I set a goal at the beginning of the year to read 26 books. That’s one every two weeks. With only 11 weeks left to go, I’m half way to my goal. I’ve read several books from my original want-to-read list and several that I’ve found along the way. Here’s what I’ve read so far and brief thoughts on them.
Firefly Summer by Maeve Binchy. I reviewed this when I read it. In a few words, though, I loved it.
Irish America: Coming Into Clover by Maureen Dezell. I grabbed this at Half-Price Books on a whim. It’s about the Irish immigrant experience in America and the way they were and are perceived and portrayed. It was a light, easy read for a potentially dry subject. I had once tried to read “How the Irish Became White,” which is on a similar theme, and couldn’t get through more than a few pages.
Sherlock Holmes and the Ice Palace Murders: From the American Chronicles of John H. Watson, M.D.by Larry Millett. I love this book. I’ve never read the real Sherlock Holmes books but Millett’s books mimic their style but are set in Minnesota. You know I’m a sucker for that. I also love a good mystery and this one kept me guessing till the end.
Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss & Love by Matt Logelin. The story of how Matt Logelin lost is wife in childbirth and made a desperate call for help online is well-known here in the Twin Cities. I have friends who know Matt well. So I knew I had to read this book as soon as it came out. I normally would read a sappy memoir like this so it’s hard for me to give a fair review but I thought it was well done for the most part, and I recommend it if you’re looking for a good cry.
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (Wicked Years, #1) by Gregory Maguire. I wanted to like this book but gave up around page 120. It was tawdry, slow-moving, dull and so, so long. I would like to see the musical though.
Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse, #10) by Charlaine Harris. Sookie Stackhouse is my guilty pleasure. This wasn’t the best in the series but it beats a sharp stick to the eye. And I needed something I knew I’d enjoy after the “Wicked” debacle.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver. I love how she waxes poetical about vegetables while giving useful information. I was inspired to grow my own food (if I had a space too) and learned some useful tips for doing so even though it’s not an instructional manual per se.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. I really enjoyed it up until the point where the missionary family left the African village. The final third of the book could have been about half the length, or less. I enjoyed how it was written from the perspective of five different characters.
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. Except for the socialism campaigning at the end, this was a compelling story. And it’s eyeopening how though many things have changed in the last 100 years, there is much still the same.
Welcome to the Great Mysteriousby Lorna Landvik. I’ve never read anything by this Minnesota author that I didn’t like. This one is a heart-warming tale about a woman who finds her true self while caring for her nephew, a task she dreaded immensely. This was exactly the kind of book I needed after those last two depressing ones.
The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King. This is a prelude to a trilogy, and I’m excited to read the rest. Thought I got hooked on Stephen King because of his classic horror novels like “It,” I prefer his non-horror novels, like this one about a medieval prince framed for his father’s murder by an evil magician.
Waiting for SUPERMAN: A Participant Media Guide. I haven’t seen the movie “Waiting for ‘Superman,’” which this is meant to go along with. But I know the basic premise of it. This book is basically a series of essays about the U.S. educational system, the reforms needed or in progress and some rebuttals to the movie. It was very eye-opening and included a lot of facts and data as well as ideas and ideals.
Dracula by Bram Stoker. It took a LONG time to get to the action/point but once it did, it was fascinating. I love that the book spends very little time on scenes involving Dracula himself. It is focused on the two women who he victimized and the four men out to get revenge for them. The old-fashioned language is a bit hard to get through. But overall, worth reading.
I am now reading A Secret Gift: How One Man’s Kindness–and a Trove of Letters–Revealed the Hidden History of the Great Depression” by Ted Gup. I’m about half way through and it is fascinating. Gup’s grandfather anonymously gave $5 to 150 families in Canton, Ohio, in 1933. Gup researched the families, what they were going through in 1933 and how they and their descendents have since fared. In his research, he learned a lot about his grandfather, including that he lied about his early life, fabricating official documents to hid his status as a Romanian Jew and concealing a stint in prison.Still to read (You can keep track with me at GoodReads.com)
WickedFirefly Summer by Maeve BinchyThe Minnesota Table- Hinds’ Feet on High Places
- There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life- Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard
The Poisonwood Bible- The Help
- The Not So Big Life (I started this and then abandoned it. It’s more of a project than a book!)
- Me Talk Pretty One Day
- House of Sand and Fog
- The Power of Less
Two Kisses for Maddy- The Forgotten Garden (recommended by Sarah)
- The Girls from Ames: A Story of Women and a Forty-Year Friendship (recommended by Lauren)
- Growing, Older: A Chronicle of Death, Life and Vegetables (recommended by Katie)
- A year of living Biblically (also recommended by Katie)
I’ve always wanted to read The Jungle. I’ve even started it a few times, but I always end up getting too mad about the plight of poor immigrants that I have to set it aside.
I’d also like to see Waiting for Superman. Maybe I will check the library for the companion book.
Thanks for sharing!
Yes, it is definitely anger-inducing to see how people can so callously treat fellow humans as tools or animals to be used up and thrown out.
You are doing great!! I felt the same way about Wicked. And had the same thoughts about “animal, vegetable…” but I had additional thoughts of her being a bit snooty. thoughts???
I think someone else said that when I was thinking of reading it. I really didn’t think so though. Obviously she is more well-to-do than most of us and I don’t think there was any need for her to pretend otherwise.
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