A blog with no posts.

Attention readers: (read: no-one is here.)

Too much trouble to keep up two blogs, so read here for these books, or click back to my main page for new posts.

Thanks.

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd

I did love The Secret Life of Bees, and recall somewhat poorly that the book was about a girl learning more about her mother who had long gone in some fashion.  When I read what this book was about, I found out that it sounded like it would be along the same lines, but instead of the house and beekeepers, it would be about some chair of some kind.  Instead the book read more interestingly, allowing for different perspectives, more angles, more drama, and yet still was provoking in a sense.  Basically a grown woman finds out that her mother has finally gone over the top (cutting off a finger with a cleaver) and rushes out to the island on which she lives to check and figure the mother out.  Of course she falls in love with someone who is not her husband… and on and on in the way you could imagine.  But it’s good, well written, and I just had to finish it this morning.  That good, huh?  Indeed.

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

I had to Link+ to get this book meaning that it was borrowed from another school in California, limiting my reading time. It had to be returned before I left for Chicago, and thus was only half way finished. Since I do have the audiobook on the computer I'm hoping to finish it up that way, becuase it really was enrapturing and deserves a fighting and finishing chance.

I remember Anna reading the book and saying how gross it was, making her hate fast food more than she even did before. I only read half, however, and noted not too many gross things. Unjust and strange things perhaps, but nothing to upset my stomach thus far. I've read about the origins of the majority of the fast food restaurants, the workers, how the companies are in cohoots with the government as far as law making concerning them goes, about potatoes, about the flavouring for all of the processed foods (which lose their flavour, and thus need the extra drop or so made in a factory), and just about made it up to cows and the beef.

I found the book to be wholly fascinating, and am glad to have taken it up and in. A side note that I found to be ironic: one of the associations doing things for the fast food corporations is called the National Restaurant Association, nothing too strange -- except the letters spell NRA, reminding me of the other organization with the same name... I mean all people have their own thoughts on the organization dealing with guns, but it just clicked to me. hmm....

Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephan Dubner

Wow. This was such a fascinating book that I had to read it at all free moments of camp, and then finish it last night. Levitt is a economist who investigates a series of topics from real estate agents, the KKK, drug dealers, criminals, and the effects of names of children. He has plenty of data to back him up, making the book read more like an interesting case study on each of the topics, and it is not only easy to read, but grabs right out at you. It has very little to say about economics in the more traditional sense, as Levitt himself is a nonconformist one might say... Just fantastic, and I wholly recommend it to anyone. Really really.

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

Ah. Recommended by an aunt, found to be wonderful. These are the types of books that I love. Plotline goes like this: All these rich, political people find themselves in a poor country celebrating a Japanese man's birthday, but then they get kidnapped by terrorists within the house. The terrorists want the president, who isn't there, and they keep the hostages for a good while. And what's a book like this without killing? Well you'd have to read to find out all about it. The characters are wonderfully portrayed, well written, and the writing about opera makes me wish I had gone once to see it myself. Oh yeah, they keep an opera singer in the house too, and she sang for the birthday party and then later while they were kept in the house too. An interesting play of characters, if not entirely believable... Great, just great.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

If you knew anything about me, you should have seen this post coming. Note that this book was long, yet I didn't want it to end. Aw. Now another 2 years until the seventh and final book comes out. Since I promised I wouldn't spoil it, let me just say that I was amazed at what happened and leave it at that. Anyone who talked to me about this book before it came out will know that I am deeply sad that they were right and I was wrong, however I'm still hopeful to the end. Stupid stupid characters. The book held my attention well, had it's high and low points, and was all in all better than the past few. Well written, and had a level of more maturity [as it should for we learned all this in "Economics and Children's Literature" class]. But it really was good, great, fabulous even. Read it or .. doom. haha. An interesting twist that no one saw coming and an ending to match all the greatest. Not just another wait...

The Grim Grotto by Lemony Snicket

Another audio book completed. You know how this series is progressing, and this one just matched the others. But the only problem is that this time it's the end for me. Or I'm out of these on audiobook downloaded from somewhere, so now I actually have to find out if there's another one in the series written already... oh boy.

Ya-Yas in Bloom by Rebecca Wells

Ah. If you've loved the other ya-ya books, then you'll like this one too. To recap: the first ya-ya book was awesome, the second (little alters everywhere) was semi-depressing, and sort of ruined the first, becuase it told you how really messed up everyone was. And then we get to this one, the third book -- which was great, and although it goes off onto the 2nd and 3rd generation of the ya-yas, it was great nonetheless. So, if you'd liked the others, you'll like this one too. Yay for the ya-yas.

The Slippery Slope (10) by Lemony Snicket

This one was about them finding VFD headquarters if you know what I mean. It's all very secretive, and they even lose Violet's first love. Stupid stupid children. But it was fun nonetheless, much in the same fashion as the last one. :)

The Carnivorous Carnival by Lemony Snicket

I love audiobooks. This and the next book were listened to during work as I scanned in hundreds and hundreds of photos. Anyway, the book itself. Well I do like the series, and it all carries on in the same way - no literary techniques, not really, too much explaining of "big words" cause it is a kids book, but fun anyway. Got a few more left on audiobook to read/listen to so I'll finish them all hopefully.

The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach

A great book. Nothing literary, or moving, but just the ideas are right-on. Although I'm not of the age where making money is really an issue, nor is investing, buying a house, buying stock, or etcetc. It makes me think anyway, for as soon as I've got a job, I know what to do. This is a good book for when you're going into working, working for real -- full time with a retirement fund and all that. It would make a good gift in my opinion, and reading it now might be good as would reading it then. Fantabulous!

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

A good read I suppose. I'd heard that Sedaris' books were fabulous, and thus was a little let down. I was also suprised to find out his sexual preferences, assuming that at least some of the book is realistic and autobiographical. I never would have guessed, and I suppose that his take on everything was partially startling, not that there was anything wrong one way or another, it was just strange yet interesting to read. Either way, I grew to like the book more and more, and am glad to have finally taken the time to read one of his books. I know he's written 3 others, but I'll get to them eventually. It's written in an interesting style seeming to speak to himself rather than the reader or something odd, but it's fairly comforting and inviting as far as the stories go. Good good I say.

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Now... I have never heard of anyone who couldn't stop themselves from shopping themselves, and even when she kind of starts to stop, she just can't. This book does remind me of Bridget Jones in some ways, with all the british things, "shops," but all in all it was cute nonetheless. Yes, it is a girly book, and yes, I stayed up way to late finishing it, but it was quick and light and easy. If you're female and of the chick lit type: then this book is for you, otherwise, I'd probably leave it off your list, but if you ever felt so horrible for someone like this girl, why I can't imagine. Anyway, that's just another off the list. On to something more serious for the next perhaps...

The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby

This book... fabulous. Although he reads a lot of things I would never read, almost 90% of what he reads, he still manages to keep me entertained with his blabber. It really is good, somewhat boring I'd think if you don't like reading, but for me -- I stayed up late last night to finish it. And it caused the beginning of this website. Some of the books he read I'd actually like to read, and some I have read. Although the number of those I could count on one hand. Other than that it really was enjoyable even though it was about books, and it made me want to read more, never a bad thing. So all in all - if you like reading, this book's for you... otherwise ask me personally if it's for YOU becuase it might just be boring if you're that kind of person. It was light and funny, and the passages picked out from the books he was reading that given month were interesting. It's worked as a sort of personal tale along with a description of writing and reading in general and of course... boooks. Hoorah!

A Blog for Books

So this'll be it... A blog for all the books I can read. And yes I can read, hence the title of the page.