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This is one of my all-time favorite audiobooks. I am one of the few who is not a big fan of George Guidall. I think his voice isn't the best for some of the stuff he reads, but he was absolutely perfect for this. I can still remember almost every bit of the ending.

Chris wrote: "This is one of my all-time favorite audiobooks. I am one of the few who is not a big fan of George Guidall. I think his voice isn't the best for some of the stuff he reads, but he was absolutely pe..."

Chris - wasn't the ending interesting? I'm like you in that i can remember most of the ending verbatim - it sticks with you.

Yes. I thought it was perfect for the story.

OK, Donna and Chris - I'm sold. I've got to listen to History of Love. And the good news is that my bookclub is going to discuss it in April. Really curious to hear that ending!

Donna - so glad you are back. I've really enjoyed your reviews.

Julie at All Ears wrote: "OK, Donna and Chris - I'm sold. I've got to listen to History of Love. And the good news is that my bookclub is going to discuss it in April. Really curious to hear that ending!"

Oh good! I'm actually surprised that you hadn't gotten to it yet. I'll be really interested to hear what you think - and what your book club thinks too!

Couple non-fiction audiobooks:

Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder

There are some books out there that have such an important story to tell that regardless of how they are told the story transcends the telling. This is one of those books. Paul Farmer's dedication to the poor in Haiti would be extraordinary regardless of who was telling the story.

Paul Farmer has been very active in reducing the spread and incidence of tuberculosis through out the world, but particularly in the poorest areas of Haiti. He has worked hard on determining what causes drug resistant cases and how to assure that poor patients not only receive medicines but also food and adequate shelter in order to recover. All pretty amazing on it's own, but even more so since Farmer started out as an anthropologist, not primarily a doctor studying disease.

Tracy Kidder brings us a journalist's prospective of where Farmer came from and what he is doing. He also creates a cameo appearance for himself in the story, in a sort of amusing and self-deprecating fashion. Kidder also introduces us to people important to Farmer's story, primarily the others involved with Partners In Health.

More than a biography, Mountains Beyond Mountains tackles some bigger issues such as how to spend limited funds (big things for a few people or little things for many?) and limited time (does the director spend 7 hours tracking down one patient when he is needed many other places).

An interesting perspective. I found myself wishing for an update after the earthquake in Haiti and ended up at the Partners in Health website . Very interesting.

The Horse Boy: A Father's Quest to Heal His Son by Rupert Isaacson

Rupert Isaacson and his wife Kristin embark on a trip to Mongolia to find a means to help their autistic son, Rowan. Rowan seems to do well around horses and shamanic healers - making a trip to Mongolia a "logical" choice.

For someone like me who is engaged in equine therapy, this is practically required reading. While I typically do not work with autistic clients, there was much I could relate to in Rupert's journey - right down to the crusty bay mare who behaves in a special manner for these kids with needs.

What I loved about this book is that you got to see all the people involved at both their best and worse. These are not saints or angels, but real parents and real people who get just as tired of tantrums and lack of potty training as any of us would. Things do not always go well. There are moments of glory and moments of dismal failure. And yet they overcome. And while Rowan is still and will always be autistic, there is undeniable hope throughout the entire trip.

I learned a few things about autism along the way and smiled a lot at the stories of Rowan relating to the horses - and the horses to him. If you are at interested in the human/animal bond this is well worth your time.

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Packing for Mars is a history of the US space program, told with Mary Roach's signature sarcastic humor. The book focuses on some of the difficult issues of humans surviving in the void of space. How do people eat in zero gravity? What is it like to live in the Space Station without bathing (or changing your underwear) for weeks at a time? Roach focuses on many of those questions that have always been in the back of our minds, but are never covered on TV or in the magazines. Face it - everyone wants to know how astronauts go to the bathroom in zero gravity, but because of society's constraints, no one ever talks about it. Well wonder no more. Mary Roach gives the details on how EVERY bodily function works (or doesn't work) in space. The book was funny and at the same time informative. But after awhile, I felt like this book could have been written by a 12-year old boy. Maybe because I am living with my 12-year old son, I tired of hearing about human waste and body odor. What probably added to the sense of juvenile humor is the audiobook version. Laurel Merlington narrates this book with a biting sarcastic tone which grated on my nerves after awhile. The footnotes which are fun in print, are also somewhat cumbersome in audio - although some of the best humor is found in these notes.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Changez is living the American Dream. He is a Pakistani, who has graduated from Princeton at the top of his class and is starting a career at the prestigious valuation firm of Underwood Samson in New York City. He loves life in the fast paced city and has started a serious relationship with Erica, another Princeton grad. But when the World Trade Centers are destroyed on 9/11 and Changez's life unravels. He no longer feels at home in his adopted city of New York and begins to question his allegiance, values and identiy.



This book was fascinating. Told as a flashback in a conversation between Changez and an American that he meets at a cafe in Lahore, the book leads us through his metamorphosis between the ideal Ivy League over achiever to a man disenfranchised with American society. Although Changez is having a conversation with this American (who is either a tourist or a spy?), the reader only hears Changez' side leaving much up to interpretation. Great book to discuss!

I just finished "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" by Alan Bradley, all the words I have to say about it are in my review of this book.

Julie at All Ears wrote: "I just finished listening to One False Note. This is the 2nd book in the 39 Clues series. The story revolves around a woman named Grace Cahill who is very powerful and wealthy. On her death, she..."


I love The 39 Clues. I find it especially interesting how each book has a different author.

Julie at All Ears wrote: "Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Packing for Mars is a history of the US space program, told with Mary Roach's signature sarcastic h..."

I listened to Stiff years ago. Enjoyed it, although I felt it became cumbersome after awhile. I haven't kept up on this author, the book you reviewed sounds interesting, and I see she wrote another called Spook. I may have to look into these.

Kelly wrote: "Julie at All Ears wrote: "Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Packing for Mars is a history of the US space program, told with Mary Roa..."

You should.

Kelly wrote: ... I see she wrote another called Spook. I may have to look into these.

"

I read her other book, Bonk, which is about the science and research on ...ummm... sex. The book is surprisingly funny. I found myself laughing out loud, but too embarassed to share the jokes with anyone. Very fun, though!

I saw that! Looks fun.

Julie at All Ears wrote: "Kelly wrote: ... I see she wrote another called Spook. I may have to look into these.

"

I read her other book, Bonk, which is about the science and research on ...ummm... sex. The book is s..."

Many of Ben Mezrich's books have been made into movies. After reading Busting Vegas, it's easy to see why. Mezrich writes non-fiction in a fictional, personal style that puts you inside the minds of the characters. Busting Vegas tells the story of Seymion Dukach and a band of MIT number crunchers who form a winning team at doing more than just card counting, but create a revolutionary formula for beating the blackjack tables and at times, avoiding unwanted and hostile attention from Vegas security and mobsters. At times, one forgets that the book is a non-fiction, rather than a gripping novel, based on the characters and the wild adventures that seem more fiction than fact. Gone are the dry facts, figures and quotes that slow up most non-fictions. Whether you read Busting Vegas or watch the film 21 based on Mezrich's book, this book is a fun read for casino fans and gambling abstainers alike.

Jeff at All Ears Audiobooks wrote: "Many of Ben Mezrich's books have been made into movies. After reading Busting Vegas, it's easy to see why. Mezrich writes non-fiction in a fictional, personal style that puts you inside the minds o..."

Jeff - sounds like an interesting listen!

Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas

I read "Prayers" but All Ears does carry the audio... and my book club cronies tell me that it's great fun in audio.

Sandra Dallas has published numerous books about the trials and triumphs of women in the west during various time periods. Her characters also have a way of sliding from one book to another - always in the correct time period. For example in Prayers, there are characters from "The Diary of Mattie Spenser", "The Persian Pickle Club", and "The Chili Queen". You don't need to have read the other books, but for those of us who have read her others, it's fun to see an old face in a new setting.

Prayers takes place in Middle Swan which is actually based off of Breckenridge, Colorado. In the days before skiing made it's impact on the Colorado high country, mining was king and Breckenridge was a gold mining area. The characters in Prayers deal with the ups and downs of life in an isolated mining town.

What really makes this book fun is the research Sandra has done on actual tales from the area that wind their way into the story line and the actual dialog of mining town. Bears habernate, you dis-remember to do things, and pies are made of pie plant (rhubarb). I can see why it would be fun to listen to!

Sandra is often accused of being a "women's author" but my hubby read the book and enjoyed it thoroughly too. The plot is pleasant, with a twist that you've got to really pay attention to to catch, and the setting interesting. A quick, light read.

Cod by Mark Kurlansky

After listening to "Cutting for Stone" (reviewed next) I needed to listen to something that was much lighter so I figured a romp through the historical impact of Cod fishing would do the trick. Actually i was expecting something scholarly and possibly dry - what i got was an amusing look at history from a perspective I'd never thought of before.

Not only was it a pleasant break, but a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Kurlansky has a dry sense of humor that is seen through out what could be a dry tale of fishing rights and commercial interests. I learned a lot about the food industry - Did you know how General Foods started?? And learned lots about preparing cod dishes. Some of the recipes were quite charming, especially the ones from the 13th and 14th centuries.

After listening to Cod i'm going to have to look up his other books!

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

This was, without a doubt, one of the best books I've ever listened to. The only complaint I had was that the ending was a little predictable for me, but it was so well done and the rest of it so fantastic that it's forgiven.

I loved the look into life in Ethopia, the struggles of the medical community, the issues with the government and the publicity given to women with obstetric fistula. The service organization I belong to, Soroptimist International, has supported fistula patients for several years now so it's a cause that is dear to my heart. If you are interested in learning more about obstetric fistula there is a fantastic film called "a walk to beautiful" that is available for viewing through PBS NOVA's site at . The site also has lots of great info about the cause of fistula.

Anyway, off my soapbox, the characters are well developed, the setting lavishly described, and the story beautifully told.

I'm looking forward to discussing it at an upcoming book group! Perhaps we should do Ethiopian food....

Donna wrote: "Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

This was, without a doubt, one of the best books I've ever listened to. The only complaint..."

Hi Donna,

Thanks so much for sharing this video. Before reading Cutting for Stone, I had never heart of obstetric fistula. Wow, the stories these young girls tell are so heartbreaking. I'm inspired that your organization has picked this cause. It is such a good cause. Is there an organization that you donate to? I'd love to find out more.

Thanks,

Julie

Thanks for the great book reviews, Donna. My "to read" list always get a little bit bigger every time you post some ...

Donna wrote: "Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

This was, without a doubt, one of the best books I've ever listened to. The only complaint..."

Julie at All Ears wrote: "Thanks so much for sharing this video. Before reading Cutting for Stone, I had never heart of obstetric fistula. Wow, the stories these young girls tell are so heartbreaking. I'm inspired that your organization has picked this cause. It is such a good cause. Is there an organization that you donate to? I'd love to find out more."

Julie - I'm not surprised that you had not heard of obstetric fistula. I hadn't before the Soroptimist campaign to support fistula patents. Obstetric fistula is mostly found in impoverished areas - it is practically unknown in communities with proper health care. Any woman who as either given birth or attended a birth cannot help but think "there but for the grace of God go I".

In 2007 and 2008 the December 10th appeal for Soroptimist members to give was to help obstetric fistula patients. There is a white paper about obstetric fistula on the Soroptimist site that lists many worthy organizations that are actively involved in helping those with fistulas.

The following text, a condensation of a Soroptimist flyer, was published in one of the Fort Collins Soroptimist newsletters. This is the organization that the two year fund raising helped:

Desta Mender Village
Desta Mender is committed to:
· Assisting long-term patients in their transition to independent living;
· Assisting the women to becoming self-sufficient;
· Providing educational and economic opportunities for the women;
· Encouraging women to become advocates for fistula education and
prevention.

As in 2007, this year’s Soroptimist International President’s Appeal is in partnership with the Hamlin Fistula Relief and Aid Fund. The Fund supports the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia: the only facility in the world exclusively dedicated to treating (obstetric) fistulae. The Hospital established Desta Mender village outside Addis Ababa following a donation of land by the Ethiopian Government in 2000. It is for the minority of women who need long term support as their fistulae can’t be healed. More than 99% of the Fistula Hospital patients are illiterate and desperately in need of the educational and economic opportunities offered in the village.

Your donations will continue to provide vital support for the women who live at Desta Mender.

The World Health Organization has called a fistula ‘the single most dramatic aftermath of neglected childbirth�.

The Personal Perspective
“This young woman’s story is that she was found in a dark hut in the Metu region (far west) of Ethiopia. She had lain on a goat skin bed for many years suffering from an obstetric fistula. She had bed sores down to the bone. One of the Fistula Hospital doctors who was on a field trip found her and arranged for her to be transported to the Hospital. The young woman had lain still for so long hoping that she would stop leaking that she lost the use of her legs and could not walk. She was also so psychologically depressed that she did not speak. After months of rehabilitation and physiotherapy at Desta Mender she began to ‘come alive again�. She began to talk and socialize. So far the doctors have only been able to partially repair her very severe injuries and she will most likely always require medical help and support. However she now walks and has learnt to read and write. She is now the ‘official� record keeper for the dairy. She records the milk production from each cow every day.� James Grainger, Executive Officer, Hamlin Fistula® Relief and Aid Fund. (this page from the Soroptimist International website)

Thanks, Donna, for sharing this. These stories are so sad. I just can't believe how difficult the lives are for these young girls. And thank you for letting us know how we can each make a difference.

World Without End by Ken Follett

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I had finished Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth several years ago (and loved it), but hadn't ever listened to this sequel. So many people have raved about this book and especially the great narration of the audiobook, but this book is long - over 45 hours - and between trying to keep up with my various book clubs and sampling a wide variety of books to help me recommend different authors (as well as making a very small dent in the 1001 books to read list), has pushed this book down on my list. But somehow, it ended up on my iPod, I started listening and I couldn't stop.



Set 200 years after Pillars of the Earth, the book is about the Kingsbridge Cathedral and the town built around it. The story is filled with a great cast of characters - knights, bishops, priests, nuns, town merchants, serfs, basically everyone who is part of the social structure of this medieval world. There is a wealth of research about life during these times, from medical practices to the intricate balance between the church and town to the horrors of the Plague and 100 Years War. Listening to this book felt like a glimpse of life during the Middle Ages. But more than amazing historic fiction, Ken Follett captures so much of the emotions of life and fills his book with stories of greed, power, love, and compassion. Great fiction!

Women Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything by Geneen Roth

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The title for this book, Women Food and God is a bit deceiving. The book is not so much about women, food, and God or even the relationships that women have with food and God. It is really more about the relationship we have with ourselves and learning to treat ourselves with gentleness and love. This book really resonated with me. Like many women, in my mind I have an ideal weight for myself. Unfortunately, I think I passed that ideal weight sometime in my teens and haven't seen it since. Listening to this book has made me rethink why I want that ideal weight. Will thinner arms really make that much of a difference in my life? I don't think I am a shallow person, yet somehow I have it stuck in my mind that being thinner would make me better. So instead of berating myself for eating all the chocolate eggs for my daughter's Care package, I need to pause, breathe and reflect on why I want to snack or web surf mindlessly. Definitely food for thought.

The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book is a classic crime novel with a well-worn plot - a man falls in love with another man's wife and the 2 of them plan the 'perfect' murder of the husband. Frank Chambers, a drifter who has spent time behind bars, gets a job working in Nick Papadakis' garage. Frank falls in love (or lust) with Nick's wife, Cora, a former runaway, who had married Nick just to finally find a stable home. They come up with a plan to murder Nick, but make it look like an accident. The story is short, but incredibly well told. The descriptions are terse, but you get a definite picture of their bleak lives and an imminent sense of foreboding. This is a great classic mystery that spans both literature and suspense. Very well told!

The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Each year, a book is chosen for Silicon Valley Reads. Organizations, from book stores to libraries have events around this book and the author goes to different venues to perform readings and answer questions. The 2011 selection is The Year of Fog, by Michelle Richmond, a local San Francisco author. The story starts out quickly. Abby Mason is with her fiance's 6-year old daughter, Emma, on Ocean Beach in San Francisco. Abby, a free-lance photographer, turns away to take a picture and when she looks up, Emma is gone. The rest of the book is Abby's story of the ensuing year - searching for Emma, trying to recover her relationship with her fiance, and mostly, trying to find something in her memory that might give her a clue about Emma's disappearance. The book does a good job of describing Abby's feelings and thoughts. The diversions about all the nuances of how fickle our memory can be were fascinating. The book, the writing, and the audio narration were all good, but I didn't feel that deep emotion or gut-wrenching sadness that other books about losing children have evoked.

Hi all - just joined the group a while ago.

I finished "When God was a rabbit" recently, my audiobook of the year so far. I just completely fell in love with it. It's an adorable, slightly quirky story, about a girl called Elly and those she loves. 

The audiobook was such a perfectly complete piece. Its read by the author, Sarah Winman, with great warmth and perfect nuance, already knowing her characters so well. She has a fantastic voice both as a writer and narrator. I loved the cheeky voices of the children. Adult narrators often over do the chirpy voice thing.  

But the children are such adorable characters you miss them when they've flown the coop, all too soon for my liking. Its hard not to be a bit dissapointed when you discover they've jumped to adulthood. I wanted to stay immersed in that wonderful world of childhood that bit longer. But such is life. Like it or not, Adulthood comes knocking and Sarah Winman does her best to hold on to the things we hold dear from our formative years.

Its all too easy for novelists to make BIG things happen in their books. Its too easy to give characters great luck, or bad luck, or greath health or wealth or disease, or fame or fortune. I often wince at the obvious plot devices, but Sarah Winman hilariously turns that on it's head and does it all!  You could almost retitle it to When God Was A Novelist.

John wrote: "Hi all - just joined the group a while ago.

I finished "When God was a rabbit" recently, my audiobook of the year so far. I just completely fell in love with it. It's an adorable, slightly quirky ..."

Hi John,

Welcome to the group! Great review - I had never heard of Sarah Winman or When God Was a Rabbit. I'll have to check them out!

Hi John and welcome to the group as well. You have managed to grab my attention with your recent review. I will add it to my list!

Dana

Hi Julie / Dana.

Thanks - this is her debut novel. She's actually an actor too, hence the great job on doing her own audio.

Chris wrote: "This is one of my all-time favorite audiobooks. I am one of the few who is not a big fan of George Guidall. I think his voice isn't the best for some of the stuff he reads, but he was absolutely pe..."

Chris and Donna - I just finished this book yesterday. I listened to the ending 3 times - loving it every single time. I agree with you Chris - George Guidall was a perfect voice for Leon Gursky. Definitely my favorite character - old, crabby, but laugh-out-loud funny. 5 stars for me - I loved this one.

Julie at All Ears wrote: "Chris and Donna - I just finished this book yesterday. I listened to the ending 3 times - loving it every single time. I agree with you Chris - George Guidall was a perfect voice for Leon Gursky. Definitely my favorite character - old, crabby, but laugh-out-loud funny. 5 stars for me - I loved this one. "

I'm so glad you liked it!! My book club ladies are still talking about it 2 meetings after we read it.

Just finished Second Nature by Michael Pollan yesterday. I didn't think this book would be exciting enough, after just listening to the Millenium series, but I had a hard time forcing myself to stop listening! This was my first Pollan and it was a great book. He read it himself, and you can tell he's not a pro, but I find that endearing.

This book is about gardens, and their relationship to nature. It has history, philosophy, and lots of stories and musings about his relationship with gardening. I couldn't have picked a better time to read it, right when I'm prepping my gardens for the year!

Kelly wrote: "Just finished Second Nature by Michael Pollan yesterday. I didn't think this book would be exciting enough, after just listening to the Millenium series, but I had a hard time forcing myself to st..."

Great review, Kelly! Getting the garden started has been on my list for a few weeks. Maybe this will motivate me to get it going!

When I have a problem or something is on my mind, I often turn to books to look for advice or just find an outlet for my own emotions. I am fortunate to still have both of my parents, but they are in their late 80s and have recently been struggling with a myriad of health issues. Just the number of medications they take is enough to open a small pharmacy. Worrying about their health, their lives and their happiness has kept me awake many a night. But recently, I've read 3 great books that all have aging adults as main characters - Home by Marilynne Robinson, The Book of Love by Nicole Krauss, and Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections. All 3 books were excellent and described aging with many different styles ranging from humor and sarcasm to sadness and poignancy. And all 3 books gave a great perspective of what it feels like to be old and at the end of your life. We are often so impatient when we are around elderly people. They talk way too loud and they drive way too slow. But maybe after reading books like these, when we are stuck behind an elderly driver, instead of honking and giving dirty looks, we'll slow down and smile.

Here are my reviews for 2 of the books (The Corrections I read in print - well worth the effort!).

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Leo Gursky is old. He is so old that he has written a note that he pins to himself that tells people his name and where he should be buried if they find him dead. Every day, he sends messages to his upstairs neighbor by tapping on the radiator so that they know they are both alive. But when Leo Gursky was young growing up in Poland, he fell in love with a girl named Alma and wrote a book for her called The History of Love. As a Polish Jew in the 1930's, Leo's life is torn apart and he barely escapes the Holocaust to create a new life in New York.



Alma Singer is a teenager in NYC, who was named after a character in The History of Love. Her father has died and she is searching - searching for someone for her mother to fall in love with, searching for a real friend, searching for more memories of her father, and searching for the real story behind The History of Love.



The story jumps around between these 2 narrators, Alma's brother Bird, Zvi Litvinoff, the published author of The History of Love, and excerpts from a very bizarre book. At times, I found myself very lost, not knowing context, characters, or even time and place. But I'm glad I stuck with it. Although there are parts of the story that are improbable, it is beautifully told. This is defintely a book that shines in audio. Narrated by different people, the parts told as Leo Gurksy (read by George Guidall) are perfect. He is cantankerous, crochety, funny and very real. tap tap.

Home by Marilynne Robinson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


At age 38, Glory Boughton returns home to the small town of Gilead to take care of her dying father, Reverend Robert Boughton. Reverend Boughton is a widower and he and his wife raised 8 children, now all grown, with Glory as the youngest. The favorite of Reverend Boughton's children has always been Jack, the delinquent black sheep of the family, who has not been seen for over 20 years. But Jack, also returns to Gilead to seek refuge from a painful past and heal his relationship with his father, the town, and his family.



At the heart, Home is about relationships - relationships with parents, siblings, friends and the place you grew up. It is also a story of how, when all else failes, we go home. Robinson has created a novel that is beautiful and heart wrenching with genuine characters. I LOVED this book.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Early onset Alzheimer's is one of the most frightening diseases that plagues the middle aged. "Still Alice" is a look into the life of a successful Harvard professor at the top of her game who begins to show the signs of this dreaded disease.

I was concerned at first at how I would react to this book. Early onset Alzheimer's is rampant through out both my family and my husband's. We have seen family members and friends struggle with the effects of this debilitating disease, and in all honesty watch each other for signs of the disease.

I was very impressed with Genova's treatment of the subject. In fact this has to be one of the best books I've read this year. The interaction of the family members, Alice's initial reluctance to give up her professional standing, the reactions of others to her illness, and her husband's honest difficulties with the changes to not just her life but his, all ring very true.

Nowhere through out this story did I feel lectured or made to feel sorry for Alice. There is a great dignity to the story and even at her worst Alice's actions evoked for me feelings of understanding rather than sympathy or pity.

A difficult subject matter handled with great grace and care. Highly recommended.

The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible by A.J. Jacobs

Ask a dozen people what the Bible is about and you'll get at least 2 dozen answers, most of which are conflicting and often proclaimed by the same person. Modern America is a mashup of various faiths and cultures and spirituality often proclaimed by people who claim to know the Bible but have never really sat down to read it.

So when I heard about this book I wondered who this A.J. Jacobs was and why on earth he would want to live the commandments in the Old Testament - have you ever READ Leviticus or Deuteronomy?? I have and believe me I'm not really interested in carrying out a lot of the commands listed there. Casting aside my doubts, I plunged into his story and found myself both thoroughly entertained and actually learning a thing or two.

A. J. Jacobs is a typical secular Jew who has pretty much left the tenants of Judaism behind. He decides to follow the laws and commandments of the Bible as much as possible for a year. His trip takes him into the various Jewish sects and among some Christian organizations - some of which I didn't even know existed. It also strongly impacts his relationship with his wife and child.

Told with self-deprecating honesty and a lot of humor this is an interesting modern day romp through the well known and lesser known commandments of the
Bible. You don't have to have a single religious bone in your body to enjoy his commentary, but for those of us with an active interest in spirituality and religion it's great fun.

A great "off the beaten path" book.

Donna wrote: "Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Early onset Alzheimer's is one of the most frightening diseases that plagues the middle aged. "Still Alice..."

I might have to read this. Alzheimer's is rampant in my family, so I would generally avoid a book about it. It is something I think about, not often, but regularly, so maybe reading a book about it isn't such a bad idea. Thanks for the review.

Bossypants by Tina Fey. I am a fan of Tina Fey and 30 Rock. Our political views tend to be different, so my hackles were a bit raised at the first few chapters of the book, but by the end of the book I was completely enjoying it. The book was a hodge-podge ... some anecdotes about her childhood, stories about Second City, SNL, and 30 Rock, some reflections on parenthood.

The author reads the book, and sometimes she is hilarious and perfect, and other times it is not good. She tacks several "humorous asides" at the end of some stories, and she reads these quickly and in a whisper. I was listening in the car and always had to rewind these parts. I also felt a bit ripped off, because this book included audio of 2 of her SNL Sarah Palin skits. The book was already short as it was, I didn't want more precious time taken up with a TV skit that I had already seen.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Sweet, charming, and fun, this tale of a widowed British Major and his friendship with a socially unacceptable British, but of Pakistani descent woman, tackles the British caste system head on. It also provides some humorous insights into how the Brits view Americans.

My only complaint about the book is that I couldn't help but feel that at times it was aiming for the romantic comedy movie market. Throughout the book there are crisis that lead to the kind of chaotic scenes that you would expect in a movie like that - a crazy brawl at a dance, children protesting at a duck shoot - that kind of thing.

Regardless of that the story is a good one. The characters are likable and the small town disapproval believable. A pleasant diversion.

The Fruit of Stone by Mark Spragg

Mark Spragg is one of the members of a writing community loosely known as "Contemporary Western American Authors". Kent Haruf Plainsong, Laura Pritchett Sky Bridge; Larry Watson Montana 1948; James Galvin The Meadow are a few of the others that fall into the same genre. All of these authors tend to write gritty, simple yet beautifully told tales of real folks trying to make their way in the ranches and small towns of Colorado, Wyoming or Montana.

Spragg is probably best known for "An Unfinished Life" which was turned into a movie by Robert Redford. "Fruit of Stone" is an older work that tells the tale of two friends, McEban and Bennett who love the same woman, Gretchen. She marries Bennett and then leaves him for someone entirely different. After leaving she leads both of them on a trip across the west, dropping hints about where she has gone.

Along with this story line there is the telling of McEban's youth and how Gretchen came to chose Bennett. My biggest complaint about the audio production is that these two tales are interspersed, but there was nothing to let you know when one broke off and the other started. A pause or something would have been helpful, but there was nothing like that - which made the storyline a little confusing a few times.

I liked this book a lot. The landscape was familiar, the characters believable and the situations what you would expect from ranch life in the modern west. Spragg writes in short, precise sentences - no flowery prose here. Even so his clipped words echo the sparseness of the landscape and the lives of the people he portrays. An interesting journey across both people's lives and the west.

The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood

This is another one that I read, but that is carried in audio by All-Ears. Let me begin by saying that I would highly recommend reading "Oryx and Crake" before reading this book. This book is not a sequel, but runs in time simultaneous to "Oryx and Crake" and fills in some of the gaps of the previous book. "Flood" also goes a little in time beyond "O&C" and the ending of "O&C" will not have the intended impact if you read "Flood" first and then pick up "O&C".

That said, "Flood" is an interesting look at a religious counter-culture and the people involved in a world gone mad. While O&C creeped me out on a scientific and political level with knowing just how close to reality the genetic engineering future it predicts, Flood is more of a commentary on the social and societal effects of that future. As one who watches the philosophical trends of cultures and the changes in religious philosophies, I found Flood an all to close for comfort prediction of the future of world cultures. I also found it not as creepy as O&C - probably because a lot of this I already see around me. At least for me dystopian novels are creepier if i haven't already seen the trends - i want to be shocked into noticing :)

Still this is a well told story and if you enjoyed Oryx and Crake you'll probably enjoy this one too.

If you are into interesting sports books, I would highly recommend this unabridged audio. The 1st hour of listening takes some commitment but then like a good run it takes off and is so enjoyable to continue. Don't get me wrong, even non runners while find this a great story about little known ultra marathoners and even lesser known Indian tribe and how a race between the two is finally put together. Reminded me at times of "Into thin Air" as the athletic feats are almost unbelievable. The writing is great and the story both uplifting and heartbreaking at times. Well worth the listen!

Kerry wrote: "
If you are into interesting sports books, I would highly recommend this unabridged aud..."

I just had to purchase a book for a book club ("The Lonely Polygamist") and decided to pick this one up at the same time. Looks interesting! I also bought a copy of "Room" at the same time and am looking forward to reading it too.

Anyone else frustrated with the state of affairs in the bookseller world? If I bought the book i needed at the local store, it would cost me $15. If I purchase it on-line from exactly the same company (the BN empire) it's $8.95 and at $25 worth of purchases I get free shipping - so basically i get to choose between 3 paperback books for $27 or one paperback book for $15. Hm...

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

A wild romp through the major events from the 1930's through the 60's as seen through the eyes of Kingsolver's fictional writer, Harrison Shepherd. Shepherd, a product of both Mexican and American cultures, ends up involved with the leaders of the Communist party even though he has no political convictions of his own.

While the book is certainly about Shepherd, there is another character that I absolutely fell in love with - Violet Brown. Mrs Brown is a no nonsense, simple, straight talking woman, hired by Shepherd to be his "stenographer" who has her life turned upside down by Shepherd and his odd collection of friends. For me it is Violet Brown who elevates this tale from simply interesting to great fun.

I very much enjoyed this book and Kingsolver's narration of it was spot on. She does a fantastic job of the various voices and her voicing of Violet Brown was exactly how I would expect this lady to sound. Highly recommended.

Condoleezza Rice by Elisabeth Bumiller

"History is made by those who show up." - Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli

Condoleezza Rice is one of those people, who for better or worse, showed up at a critical time in history. I am not a student of politics, nor particularly interested in the pros and cons of her terms as National Security Adviser and Secretary of State, but I am interested in how a black woman from the era I grew up in came to be the first black woman to hold the position of Secretary of State.

This particular telling of Rice's story is adequate but not particularly compelling. I learned a lot about Rice, but at the end didn't feel like I got to know her, just about her (if that make sense).

I'm glad I listened to the biography, it wasn't a waste of time, but I may try now to track down a book written by Rice for the next time.

Donna wrote: "Anyone else frustrated with the state of affairs in the bookseller world? ... so basically i get to choose between 3 paperback books for $27 or one paperback book for $15. Hm..."

Hi Donna,

Such an interesting comment about the dilemma of buying local and supporting local businesses vs. purchasing online. It's even worse with stores in California - sales tax is 8.25% and there is no sales tax if you purchase from you-know-who.com. As much as book sellers want to hope that consumers want to support local businesses - it's not something that we can bank on. It will be interesting to see how the book industry evolves!

I've been backed up on my reviews and postings, but here are a few of my favorite audiobooks recently...

The Art of Mindful Living: How to Bring Love, Compassion and Inner Peace into Your Daily Life by Thich Nhat Hanh

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Although this amazing audiobook is only 2 hours long, it packs a lot of info and insight in those 2 hours. A combination of story and practice I found myself listening to parts of this audiobook again and again to try and absorb the amazing amount of material presented. Powerful and high impact.

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Ethan Frome is a man trapped in a loveless marriage to a bitter and miserable woman. His wife, Zenobia, always complaining about her imagined illnesses, sends for a poor cousin, Mattie, to help out in the house and care for her. Ethan falls in love with Mattie and is given the difficult choice of finding love and happiness in an immoral relationship with Mattie, or following society's conventions and spending the rest of his life, as a miserable hen-pecked husband.



Although this story is short, it immediately captivated me. Told as a flashback from a stranger who Ethan helps out in a cold winter storm, there is a constant sense of foreboding. I listened to this as an audiobook, read by George Guidall - excellent narration. Although this story is short, there is one scene from this book that will stay with me always (no spoilers here though...).

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I had seen the movie version of this book years ago, so I knew that this would be a humorous story about a mental hospital and the smart aleck patient Randle McMurphy and his battles against the evil Nurse Ratched. But as usual, the book is SO much better than the movie - and the movie was pretty good. McMurphy gets himself admitted to a mental hospital to avoid time at a prison work camp. His wing of the hospital is run by a sadistic Nurse Ratched who on the exterior appears kind, but gets pleasure by cruelly demeaning the patients. At first, McMurphy pulls pranks to entertain himself and his fellow patients, but eventually, he becomes the leader and savior of the inmates. The story is told through the eyes of Chief Bromden, a half Indian inmate who appears mute and has been a patient for years. What I loved about this book is the transformation of both McMurphy and Bromden, both overcoming some inner demons to become the heroes of the story. The audiobook was amazing - impressively narrated by Tom Parker. Loved it!

If it's possible to combine heavy subject matter and light comedy together, that's what Nick Hornby did with A Long Way Down. Hornby often deals with heavy, mature topics such as teen pregnancy in Slam. In A Long Way Down, he tells the story of four random people who come together by happenstance at the top of an infamous "suicide spot" building in London on New Years, all with the plan to jump. The story is told in first person perspective in a rotation from each of the four prospective jumpers. What brought each of these four to consider suicide is an interesting tale, but what happens in the next 90 days after New Year's is just as interesting.

Warning: The book is very heavy on cursing, an issue which isn't a big deal in print but may be off-putting in audiobook version.

Light fiction required after reading..

The Help. It was great!

Jillian wrote: "The Help. It was great!"

Jillian - i read the help instead of listening to it and still loved it. Wonderful book.