The Book Page

I add books as I finish them. The ones with a star (*) are the ones I recommend. I’ve indicated which are audiobooks and which of the audiobooks I’ve gotten from LibriVox. When possible, books are linked to my local independent bookstore, Bookworks, with whom I am now affiliated. The LibriVox audiobooks are usually linked directly to their description/download page. I’m also the happy owner of a Sony eReader. I use this gadget to take advantage of my library’s digital offerings and those provided by Gutenberg. If I’ve gotten a book from Gutenberg, I’ve provided a link to the download page. Happy reading.

August 2010
You Are Not a Gadget by Jaron Lanier.
*The Book of Lost Things by John Connoly.
Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich. Always fun.
  The Variable Man by Philip K. Dick (LibriVox audio). Classic sci-fi from the author of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? the novel on which the movie Blade Runner was based. If you like sci-fi I recommend both.
*Days of Awe by Achy Obejas. This is another beautifully written book. It is, I believe, semi-autobiographical and provides invaluable perspective on what it’s like to be Cuban and Jewish. The book’s descriptions of contemporary Cuba alone, however, make it worth reading
The Lazarus Project by Aleksandar Hemon. This was a well written novel; nevertheless, I found it rather tedious. It goes back and forth in time from an anti-Semitic event in turn of the 20th century Chicago to the present day. The main character is a writer doing research in Eastern Europe concerning the older event. There’s probably a better synopsis somewhere else, but unless you really want to read depressing Jewish semi-history, I wouldn’t bother.
July 2010

I did a bit better this month, although mostly these books are the reading equivalent of comfort food.

*The Tale of Halcyon Crane by Wendy Webb. This was the book club pick for July. It’s another excellent story that I devoured in a day. I love escaping into books featuring cold, gloomy weather when it’s crazy hot outside.
Pirahna to Scurfy and Other Stories by Ruth Rendell. An entertaining novella and a couple of short stories. (audiobook)
  Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie. (via Gutenberg)
  The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (via Gutenberg)
June 2010

I came out of the May hangover and managed to finish two books:

*The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. This was the book club pick for July. It’s a raging good story. The book was long (>350 pages) and I was worried about getting it finished on time. I couldn’t put it down and finished in three days.The book goes back and forth in time and usually when I read a book that does this, I find myself rushing through one time period to get to the bits I really like in the other time period. In this case, however, the storylines and characters in all of the different time periods were so compelling that I really couldn’t say I liked one more than another.Final word—it’s definitely more of a ‘chick’ book; but I’m a ‘chick’ so I’m OK with that.
  *The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Read it. It’s a classic. (via Gutenberg)
May 2010

May is a really busy month here at Casa de Lamb and Frog, so I didn’t get much reading done. I read a little of this, a little of that but, unfortunately, finished nothing (or nothing I can remember).

April 2010

I read several books this month, all of them good. Next month I may try to finish some I’ve had ‘in process’ for a while.

The Pandora Prescription by James Sheridan. While I’m not giving this book a star, I did really, really enjoy it. Great literature it’s not. A great (and I mean great) airplane book it most certainly is. I could not put it down and devoured the entire 400 pages in a day. If you need a back-up book for The Ice Harvest, this is a good choice.
*Day of Tears by Julian Lester. This is a young adult novel (or novel in dialogue) that won the Coretta Scott King Book Award for authors in 2006. I like books that handle difficult subject matter well. By well, I mean in a way that fosters intelligent dialogue without being preachy or (even tougher) depressing. This is a book I recommend for everyone, but especially parents and children. For an equally well-handled treatment of an equally difficult subject I also recommend The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne. This book has also been made into a movie, but I’m not sure I’m up to watching it.
Time and Again by Jack Finney. This was the book club pick for May. It was good; and entertaining enough to buy a cheap, used copy of the sequel. Entertaining and a great picture of historical New York. Still, if I’m looking for historical novels about New York I’m going to pick Caleb Carr.
*The Ice Harvest by Scott Phillips. This is the book club pick for June (my month). It’s dark and funny and darkly funny—like reading an episode of The Sopranos or a Quentin Tarantino movie script. It’s also short, fast, and fun. It would make a fine ‘airplane’ book, but you will probably be needing a back-up book for when you finish. Boss Julie (not to be confused with Kentucky Julia) says there’s a movie based on the book starring John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton and directed by Harold Ramis. Guess what’s going in the Netflix queue.
*My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell. This was the book club pick for April. Everyone liked it—even me (and I have been hating reading memoirs lately). It was a long winter here in ‘Burque and this book made me feel warm all over.
  D-99 by H.B. Fife (LibriVox Audio). Rather enjoyable sci-fi story.
March 2010
  .32 Caliber by Donald McGibney (LibriVox Audio).
  The Haunted Hotel by Wilkie Collins (LibriVox Audio). It was O.K. I hope The Moonstone is better.
  The House of a Thousand Candles by Meredith Nicholson (LibriVox Audio)


*Ruins by Achy Obejas. This book is amazing, stunning, evocative, beautiful. I just loved it.
February 2010


 London Calling by Edward Bloor. This young adult/children’s novel is an entertaining piece of historical fiction. Although obviously geared toward a younger audience (it’s not particularly complex or nuanced) this book tells an engaging story that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.


Finger Lickin’ Fifteen by Janet Evanovich – My favorite book-flavored junk food.
January 2010


 *The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga – This is excellent. I don’t normally read ‘ethnic’ fiction (fiction with foreign protagonists in foreign places). I’m not sure why. Maybe because so much of it is just so sad. This manages to give a realistic portrayal of life in modern India without being a total downer.
  Absolute Pi by Ron & Carol McAdoo (audio)
  The Mystery of the Four Fingers by Fred M. White (LibriVox audio)