Challenge: 50 Books discussion
*Retired* 2008 Lists
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Jamie J's List
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Hi Jamie, What did you think of Cane River? I read it a couple of years ago and I thought it a powerful book.
Hello Celeste,I also found it to be very powerful. The first half was a little shaky for me though. Once I was into the second half, I was hooked though. Have you read "The Known World", by Ken P. Jones? It was quite possibly the best book I read last year. If you haven't read it, I'd suggest adding it to your list.
farewell-
18. Second Civil War- Ron Brownstein19. The Terror Presidency- Jack Goldstein
20. Black Faces, Black Interests- Carol Swain21. Night- Elie Wiesel
22. Notes on a Scandal-Zoe HellerI actually really enjoyed this book, I found it fascinating with excellent character development. It is short and worth the time. Not life changing but a solid read.
23. Cloud Atlas- David MitchellWow, what to say about this one? I had read fabulous reviews and was expecting the moon and stars. The book is a series of six "nesting" stories that appear to be disconnected. The technique was interesting, and I was very curious about how it all fit together, but in the end I was left disappointed. I would say it did not live up to its expectations.
Good, not great.
24. Love in the time of Cholera- Garcia Marquez25. 1491- Charles C. Mann
26. Amsterdam- Ian McEwan27. Atonement- Ian McEwan
Interesting, but neither changed my life. Solid 3.5 stars, both of them.
I know what you are saying about Cloud Atlas. I think Mitchell had a really great idea but didn't quite hit the mark with me. He got his start in short stories and really exploded on the market as a hot ticket young writer, but he seems wrapped up in technique which fails seemingly disconnected stories' plots. I would agree that it was definitely a downer, but Atonement? Really? You felt it was only blasé?
28. Marching Home-To War and Back with the Men of one American Town- Kevin Coyne
I would not say only mediocre. It was better than average but not excellent. I think my expectations were too high. I enjoyed it, I would recommend it, but I wouldn't put it in the pile of books I would never part with.
29. The Yiddish Policemen's Union- Michael ChabonI really did not enjoy this book at all. I started it in July and put it down several times to pick up things I found more enjoyable. I finally finished it and really- I just don't get it. I was ok, well written but the plot gets lost with all of the forced dialog with way too many yiddish references for me to follow.
two stars
30. 1776 -David McCullough31. New Black Middle Class -Bart Landry
35. The Tyrannicide Brief- Geoffrey Robinson36. Plot Against America- Philip Roth
37. Supreme Court: Personalities and Rivalries that Shaped the Court- Jeffrey Rosen
38. Federal Budget- Allan Schick39. Social Stratification- Kerbo
2. As Meat Loves Salt-Maria McCann
3. Glass Castle-Jeannette Walls
4. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close-Jonathan Safran Foer
5. Everything is Illuminated- Jonathan Safran Foer
6. Man Walks into a Room- Nichole Krauss
7. Salt Dancers- Ursula Hegi
8. Virgin Suicides- Jeffrey Eugenides
9. Life of Pi- Yann Martel
10. Cane River- Lalita Tademy
11. Rapture of Canaan- Sheri Reynolds
12. Sister North- Jim Kokoris
13. Almost Moon- Alice Sebold
14. Beloved- Toni Morrison
15. Color Purple- Alice Walker
16. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress-Dai Sijie and Ina Rilke