Cover to Cover Challenge discussion
Dot's Booklist for 2010
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Dorothy
(last edited Jan 30, 2010 08:13AM)
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Jan 18, 2010 06:25PM

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by Alexander McCall Smith (audio book)


Aren't they wonderful! I especially liked the silk ones...I learned so much about life in China from them.


I guess I do like the history as long as it is well written and I have a special interest in China because I do Chinese Brush Painting and because my daughter married a Chinese Canadian and has 2 children who are half chinese. :-)


This author usually writes serious/literary type books but this one is an adventure in the same tradition as "Romancing the Stone". It would make a wonderful movie!

I feel very ambiguous about this book. I spent part of the time laughing out loud, and part of the time being irritated by criticism of things she did not understand. Most of her experience and comments relate to the wealthy upper and upper middle class which does not explain fully the national psyche. True, these are the people who rule the land, and some of her comments are certainly valid, but for a more accurate and balanced account of the British, I would recommend "Notes from a Small Island" by Bill Bryson, and "Watching the English by Kate Fox.

A day in the life of a busy veterinary surgeon at a Boston animal hospital told with compassion, humour and displaying a dedication to the animals he treats and the owners who love them.
This will likely be my total for January: 9 actual books and 7 on audio.

Musicophilia by Oliver Sachs. Fascinating look into the way music works...and doesn't work in our brains.

Oxford Blue by Veronica Stallwood
I needed a light mystery and this filled the bill. Humourously written in true Brit style.

The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Juno Diaz.
read a review of this and borrowed the audio book from the library. Had to skip over some of the torture scenes, and the language is pretty extreme but otherwise well written and I now know a lot more about the history of the Dominican Republic.

"Drown" a book of short stories by Junot Diaz on audio. I didn't finish this book ...I got about half way through but it didn't hold my attention so I moved on.

"Oxford Shadows" by Veronica Stallwood. I've been unwell lately and a nice light mystery was all I could manage...I find these books quite amusing and easy to read.

"The Wreckage" by Michael Crummey. I've only recently discovered this author and plan to read more of his books. This one is set in Newfoundland and a Japanese POW camp near Nagasaki during WW2. A sad book in many ways but very powerful.

I read the first book (Shadow of the Wind) a few years ago and was pleased when this sequel ( or is it a 'pre-quel' came out. I borrowed it from the library on audio and got through it in a few days. Enjoyed the references to the great books of English Literature and though I don't usually read gothic novels, I found this one very satisfying.

Loitering with Intent by Stuart Woods. A Barrington Stone mystery set in Key West
Books mentioned in this topic
Short Stories: The Vintage Collection (other topics)Wilful Behaviour (other topics)
The City of Falling Angels (other topics)
Lustrum (other topics)
The Snake Stone (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Donna Leon (other topics)John Berendt (other topics)
Robert Harris (other topics)
Jason Goodwin (other topics)
Junichi Saga (other topics)
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