton? I thought it was an excellent film. I have only read Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go which was somewhat disturbing but also connected me with the characters.

I read the following books:

1. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton B rating
2. Schuyler's Monster by Robert Hudson A
3. Astray by Emma Donoghue C
4. Summer Lies by Bernard Schlink C
5. Love, Anthony
6. Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult C
7. The Lawgiver by Herman Wouk C
8. The Light Between the Oceans by ML Stedman A
9. The Beginner's Goodbye by Anne Tyler B
10 Far Above Rubies by Cynthia Polansky B
11. The Three Incestuous Sisters by Audrey Niffenegger
D
12. Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult C
13. Wonder by RJ Palacio A
14. Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper A
15. Ashenden by Elizabeth Wilhide B

For the most part I had a great reading month

New to me authors were: Robert Hudson, Bernard Schlink, Lisa Genova, ML Stedman, Cynthia Polansky, Audre Niffenegger, RJ Palacio, Sharon Draper, Elizabeth Wilhide

My favorite book was Wonder by RJ Palacio

My least favorite book was The Three Incestuous Sisters by Audrey Niffenegger.

6 of my books for read fo another folder's challenge.

I read 15 books this month --

Biographies --
1.The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt by Eleanor Roosevelt --4/5 �
2. Virginia Woolf by Hermione Lee--5/5 �Excellent! Will finish tonight.

Best reads --
3. A Writer's Paris: A Guided Journey For The Creative Soul by Eric Maisel--5/5 �so good- I bought the book!
4. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf--5/5 �my all-time favorite!
5. A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf-- 5/5 �great, will read again
6. The Essays, Vol. 1: 1904-1912 by Virginia Woolf--5/5 �excellent looking forward to other 3 volumes
7. Women and Writing by Virginia Woolf-- 4/5 �loved it, bought it
8. Moments of Being by Virginia Woolf -- 4/5 �brutally honest, amazing
9. Bloomsbury At Home by Pamela Todd -- 4/5 �easy read, great artwork

Good Reads --
10. You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life by Eleanor Roosevelt -- 4/5 � enjoyable
11. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf-- 4/5 � liked -except my eyes needed paragraphs, no "white space" on any page, difficult to read
12. I Declare: Proclaiming the Promises of God Over Your Life by Joel Osteen--5/5 � great daily devotional/ first Osteen book I've read
13. Virginia Woolf by Virginia Woolf-- 3/5 � more photos than text
14. Writing a Woman's Life by Virginia Woolf-- 4/5 � feminist, great suggestions

Not So Good Reads ---
15. Paris In Mind by Jennifer Lee-- 2/5 � lacked much

January reading list - many mysteries!! Note: I reviewed all of these after I read them, but I may have given them different ratings then. I am def. not consistent!!! In anything.
Annabel Scheme Young woman is an occult detective in this one dealing with an unusual phenomenon involving computer technology and video games in San Francisco. I think it's a prequel to a mystery I read last year. Other books cover these topics better. 3.5 stars
Some Hope Book Three of the Patrick Melrose series. Not a mystery, but great satire skewering the country house set in England. Not much happened in this one, but Patrick is off drugs and struggling to find a life. Veddy British. 4 stars
Snow White Must Die Mystery set in a German village. A young man has been convicted of a double murder, but no bodies were found. Young woman detective from the middle class paired with noble (literally) grizzled veteran boss. I think you could write it from here. 3.5 stars
Triggerfish Twist Book four in a series of detective stories set in Florida. Hysterically funny. This is the only one I've read, but there are about 15-20 in the series. I will read more. 4 stars
The Firemaker Girl medical examiner with a specialty in burned bodies goes to China to lecture after her husband dies. She is spunky and smart but socially inept. She meets a Chinese detective and sparks fly. There are a couple of good characters, but nothing special, imo. 3.5 stars
Purple Hibiscus is not in the GR data base, unless I spelled in wrong. I''m under a little time pressure here--- It is about a Nigerian teenager and her abusive father and timid mother. She and her brother are saved by her aunt and grandfather and a priest. Loved the details about Nigerian life and I think a pretty good study of an abused girl. I think I gave it 3.5 or 4 stars. It was better than most of the mysteries!
Little Wolves Bad and confused mystery about a woman on the prairie and a troubled young man. She is trying to find the mother who left her. This one is not very good. 3 stars
The Art Forger Boston girl artist with a checkered past and too much moxie for her own good (where have I heard that before?) gets involved with art reproductions. Formulaic. 3 stars
Empress of Fashion: A Life of Diana Vreeland Semi-interesting book about a fashion icon (think Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada). For me, too much overblown Vogue prose about outfits. But some interesting bio. details. 3.5 stars
Reamde Very long mystery involving a video game empire and Chinese boys who figure out how to make money in the real world from playing, and the mobsters who are chasing them. Good characters, except for Richard, complicated plot, but editing needed!! Still 4 stars.
Currently reading The Insurgents (re: David Petraeus and his selling of the new doctrine) and After the Music Stopped, a disappointingly simple explanation of economic woes.

Lori wrote: "Looking at my history for the last year, I seem to be reading just 2 books a month. Not enough. In January I read just 2 fairly short books but they seemed to move very slowly:

The Remains of the ..."
---------------

I hope you have more success in February, Lori. It's very disappointing to read successive books that don't speak to you.

I read the following books this month:

1.The Secret Keeper by kate Morton
One of Morton's better books with a surprising ending
I rated this with 4 stars

2. Schuyler's Monster: A Father's Journey with His Wordless Daughter by Robert Rummel Hudson.
The true story of Hudson's daughter who was unable to speak due to a brain malformation. Poignant and loving story of a father's love for his daughter. I learned a great deal about teaching a child with this diability.
I rated this with 5 stars.

3. Astrayby Emma Donoghue. After reading Room by the same author, I was eager to read this book of short stories. I wasn't thrilled with this stories about people who arre olucastst for many reasons and astray. I am not a lover of short stories to begin with and these seemed to end too quickly with little resolution.
I rated this with 2 stars

4. ³§´Ç³¾³¾±ð°ù±ôü²µ±ð²Ôtranslated to Summer Lies by Bernard Schlink. Again a sweries of short stories that I also didn't quite figure out. I read this for a f2f book club where most of the members' didn't enjoy it either.
I rated this with 2 stars again.

5. Love Anthony by Lisa Genova. Loved this book about a mother and her love for her autisitic son. First rate and so sad.
Rated this with 5 stars.

6. Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult. A rather formulaic book and since I have little interest in wolves, I didn't find this that interesting. What saved this book was the question of who and when is life terminated.
I rated this with 3 stars.

7. The Lawgiver by Herman Wouk. Oh what a disappointment from an author who gave us Marjorie Morningstar, Winds of War and War and Remembrance. At the age of 94, this revered author offered us a book about his attempt to make a movie about Moses.
For all of Wouk's books that I did enjoy, I gave this book 3 stars although it really should have received 2 stars.

8. The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman. I loved this book with a somewhat old fashioned theme and ethical questions.
I gave this book 5 stars.

9. The Beginner's Goodbyeby Anne Tyler. Not one of Tyler's better book about a man who loses his wife and how he deals with his grief.
I gave this book 3 stars.

10. Far Above Rubies by Cynthia Polansky
A book which takes place before, during and after the Holocaust as a woman and her 6 step-daughters are incarcerated at Auschwitz. I found this book, after reeading many, many books about the Holocaust very disturbing.
I gave this book 4 stars.

11. The Three Incestuous Sisters by Audrey Niffenegger. Written and Illustrated by the author of The Time Traveler's Wife, I found this book very hard fro me to comprehend. But the main thrust of this book were the woodcut illustrations based on Japanese influenced art.
I gave this book 1 star.

12. Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult. Another Picoult book which poses an ethical question which disupts a family's truths and culminates in a trial. A rather formulaic book.
I gave this book 3 stars.

13. Wonder by RJ Palacio. This was a truly wonderful book which all young adults and teachers should read. I loved this book and the characters who were spunky and most unusual in light of the difficulties if one of them.
I gave this book 5 stars.

14. Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. Another good YA book about a young woman silent due to cerebral palsy who wants to get the words out of her mind.
I gave this book 5 stars.

15.Ashenden by Elizabeth Wilhide. Advertised as a book for lovers of Downton Abbey, this book fell short in my opinion. A stately mansion whichn eeds a great deal of money to be restored by the inheritorsa. As they mull over what to do the story of the house is told from the building of it and those who occuppied it some three hundred years.
I gave this book 4 stars.

Michele wrote: "January reading list - many mysteries!! Note: I reviewed all of these after I read them, but I may have given them different ratings then. I am def. not consistent!!! In anything.
Annabel Scheme Y..."

I tried reading The Art Forger for one of my challenges but gave up rather quickly. Not sorry I did after reading your thoughts.

Nancy wrote: "I read the following books:

1. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton B rating
2. Schuyler's Monster by Robert Hudson A
3. Astray by Emma Donoghue C
4. Summer Lies by Bernard Schli..."

--------------
Wow ! That is some month, Nancy.

I am glad to see you rated "A" 8. The Light Between the Oceans by ML Stedman A as I have it on hold at the library.

As for Bernard Schlink, I read his book, The Reader when it was selected as an Oprah read. I think I liked it, but it so long ago that I read it, I don't remember it very well.

Carol wrote: "I read 15 books this month --

Biographies --
1.The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt by Eleanor Roosevelt --4/5 �
2. Virginia Woolf by Hermione Lee--5/5 ★Excellent! Will finish tonight.

Best r..."

-------------------
Excellent reading month, Carol. I love the systematic way you have planned your reading. I am sure you approach will prove quite profitable.

Michele wrote:The Art Forger Boston girl artist with a checkered past and too much moxie for her own good (where have I heard that before?) gets involved with art reproductions. Formulaic. 3 stars"

-------------
Nice reading month, Michele.

A friend of mine loves to read about art forgery and theft. She usually reads non-fiction. If you gave the book you read a better review I would recommend it to her. I may still pass on the title to her. Thanks!

January 2013 Reads


The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt
Non-fiction
Rate 4/5
Read this for our group read. A huge thank you to all who participated. I got so much more out of the book by reading it with you. Being a huge Eleanor fan, it is no surprise that I enjoyed this autobiography. Though one may not get all the details one may get in a biography, I think an autobiography gives you a terrific feel for the person. The book also lets you clearly see the arc of her life. She goes from being a sad lonely child to the Eleanor Roosevelt we admire today.

The Invisible Bridge
Fiction
Rating 2/5
I read this for my f2f book club. I don't enjoy romance novels and that is what 3/4 of this book is. I also thought the book was way too long. (over 750 pages) It should have been trimmed by 300 pages. The section dealing with the work camps in Hungary were interesting as I didn't know anything about them.

Lincoln's Little Girl
non fiction
Rating 4/5
This was a Kindle Single. A Kindle Single is like a long essay. I found this quite enjoyable. It's the diary of Julie Taft, a teenage girl who lived next door to the Lincoln family while he was president. It gives you a first hand account of Lincoln and how he interacted with his children and family during a most difficult time in his too brief life.

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
non-fiction
Rating 3 minus
This unfinished draft was an interesting read. It really gives you a good feel for the man and his times. The part I liked best was the part where he explains the 13 virtues he plans to live his life by.

Being a rough draft that wasn't finished due to his death, the book can be a bit tedious in detail and jumpy. Still, I think it is a book that should be read by all who have an interest in American history.

What I Read in January 2013

4988. Sister Queens The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile, by Julia Fox (read 4 Jan 2013) This is a 2011 book about Katharine of Aragon and her sister Juana. They were daughters of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. The book appears to be carefully researched, though the references to sources are jumbled simply as references by chapter, no footnotes as such. The book spends more time on Katharine, since she had a much more exciting life. Juana is often called "the Mad" which she was not though she did have some eccentricities. She was the wife of Philip of Burgundy, who died in 1506, and she became Queen of Castile when her father, Ferdinand, died in 1516. But her son Charles kept her in effect imprisoned while he ran things till Juana died in 1557. (Charles V died in 1558; I read a biography of him on Aug 31, 1945.) The book is very affirmative as to Katharine and shows Henry VIII as the evil person he was. And I tend to agree that Juana was not "mad" and she got a rotten deal from her father and her son. The book is easy to read and tells the stories of these two monarchs well.

4989. The Generals American Military Command from World War II to Today, by Thomas E. Ricks (read 8 Jan 2013) This is a study of American generals and how they performed over the past 70 years. It is the third book by Ricks I've read, Making the Corps (read 5 Dec 1999) and Fiasco (read 13 Sep 2006) being the other two. I found the discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the generals of World War II (Marshall, Eisenhower, Patton, Mark Clark, MacArthur) and of Korea and of Vietnam the most worth reading. The author in effect says Marshall was the greatest but gives high marks to Eisenhower and Patton also. As to Korea , he says good things about Ridgeway and bad things about MacArthur. He says much bad about Vietnam generals, especially Westmoreland. There is a devastating chapter on My Lai and the way it was covered up for over a year. There is extensive discussion of Iraq, both in 1991 and in 2003-2011, and little good is said of Tommy Franks and Ricardo Sanchez. The author is pretty hard on lots of generals whether he is right about them is the question. Certainly they had rough times in Vietnam and Iraq and Afghanistan. An informative and often distressing book.

4990. Unequal Protection How Corporations Became "People"--and You Can Fight Back, 2nd Edition, Revised and Expanded, by Thom Hartmann (read 13 Jan 2013) I never heard of this author though he apparently is big in talk radio as a liberal voice. He makes a pretty good case for the proposition that corporations are not people and that not till 1886 did anyone claim they were--and that in that year it was indicated by an editor of the U. S. Reports that the United States Supreme Court believed that corporations were entitled to the same rights as people, and put that in a headnote to Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific R. Co., 118 U.S. 394. The author is not a lawyer and sometimes he gets lost, as on page 163 , where he has a case going from state court to the Federal Court of Appeals and back to state court. He says a lot of good things and much he says makes sense. Corporations should not have the same rights as people, since the 14th Amendment does not mention corporations.

4991. Breakfast at Tiffany's A Short Novel and Three Stories, by Truman Capote (read 14 Jan 2013) The title novel is an elegantly written work, telling of Holly Golightly and her madcap life in New York. She is 20, was married at 14 in Texas, but the narrator of the story, who seems like Capote himself, is attracted to her as she lives her wild extravagant life, with many men-friends, and escapes to South America at the end. The three short stories each was pretty good, with my favorite of them being "A Christmas Memory" which tells of a 7 year old boy and his 60 year old cousin and their prodigious preparations for Christmas, making 30 fruit cakes, finding a tree, and giving presents. Really a poignant story, I thought.

4992. A Godly Hero The Life of William Jennings Bryan, by Michael Kazin (read 17 Jan 2013) Although I read Bryan, by Louis W. Koenig on June 15, 1980 and in the summer of 2005 read the three volume biography of Bryan by Paolo Coletta, I decided to read this 2006 biography, written by a Georgetown history professor. I found it an absorbing book, and every page in it was full of interest. The story, so filled with fascinating political history, seemed very fresh and the author's view of Bryan is surely right--Bryan was supportive of many good things and really changed the Democratic Party so that, while Bryan himself lost three times, Wilson and FDR could triumph and enact many of the things Bryan favored. And now, with the benefit of hindsight, it can be seen our entry into World War One was not a good thing, so Bryan's attitude to such was right--though he of course fully supported the war after we entered. The study of Bryan after the war is full of wise insight into Bryan's thinking--and he gives Bryan credit for being against the foul eugenics tendency of the 1920's, shown to be a great evil by Hitler. This has been just so much fun to read and anyone interested in U.S. political history cannot help but find this a very enlightening and perceptive book

4993. The Master Butchers Singing Club, by Louise Erdrich (read 21 Jan 2013) This is a 2002 novel, laid in North Dakota. Its protagonist is a German butcher who was a sniper in the World War One German army, who marries his Jewish dead buddy's pregnant fiancee and then moves to North Dakota, goes through the dread days of drought, as he runs his butcher shop, raises his children, loses his wife. Two of his children go back to Germany (where they end up in the Nazi Army). There are incredibly poignant parts in the novel (especially the rescue of a son from a cave). But there are also objectionable things (whatever excuse is there for telling that a man goes to the rest room and using crude language to tell what he does there, as if the word 'urinate' were too technical for readers to understand?). There are things disturbing to read about, and I did not, often, have a happy feeling about events in the novel.

4994. The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennett (read 22 Jan 2013) I happened to notice that a huge number of people on LibraryThing listed this novel, which I had never heard of even as I had never heard of its author, an English playwright. It was published in 2007 and is a spoof which has the queen, Elizabeth II, taking up reading books. It is really very funny, and I presume devotees of the British monarchy might be offended by some of the things in it. I enjoyed it--it is only 120 pages--and often laughed out loud.

4995. Forrest Gump The Novel by Winston Groom (read 23 Jan 2013) I read this because it is famous and I thought I should. It is nothing like the movie. It starts out very funny, as Forrest plays football for Alabama and then is drafted and goes to Vietnam, where he wins the Congressional Medal of Honor. Then things soon degenerate into farce, and he and an ape and a woman officer are put in a space capsule and all pretense to reality ceases as they end up in Borneo for four years and come back to the U.S. where Forrest becomes a pro wrestler ("The Dunce") and goes to Hollywood and plays championship chess and starts a shrimp business. So it is really fantasy and fantasy has never been a favorite of mine and while this is readable it is also silly and impossible. The movie is much better. (How seldom can such be said!)

4996. My Beloved World, by Sonia Sotomayor (read 26 Jan 2013) This is an autobiography just published by Justice Sotomayor. She was born June 25, 1954 in the Bronx to parents both of whom were born and grew up in Puerto Rico and came to New York in the 1940's. I found the account of her parents and her in the Puerto Rican life in the Bronx really compelling--a life I have never known described and extremely different from the life of most Supreme Court justices. She tells of her time in Catholic schools in the Bronx and how she managed to go to Princeton and to Yale Law School, with great success in her studies. Then she was a prosecutor in state court in Manhattan and then practiced law for a few years in New York before she was appointed a Federal District Court Judge at age 36, elevated to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, and in 2009 moved to the US Supreme Court. Except when she is dwelling on her personal character and tendencies the story is intriguing and inspiring. It is certainly a story unlike that of most Supreme Court justices.

4997. New Hope, by Ruth Suckow (read 28 Jan 2013) I've heard of Ruth Suckow since I was sin high school, knew she was an Iowa author (she was born in Hawarden) but had never read anything by her. I try to read something by most Iowa authors (there aren't huge numbers of them). I've read books by Herbert Quick, Max Allen Collins, Curtis Harnack, Paul Corey, Josephine Herbst, Richard Bissell, Josephine Donovan, Marilynne Robinson, and many others. So I thought I should read something by Ruth Suckow. This book by her was published about 1942 and is probably the most unexciting book I've ever read. It tells of a new town, located near the Big Sioux River in Iowa--as is Hawarden--and two years in the 1890's when a new minister comes to the town. Most of the book tells of Clarence, age 6, and his infatuation with the minister's 6-year-old daughter. The story is so bland--nothing even approaching heightened interest occurs in the first 200 pages. The children have lots of introspective thinking unlike any child their age I've ever known. There are no cars nor telephones and there are lots of noninteresting goings on. I was glad to finish the book, and now I've read something by Ruth Suckow but it is unlikely I'll ever read any other book by her.

So glad you found us and posted your January reads with us, Schmurgals ! I always look forward to reading your monthly review.

As to, Unequal Protection How Corporations Became "People"--and You Can Fight Back, 2nd Edition, Revised and Expanded, by Thom Hartmann.
If you want to read more on the topic I would recommend
Gangs of America: The Rise of Corporate Power and the Disabling of Democracy~~Ted Nace
It's where I first read about Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific R. Co.

I've also read and enjoyed Three Stories, by Truman Capote. The writing is excellent.

Thanks again for sharing your monthly reads with us !

My January reads were as follows:

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy: This novel won the 1997 Booker Prize and I had high expectations for it. I'm still mulling over whether those expectations were met. Boiled down to its very essence, the book --which tells the story of the deaths of two people at the very opposite extremes of the social ladder, both of which lead to the sad, poignant breakdown of an illustrious family in the 1960’s in Kerala, India -- is about how quickly your life can change in just one day. It is bleak, dispiriting and evokes a sense of impending disaster through much of the story. However, the writing is vivid and wonderfully creative. In the end, I gave it 3.5/5 stars.

Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson: Lawson started her writing career as the author of the popular blog, "The Bloggess." This book is a collection of her blogs that tell the story of her eccentric childhood, her quirky parents, and her long-suffering husband Victor, so it is a bit disjointed in parts. However....It. Is. Hilarious. The humor is not for everyone (spoiler alert: Do not read if you are offended by the "f-word" or frank discussions about vaginas). But I honestly laughed so hard throughout, my husband and sons asked me to find another place in the house to read it because they couldn't hear the TV. And I never knew I needed a big metal chicken until I read this book. 4/5 stars.

Between, Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson: I enjoy the author's writing style, so this book was a pleasant and fairly quick read. Nothing especially memorable, though. 3/5 stars.

Next to Love: A Novel by Ellen Feldman: Based on the title, I expected this book to be a fluffy chick read. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was deeper than I expected. It is about three women who are left behind when their husbands go off to serve in WWII. Some of the husbands come back, while some do not. The book is really about how war changes people, and how relationships are affected as well. How do you go on living when your husband is killed? And how do you go on when he is not, but he returns a shell of the man he once was? Nice descriptions of America in the '40s and '50s, as well. 3.5/5 stars.

The Distant Land of My Father by Bo Caldwell: I read this for my f2f book club, and I had a hard time getting into it at first. It begins in pre- World War II Shanghai, narrated by young Anna, who lives with her handsome young parents in wealth and comfort. Her father, the son of missionaries, leads a secretive life and enjoys sharing his beloved city with his only daughter. Yet when Anna and her mother flee Japanese-occupied Shanghai and move to California, her father stays behind, believing his connections and a little bit of luck will keep him safe. Despite my hesitant start, I gave it 4/5 stars at the end.

The Possibility of You by Pamela Redmond Satran: I got this book for free. Good thing. If I had to pay for it, I would have wanted my money back. 2/5 stars, but only because I actually read to the end to see if it ended the way I had predicted it would.

The Writing on My Forehead: A Novel by Nafisa Haji: Enjoyed the story of a Muslim girl of Pakistani-Indo descent growing up in America, but thought the last 70 pages were rather abrupt and disjointed. 3/5 stars.

The Foremost Good Fortune by Susan Conley: A memoir about an American writer who moves to Beijing with her husband and two young sons. Six months later, she is diagnosed with breast cancer. A decent-enough read, but it didn't "wow" me like Eat, Pray, Love did. 3/5 stars.

Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon: I picked up this book because the author will be speaking at a local bookstore and I thought I might attend, so I figured I should read something she's written. Now, I know this book is about fairies, so I understand that you have to suspend disbelief to read it. But I had to suspend so much, my feet were practically floating off the floor. This book is not great. The dialogue is not realistic (even when people are not talking about fairies), the pacing is off, the ending is too abrupt ... yuck. If this is a typical offering from this author, I won't be reading any more of her works. 1.5/5 stars. If that.

Love Anthony by Lisa Genova: A novel about a woman and how she learns to understand the thoughts of her eight-year-old autistic son and make sense of his brief life. I liked it, but I thought Genova's Still Alice was better. 3.5/5 stars.

Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda: Interweaves the stories of Kavita (a poor rural Indian woman forced to leave her infant daughter at an orphanage because of a culture that favors sons), Somer (an American doctor who decides to adopt a child when she cannot have one of her own), and Asha -- the child that binds both of them. Well written and with good descriptions of the stark differences between India and the U.S. I thought the characters were a bit superficial, otherwise I might have rated it higher. Extra 1/2 point for avoiding the stereotypical happy/tidy ending. 3.5/5 stars.

Thanks for sharing, Amy. You had a very nice reading month.

I've had The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy for about 6 years. I'll get to it... someday.

I've heard the author on Book TV and found her quite interesting.

Alias Reader wrote: "January 2013 Reads


The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt
Non-fiction
Rate 4/5
Read this for our group read. A huge thank you to all who p..."

I just heard about Lincoln's Little Girl!! I'm going to read it right away. Thanks to you and all the others for their ideas.
Michele

Schmerguls wrote: "What I Read in January 2013

4988. Sister Queens The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile, by Julia Fox (read 4 Jan 2013) This is a 2011 book about Katharine of ..."

It sounds like you read a lot of the books I read. For example, I've read about Katharine and Juana - fascinating. Alan Bennett is a personal favorite. He wrote an interesting book called Smut last year, also pretty short. I didn't know Louise Erdrich wrote about anything but native Americans, and I've been listening to Thom Hartman for years. He's on TV, too. I will add The Generals (have been looking at that one) and A Godly Hero to my list, and thanks for the recommendations.
Michele

January 2013

A Dance With Dragons -George RR Martin (1112 pages)
The last book in the series thusfar. Slow going at first, but I can't wait for the next one (in 2 years)

Lucky Peach Issue 5 -David Chang (176 pages)

The Man Who Ate Everything -Jeffrey Steingarten (528 pages)
A book can only be pretentious if it is funny/interesting enough to overcome it. This is not...

Downtown Owl -Chuck Klosterman (304 pages)
I love Klosterman's nonfiction and essays but his fiction left a lot to be desired. It started out well, but fell off a lot toward the end

Y: The Last Man, Vol. 9: Motherland -Brian K Vaughn (144 pages)

Y: The Last Man, Vol. 10: Whys and Wherefores -Brian K Vaughn (168 pages)

Michele wrote: Thom Hartman for years. He's on TV, too.
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I used to catch him on Air America. What TV channel is he on ?

Stephanie wrote: "January 2013

A Dance With Dragons -George RR Martin (1112 pages)
The last book in the series thusfar. Slow going at first, but I can't wait for the next one (in 2 years)
----------
Thanks for sharing with us, Stephanie.
My niece requested all the the Hunger Games books in hardcover for Christmas. She loves the series.

This is actually Game of Thrones, not Hunger Games, but Hunger Games was a pretty good series too

Stephanie wrote: "This is actually Game of Thrones, not Hunger Games, but Hunger Games was a pretty good series too"
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Oops ! Game of Thrones.

Alias Reader wrote: "Michele wrote: Thom Hartman for years. He's on TV, too.
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I used to catch him on Air America. What TV channel is he on ?"
He's on Free Speech TV which is Direct TV channel 348. Lots of other stuff on there, too.

Oh how i relish reading the monthly write ups of Books Read. Unfortunately this month i cannot do them justice, as we are practically out the door as i type. However, i wanted to thank everyone here for sharing. It's neat knowing i'll be able to see them upon our return.

Meanwhile, i read (what else is new?) two books about Egypt in January.

The Lost Dinosaurs of Egypt by William Nothdurft & Josh Smith Pretty good book which explained the science of the search for dinosaurs, including the tedium of the dig, the environments needed for the creatures and explanations for many aspects of the field. Set in the Baharyia oasis in Egypt, Smith led the dig.

Hidden Treasures of Ancient Egypt: Unearthing the Masterpieces of the Egyptian Museum in CairoZahi A. Hawass.

Beautiful photos & accompanying descriptions of treasures amassed for the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Cairo museum, items from digs through the years.

And then i am half finished with Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, which i began last month. I am liking this very much.

The Snow Child: 5 stars
I love a book with a strong female character. Even better, I love a book with a seasoned (aka on in years) strong female character. Darn it, the years are what make us interesting.Set in 1920’s Alaska, the book has bits of history as well as a terrific cast of characters.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe: 4 stars.
I have seen the movie, of course. I wonder why it took me so long to pick up the book because, as usual, the book is better. Don’t get me wrong; the movie is great. However, the book expands on the story much to this reader’s delight. There are a few stark differences between the film and the book but they didn’t bother me at all.

Leave Myself Behind: 3.5 stars
I love a good glbt novel and this one is decent. However, there is too much going on in the book. In addition to the love story between Noah and JD, there are the additional storylines of Noah’s mother, JD’s parents and the mysterious house that Noah and his mother are refinishing. It was too much. The writing is very good, though. And I love to read passages from glbt books to my more than traditional husband and send him running out the door.

A Simple Plan: 4 stars
To what lengths would you go to keep 4 million dollars you stumbled across accidently? A tense little novel about the corruptive powers of money. I must see the movie!

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children: 2 stars
Horror stories are my guilty pleasure. This tale is listed as horror but falls into the fantasy genre. Thus, the two star rating. If you are into fantasy this is a terrific book. But if you’re looking for exploding eyeballs or things that go bump in the night, forget it.

Benjamin's Parasite: 4 stars
Now this is good horror! The monster in this case is a six-foot long parasite residing in Benjamin’s lower intestine. How cool is that? Benjamin finds himself a pawn between a couple of groups who are more interested in saving the parasite than the host. Fun, quick read.

DRACULAS: 4 stars
A clown vampire who makes balloon animals out of intestines. Need I say more?

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter: 4 stars
This is the most depressing book I have ever read. When authors write of the human condition it is typically ugly, sad and bleak and this book is no exception. I'm in awe that the author wrote this as a young woman of twenty-three. Published in 1940, McCullers depiction of the times and lives of the late 1930's is spot on. It's rare to give four stars to a book that made me so miserable.

Cradle and All: 3 stars
A thriller involving the second coming of Christ! That just makes me smile.

Pressure: 4 stars
Worst sociopath ever. I can only recommend this to readers with an iron stomach. I almost put it down but, being the sick puppy I am, I kept on reading.

Girl in Translation: 3 stars
Kimberly and her mother leave Hong Kong to come to America after the death of her father. They both find jobs at the sweatshop managed by Kimberly’s uncle and aunt. This is a competent novel but does not bring anything new to the "stranger in a strange land" genre. Definitely worth reading once.

The Whistling Season: 4 stars
The story of Oliver Milliron and his three boys as they set up their homestead in Montana in the early 1900's. There are a few other characters, all eccentric in their own way. There are also moments of tension, humor and a surprising secret at the end. A perfect little drama.
This isn't a typical representation of homesteaders of the time. The Milliron family speaks eloquently with no western twang. In fact, I had to keep my dictionary by my side throughout the entire book.

Vegetation: 4 stars
You’ll think twice before you tiptoe through the tulips. A fun book about plants who take revenge against a man.

Fifty Shades of Grey: 1 star
Did not finish. I had to see what all the hoopla was about. Regrets abound. Gag. Horrible. Nasty. Stupid. Did I mention regrets? Worst half hour of my entire life.

Going South: 4 stars
By the author of “Boy’s Life,� which is one of my all-time favorite novels! An excellent story about a Viet Nam vet who has lost everything � family, health, work. He is pushed one time too many and kills the loan manager trying to repossess his truck. Determined not to spend his last days in prison, he goes on the run and meets some wonderful characters: a bounty hunter with three arms, an Elvis impersonator and a young woman searching for a remedy for the large birthmark covering half her face. Sound bizarre? It is bizarre! Read it!

Michele wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "Michele wrote: Thom Hartman for years. He's on TV, too.
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I used to catch him on Air America. What TV channel is he on ?"
He's on Free Speech TV which is Direct TV ..."
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Thanks, Michele. I don't get that channel on cable. :(

Madrano wrote: "Oh how i relish reading the monthly write ups of Books Read. Unfortunately this month i cannot do them justice, as we are practically out the door as i type. However, i wanted to thank everyone her..."
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Have a great vacation, Deb! I hope you can drop in from time to time. If not, see you in March. I'm looking forward to hearing about your travels.

Maicie wrote:
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter: 4 stars
This is the most depressing book I have ever read. When authors write of the human condition it is typically ugly, sad and bleak and this book is no exception. I'm in awe that the author wrote this as a young woman of twenty-three. Published in 1940, McCullers depiction of the times and lives of the late 1930's is spot on. It's rare to give four stars to a book that made me so miserable.
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I really enjoyed reading your reviews. Especially your view of Fifty Shades ! LOL

As to McCullers, I agree. She is an amazing writer.

Maicie wrote: "Fifty Shades of Grey: 1 star
Did not finish. I had to see what all the hoopla was about. Regrets abound. Gag. Horrible. Nasty. Stupid. Did I mention regrets? Worst half hour of my entire life...."

THANK YOU! I'm surrounded in my daily life by people/friends who love that horrible series despite the terrible dialogue, loathsome plot and atrocious writing. I am always grateful to hear from others who found it as mind-numbingly awful as I did.

Amy wrote: "Maicie wrote: "Fifty Shades of Grey: 1 star
Did not finish. I had to see what all the hoopla was about. Regrets abound. Gag. Horrible. Nasty. Stupid. Did I mention regrets? Worst half hour of my en..."

Holy cow, I just heard it's being made into a movie!

Gah!!
But are we really surprised?

I think I am the only person in the world who didn't care for The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. And it wasn't because it was depressing. It just didn't excite me at all. I don't even remember it being depressing.

I didn't finish any books in January except two audiobooks and Leo Tolstoy's A Confession, which I read because I had heard that it helps in understanding Anna Karenina, which I am still reading. It did give some insight and had some interesting points, but was also rambling. I think I gave it 2 stars.

The audiobooks were the first two I have ever tried. They were The Leopard and Dead Man's Folly. I gave them both 3 stars but my rating may have been totally different if I read the book. Listening is hard! And The Leopard was too long for a first try. Some of the character's voices in Dead Man's Folly were totally hilarious.

Julie wrote: "I didn't finish any books in January except two audiobooks and Leo Tolstoy's A Confession, which I read because I had heard that it helps in understanding Anna Karenina, which I am still reading. I..."

I find audiobooks to be hard, too!

Julie wrote:The audiobooks were the first two I have ever tried. They were The Leopard and Dead Man's Folly. I gave them both 3 stars but my rating may have been totally different if I read the book. Listening is hard! "
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I'm going to sit on the "audiobooks are hard" bench, too. I constantly lose my train of thought and I don't feel I get as much from the book as I would have if I read it. Different learning styles I guess.

Thanks for the Tolstoy info, Patrice. I hope to read War and Peace this year. I have been focusing on my challenge list so I have finished 4 books on the list - two from the LOTR trilogy (dipped into Feb. to finish), Eleanor Roosevelt's autobiography, and Alice in Wonderland. And in January I started slowly making my way through A Tale of Two Cities.

It has been a fun year so far!

I've avoided audiobooks because I too am afraid I would lose my train of thought. I've heard from others who enjoy the audiobooks, however, that it gets easier with practice. And that the narrator makes a huge difference in how closely you pay attention. For instance, a guy I work with is currently listening to A Prayer for Owen Meany, which is quite possibly my all-time favorite book. I've read it maybe 4 times, and never once considered listening to it as an audiobook. However, Ryan (my work colleague) was telling me that John Irving actually insisted on being the one who selected the narrator, because the voice of Owen Meany's character played such a huge role in the book. And Ryan says that being able to hear Owen's voice the way John Irving intended it to be heard when he wrote it is making the book so much more interesting to him than if he simply read it. I honestly never thought about it that way. Maybe some books really ARE better as audiobooks, if there is something about the characters or the plot or the dialogue that would make it a better or richer experience for us if we heard it rather than saw it?

Alias Reader wrote: "I'm going to sit on the "audiobooks are hard" bench, too. I constantly lose my train of thought and I don't feel I get as much from the book as I would have if I read it. Different learning styles I guess. ..."

This is why I plan on mostly choosing audiobooks that I was never planning on reading or are unlikely I will ever really get to in visual format because it is low on my list. That way I don't feel like I am really missing anything...something is more than nothing!

Amy wrote: "For instance, a guy I work with is currently listening to A Prayer for Owen Meany, which is quote possibly my all-time favorite book. I've read it maybe 4 times, and never once considered listening to it as an audiobook...."

Actually if you are interested in trying audiobooks, a reread might be a good choice. I am guessing it is much easier to listen and follow if you already know the story and the characters.

Amy wrote: "I've avoided audiobooks because I too am afraid I would lose my train of thought. I've heard from others who enjoy the audiobooks, however, that it gets easier with practice. And that the narrator ..."

Some book are better as audioversion. The example I will give is The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. If I had tried the printed version it is most likely that I would have abandoned it or rated much less than I did. I sometimes find that hearing a story adds much. I like to listen to audio when I am driving, prepping dinner, cleaning the fridge, washing the dishes or dooing any of those number of tasks which require (except driving) little concentration. when we go to NY on the train I may have audio books on my smart phone. It takes the boredom out of the train ride.

Your ability to enjoy audio may/may not be linked to whether or not you are primarily a visual or auditory dominant sensory learner.

Alias Reader wrote: "Julie wrote:The audiobooks were the first two I have ever tried. They were The Leopard and Dead Man's Folly. I gave them both 3 stars but my rating may have been totally different if I read the boo..."

I've been told that audiobooks are a great way to fall asleep at night, so I have downloaded a couple of (free) books to try it. I'll let you know when I get around to it.

Patrice wrote: "I'll be reading Tale of Two cities in a month or so. Maybe we could discuss it?"

Sure! Sounds good. It will probably take me a while to read it, as it's my commuting book, so I read it on the train - a chapter or so here and there. Not the greatest way to read it, but I'm still enjoying it.

January Reads:

1.In Search of Lost Time. I have joined a Proust reading group so throughout this year I will be reading this massive tome (4,000+pages). Broken into 6 volumes, I completed Volume I Swann's Way(4/5). The prose, the imagery, the multilevel depths of meaning are wonderful. Not an easy or quick read but wonderfully enjoyable. A 1001 book. I suspect that it will be rated either a 4-5 when I am completely done. A 1001 book

2. The White Tiger. In a letter written to a visiting Chinese delegate, Balram Halwai tells the story of his success, his ascent from the depth of India's poverty and caste system to a successful businessman. A story of a man's success using his wits alone. Audioversion. A 1001 book 4/5

3. The Almond Tree. Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ win. It must be very difficult to be intelligent but trapped in a situation which does not allow the cultivation of that gift. Ichmad, a 12 year old Arab Palestinian, lives in a village ruled by the Israeli military. He attends the village school. His intelligence is his father's pride. Baba recognizes that Ichmad's education is key to his son's success. Baba, a peaceful man, is taken away by the Israeli military as a terrorist. Ichmad is now the man of the house. He must provide for his family. A beautifully written tale of struggle,survival, education, growth, love, peace, war, right and wrong, it covers the years of Israeli/Palestinian conflict from 1955 though 2009. Through these years Ichmad learns much more than many of us ever will learn. 4/5

4.The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry Very enjoyable. So many simple, elegant and powerful truths in harold's sudden journey to see a dying friend. He sets off suddenly, no plan, improperly clothed but with a commitment to seeing his friend before her death. 5/5

5.Zeitoun. The horrific experience of one man during Hurricane Katrina. Follows his unjust detention in prison. Audioversion 3/5

6. Things Fall Apart Two overlapping stories set in the village of Ibo, Nigeria. The first tells of Okonokwo's (village strong man) fall from grace. The second reveals the changes to the village and Okonokwo's life with the arrival of missionaries. 3/5 (an aside, the authro teaches at my son's college, Bard)

6. There but for the. Miles Garth comes to the dinner party as an invited guest of someone he just met. During the meal he retreats (supposedly) to the bathroom. When his absence is realized it is discovered he has closed himself into one of the bedrooms and does not come out. No communication except for the request for vegetarian meals, this request on a piece of paper slid under the door. I would recommend this. Quick read. 4/5

7. Ragtime. New Rochelle, NY 1906. A wide ranging cast of characters from lowly immigrant to rich tychons. Seemingly they are not related but their overlapping lives prove that we are all related in one way or another. Also a quick read 5/5

8. The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt. 4/5
She was an amazing woman. Wish I had known her or been alive during her lifetime.

9. The Graveyard Book. An infant, whose family is killed, is taken the graveyard by his dying mother. She asks a stranger in the graveyard to raise her son and thus gives his care to the resident ghosts. A YA book which I enjoyed. 4/5.

10.How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines.
the title says it all. 4/5

Very nice January, Denise !

I own Swann's Way. It's on my Read it Some day shelf. :)

Things Fall Apart - I know it's a classic, but I just didn't care for it.

Zeitoun. - I thought it was so powerful, I recommended it to my f2f bookclub. They enjoyed it and it proved a good discussion book. However, there has been negative press regarding the author since.

.How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines. - Good but I think How to Read a Book. The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading~Mortimer J. Adler is still the #1 book in that genre.

Thanks for reminding me to put Ragtime
on my TBR list.

Just put a library hold on both How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Linesand How to Read a Book. The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading. Both look interesting.

Maicie, you will find your reading list exploding when you hang out at BNC.

:)

Another interesting one is:

The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had

It gives you some good reading lists as well as how the author set up her study plan.

Interesting books. Do many of you use a reading guide/plan or do prep work before reading, particularly with a classic?

There are a few books that I would probably prep or use a reading guide for - e.g., The Canterbury Tales, as I remember when reading that one in school that there were a lot of references that a reader may not get without some kind of guide. But, I usually just rely on my own knowledge of the period, culture, etc. to provide background. I may read a quick summary of the time/culture if it is something with which I am not familiar, but usually I just dive into the book.

What I find with classics (and all good books really) - at least those I enjoy - is that there is a universality of emotions and experiences that draws me in and helps me both understand the book's milieu and make it relevant to today or to me.

I was thinking about which of these aspects (specifics that the author may have meant vs. application to "now") is more important to me. While they are certainly not mutually exclusive - and it's great (best) when both are achieved - I would give greater priority to the latter. Perhaps if I had a career in literature or history, the balance might be different. To me, the general "feel" of the book's setting is important as well as details that are particularly relevant to the character or the story. If some aspect of history is critical to understand the story, I would rather have it in the text (such as the change in agricultural policies and practices in Anna Karenina - though that had perhaps too much detail).

While I enjoy reading about the past, I like to see how it is relevant to the present or even the future - for me, it makes the story seem more alive. Does this make sense? If not, blame it on medication - I feel lousy today!

Yes. I have no problem using Cliffs notes or some other on-line guide. I feel I get more from the book and that is my goal.

I also think Norton Critical editions are worth the few extra dollars. They have a ton of helpful footnotes and also essays at the end of the book.



Feel better, Susan !