101 Books to Read Before You Die discussion

Agree with you Irene. Reading and . Both very strange.

The Blue Notebook by James Levine

I absolutely believe that the disenfranchised, oppressed, abused and all the other voiceless of society should find a place in the pages of fiction. In fact, fiction may be the one place where they may be given a name and a story. So, it is not the subject matter of this novel that I object to. This 15 year old Mumbai prostitute, sold into the sex trade at the age of 9 has as much right to be a star of fiction as any beautiful princess or brilliant detective. My problem is that the writing was inadequate. The narrator writes with a vocabulary rarely used by college students, yet she has only received a few months of education. Similes are employed that do not seem likely given the narrator’s background. I understand that those who are brutalized often become emotionally deadened, but this story and its characters were simply lifeless, flatter than a Gumbie doll.

Housekeeping by Marilyn Robinson

I did not expect what I found in this book. At times, I felt as if it were as elusive as the ghosts that populated the memories of its characters. I just finished it and am tempted to turn back to the front page and begin again immediately. I skated across the surface of the narrative; now I need to tread the water of its images. Some day, maybe I will have the courage to plunge under the words to dare to encounter the deeper themes.

Finished

A daughter given born into the Mumbai slums, given up for adoption for a chance of survival. A childless couple the other side of the world in California adopt her.

3 stars

My Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I am currently reading Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison

I have loved every second of it so far! I would highly recommend this book to someone who wants to more a little more about the American prison system, specifically minimum-security facilities. This memoir is incredible.

My apologies if this book has been covered in this group, as I'm a little new to the group and don't quite know the ins and outs yet!

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

I liked the second half better than the first part of this spoof on the popular chivalrous legends of the day there are wonderfully laugh-out-loud scenes as well as sarcastic witty observations. The first part contained several lengthy autonomous stories which lacked the humor and sheer entertainment of the Don Quixote sections. I am glad I did not quit during these subsections. It is amazing that so much of what is ridiculed in human nature remains relevant.

Irene, kudos for getting through the whole thing! I read pieces of it in college, in my final semester, meaning we were reading it in the original, rather archaic Spanish, which about like trying to read Deuteronomy, in my opinion. I couldn't handle it after awhile, but I don't know if that's just because I was totally burnt out on Spanish literature at the time or if I just didn't like the book. I'll have to try it another time and give it a fair chance.

How long is it, by the way? I remember it seemed quite lengthy, but maybe that was just my perception?

It was 975 pages.
I read the translation by Edith Grosman which was extremely readable for a modern reader.

Yup, that's another reason I haven't gone back to it. I'm not scared of long books, but that one was hard! One day, one day...

Finished

Deep issues, psychic night, and chocolate don't quite knit together for me in this one. 2 stars.

here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Call of the Wild by Jack London

Generally not a fan of books written from the pov of an animal. But, the writing is so stellar that it overcame my ambivalence.

Finished 4 stars

Beautiful story full of magic, and generations spanning 300 years in the quaint town of Blackwell, MA. If you enjoy a book that spans time and different stories that interlock with each other, this one is for you.

Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Call of the Wild by Jack London

Generally not a fan of books written from the pov of an animal. But, the writing is so stellar that it overcame my ambivalence.


To Siberia by Per Petterson

This is the memories of a childhood in the 1930s & 1940s in a small town in
Denmark, in a fragile family at a turbulent time in the world by a narrator who believes that all her significant living and loving was experienced by the age of 23. Had this not been told by an incredibly gifted pen, the short novel would have fallen very flat. But, this author creates a stunning tapestry out of very slender threads.

Finished

Another book to love by Jojo Moyes :) A solid 4 star read. Occupied France during WWI, A Painting with a mysterious past, Enter present day girl that needs to be found...

Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Reading The Signature of All Things The Signature of All Thingsand really enjoying this. Very well written.

Finished A solid 3.5 stars

Alice has early onset Alzheimer's disease. A heartbreaking look into what happens when your brain starts to diminish over time. Really opened my eyes to this, and cannot imagine living with this.

My Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Britany wrote: "Finished

Another book to love by Jojo Moyes :) A solid 4 star read. Occupied France during WWI, A Painting with a mysterious past, Ent..."

I just picked this up from the library last night. I read Me Before You this year, and it was the best book I read in 2013!

Yes, me too!! Loved that one! Haven't read a book by her that I didn't love :) Can't wait to see what you think Sandra!

Tell The Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

I had opened this book with very high expectations for an amazing read, hopes inspired by the praise surrounding it. I closed the book disappointed. This young adult book is narrated by a 15 year old girl recalling a six month pivotal period during the previous year. Her beloved uncle, the object of an adolescent crush, has just died of AIDS and she transfers her affections to his partner, also dying of the disease. The year is 1986, so fear of this unfolding epidemic and its stigma serves as a backdrop. The book tackles themes crucial to adolescent maturation: the inappropriate first crush, sibling jealousy, and grief’s power to create a sense of isolation. The voice consistently approximates that of a young teen, but it always had the ring of an adult attempting to mirror a teen, never truly that of a teen. Maybe I projected myself into the narration too personally, being close to the age of the narrator, growing up in the same part of the country, but many details just did not feel plausible, such as the interaction between June and Toby, not by my experience of that time and place. As a young adult novel, I am not the target audience. This makes it difficult for me to honestly critique the book. So, I can only admit that it did not impress this adult reader.

Starting and this is a totally different departure from her previous books.

Irene wrote: "Tell The Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

I had opened this book with very high expectations for an amazing read, hopes inspired by the praise surrounding it. I closed the book disappointed. ..."

I felt a lot of that when I read it, too, Irene. Had a hard time "buying" it.

Finished

WWII, two best friends, plane crash lands them both in very different circumstances...

3 stars. Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished "A Confident Heart" by Renee Swope. Generally not a fan of the self-improvement book, usually find their advice rather simplistic.

Reading and others.

Finished

Murder, Mayhem, Political races, Bribery

3 stars! Was slower than I would've liked...

Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I just finished , which is about the creation of Twitter. It's been optioned to be made into a TV series. If you use Twitter, you ought to read the book.

For my Christmas reads, I just finished and . Will soon be starting .

"World Without End" by Ken Follett

Set in the early 1300s, this is the story of life in the cathedral town of Kingsbridge where the men are all greedy, the women are all jealous and the powerful are corrupt. This is a sufficient novel; the prose is serviceable, the characters are uncomplicated and the historical research is on prominent display. I found much highly implausible, but I do not think the author expected his reader to think too deeply about the events recounted. In fact, he appears to assume that the reader is paying little attention to the text since many details are repeated over and over as if the reader would haven forgotten what was told 25 pages previous.

Finished

Majorly disappointed with this non- fiction read about a couple that owns a zoo and how they managed to hide and ultimately save over 300 Jews in occupied Poland. Writing was too disjointed and the true story did not flow together. Frankly, I'm glad I'm finally done with it.

2 stars

Reading The King's Grave: The Discovery of Richard III's Lost Burial Place and the Clues It Holds and The Kept: A Novel both very good.

Irene wrote: ""World Without End" by Ken Follett

Set in the early 1300s, this is the story of life in the cathedral town of Kingsbridge where ..."

I read the The Pillars of the Earth recently. I found it to be on the shallow and predictable side. I see you think much the same of of its sequel.

Bound Feet And Western Dreams by Pang Mei Natasha Chang

I am very partial to oral history, so this book was a good fit for me. The author was born and raised in Connecticut by immigrants from China. Although she had always known that her paternal family was prominent in China prior to the revolution, she was surprised to see her paternal great aunt’s name in a college text book. That unexpected revelation inspired her to interview her great aunt and record her story. I was fascinated with the everyday details of life in China in the early 1900s. I was far less impressed with the accounts of the author’s own life which began each chapter. These short sections did not add anything to the book.


Christmas In Plains by Jimmy Carter

Yes Mike, I found it very predictable and rather formulaic.

The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom

Trite, sophomoric, a pathetic knock-off of the premise for It’s A Wonderful Life.

Finished 4 stars! I stayed up late last night because I had to know how this one was going to end. I wasn't expecting this book to have that dystopian type feel to it, but was pleasantly surprised... lots of good discussion points...

Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Wasn't it fascinating? such a deep thinking book!

Yes!! I commented on your review, but so much to discuss!!

(view spoiler)[ I couldn't believe it was set in the 1990s and the book ended up incorporating a dystopian theme. I didn't see that coming!! Also, I can't believe they were used as clones basically for medical science! I kept waiting for them to make a break for it! I wonder why there was no revolt? It didn't seem like they were prisoners being watched, but maybe with Kathy as the narrator, she didn't talk about that... (hide spoiler)]

Still Life by Louise Penny

This is a fun who-done-it populated with quirky characters set in a quaint village of unpretentious artistic geniuses.

Britany, (view spoiler)[I think the author was going more for the whole mentality around things that we accept as society, but shouldn't, rather than them revolting against their specific slavery. They were resigned to it, and I think that's what's most telling. In many ways in our society, we are resigned to things that simply should not be. But we don't see a way to change them. (hide spoiler)]

Just finished The Stories of John Cheever. Somehow, this extensive collection took me 5 weeks to read. Large collections can seem after a time, derivative, as the author explores common themes. However, some of Cheever's work is brilliant.

Alana, I think you're right, but man how frustrating!!! Really great book! Won't forgot this one anytime soon :)

Right now I'm halfway through A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution: 1891-1924 and halfway through the Night Angel trilogy by Brent Weeks. The second book was a recommendation from my boyfriend, as it's his favourite fantasy novel. I'm surprised by how much I'm enjoying it.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

A 35 year old man who has become a quadriplegic when hit by a car sees his limited life as pointless. A 26 year old woman, emotionally crippled by a traumatic experience 6 years earlier, lives a life that seems directionless. When she accepts employment as his care-giver, their mutual impact on each other is predictably heart-warming. For the most part, Moyes strove valiantly to keep the wheels of this novel out of the rut of sentimentality. Difficult questions were raised without providing facile answers. For some reason I can’t understand, very short sections through out the novel were told from the voice of a character other than the primary narrator. These added nothing to the story, but managed to distract and to remind the reader that this was merely a piece of fiction and not anyone’s actual story.

Finished !! I absolutely loved this book!! 5 stars for me

Leisel Meminger steals books, and an interesting narrator tells us her story weaving in compassion, Nazi Germany, and friendship. Will not forget this one!

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Among other things I am reading a YA novel The Golden Day, it is set in Australia and I am enthralled.

I started A Game of Thrones last week and loving it so far. I have seen the series and the book so far is pretty much the same as the HBO adaptation. Can't wait to read the rest of them.

Andrew’s Brain by E.L. Doctorow

This short volume functions as a character sketch rather than a novel. It is the conversation (more of a monologue) between a man who has suffered some sort of psychotic break and his psychiatrist. It is never clear what is fact and what is fantasy, what is memory and what is delusion. But through this psychotic recounting of this man’s life, the insanity in much of society is brought into question. Andrew is the “holy fool: to a society that is a grand “pretender”. This is less of an engaging read, than a thought provoking experience. The writing is outstanding.

Finished

A book for book lovers, 4 stars overall.

Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finally made it to the library and picked up The Giver and The Diary of a Young Girl today. Hope to start at least one of them tonight.