Two Coots in a Canoe: An Unusual Story of Friendship
By David E. Morine
This was a great story that gave me a good taste of what New England might be like. Being a great lover of rivers myself, I found it to be entertaining and thought provoking. The ending really caught me off guard though. I guess I should have seen it coming seeing how the book started, but it completely took me by surprise.
Because of this book I've added a canoe trip down the Connecticut River to my bucket list.
Sep 11, 2010
This is Where I Leave You
By Jonathan Tropper
Another one of those books that almost leaves you exhausted. Not in a bad way though. It's just that so much happens, with so much detail. A great book. Thanks HM.
Feb 6, 2010
A Confederacy of Dunces
By John Kennedy Toole
I wasn't a real fan of this book. It was actually hard to read. It reminded a lot of The Catcher in the Rye as a matter of fact. I've read several books like this in my life and can't say I really enjoyed them. It seems like books that came out in the late sixties and are supposed classics have always disappointed me. This one made me long for New Orleans though.
Jan 22, 2010
Heat Lightning
By John Sandford
Just needed a little mindless entertainment. I like that these books take place in Minnesota, many of the locales are familiar to me. Not bad.
Jan 18, 2010
Born to Run
By Christopher McDougall
A great book that really spoke to the notion of perseverance and the idea that a person can do whatever they put their mind to. This was another one I couldn't put down. In fact it inspired me to look inward and set a few running goals for myself. I also liked how the author peppered in facts and figures about nutrition, the human body and the back country of Mexico. Highly recommended.
Jan 10, 2010
The Corrections
By Jonathan Franzen
This book was sort of like a car accident. It was at times uncomfortable to read, but while at the same I couldn't put it down. Peering deep into the lives of others, even when fictional is very absorbing. A great book.
In Other Rooms, Other Wonders
By Daniyal Mueenuddin
Heartbreaking, but oh so good to read. I love when authors are able to relate such rich detail. A few of the stories ended so abruptly, like a bomb, leaving me sad. It also gave me a great mental picture of the countryside in Pakistan, particularly the Punjab.
Jan 7, 2010
The Broker
By John Grisham
Got about half way through this one and figured out that I had read it before...which wasn't a bad thing. It was an entertaining read. Makes me want to go to Italy. nice to see the bad guy get away with it for a change.
Dec 20, 2009
Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal
By Eric Schlosser
Yuck. I haven't really eaten fast food, or beef for that matter, in a very long time. I saw the preparation first hand, having worked in a butcher-shop through college. The book itself was very well written and easy to read. I guess it solidified my stand against eating factory processed food.
Dec 15, 2009
The Lost Symbol
By Dan Brown
This was a great book. So entertaining and fast paced. What a whirlwind! To think that it spanned only one day. I guess I'd forgotten how engaging Dan Brown's books were. I stayed up late far too many nights, just to see what happened next.
Dec 12, 2009
Methland: The Death and Life of an American Small Town
By Nick Reding
This book captivated me. I kept thinking about all of the conversations this fella had to strike up in order to get all the information he shared in this book. To me that would be scary. I was also saddened by much of the content. What a shame. Good book...good warning.
Dec 8, 2009
Breaking Dawn
By Stephanie Meyer
I didn't think this one was as good as the previous three. It seemed to skip around. You could tell the author just wanted to close out the series and get on with life. That's the impression I got anyway.
Nov 30, 2009
Airframe
By Michael Crichton
I love to rip through these kinds of books. They are somewhat like a fast-paced TV show. I haven't read one of MC's books that I didn't like. This one didn't disappoint.
Nov 20, 2009
The Brothers K
By David James Duncan
This was one of the better books I've read in a while. The subject matter; baseball and family really struck close to home. Books that offer up a vast swath of family history have always appealed to me. I think I found a new favorite author. A excellent book. WOW.
Nov 5, 2009
Therapy
By Jonathan Kellerman
I really like this author's books. The read fast and are quite entertaining. They also give a good impression of the environs around L.A. The one pan I have is the fact that like most novels in this genre, we build towards a revealing conclusion. In this book that's only about 10 pages! Kind of a deux ex machina if you ask me.
Oct 29, 2009
The River Why
By David James Duncan
God I loved this book. I remember a friend of mine had it a long time ago and told me it was wonderful. I guess I just forgot about it. I’m glad it finally found me because my life is better having read it. I imagine I’ll think of this book for the rest of my life. There are many good lessons inside. WOW.
Oct 25, 2009
Wish You Well
By David Baldacci
I liked this book so much I passed it along to one of my good friends, a bibliophile like no other. Hope she likes it.
Oct 23, 2009
The Dreamer
By Daniel Quinn
Oh WOW!. What a great book. It reminded me of some of the other 'classics in my mind' books such as Replay and The Time Traveler's Wife. I really couldn’t put this one down. When books are so good that they transport us into another mindset it’s a good reminder as to why reading can be so enjoyable. Bravo.
Oct 21, 2009
Extreme Measures
By Vince Flynn
Good entertainment.
Oct 18, 2009
Infernal
By F. Paul Wilson
A good continuation of the book outlined below. I find myself wanting to read the whole set. Good stuff.
Oct 17, 2009
Crisscross
By F. Paul Wilson
Sometimes I just need a little mindless fiction to get me through. This book didn't disappoint. I really liked it actually. It started off as a regular crime thriller set in NYC. Then it started to get really weird and other-worldly towards the end. I also liked how it referred to the main characters life outside the seedy underbelly.
Oct 12, 2009
Eclipse
By Stephanie Meyer
Pretty good book. These are real page turners. Color me addicted to the series. They are my own personal version of trash romance novels. Can't wait to read the next one.
Sep 17, 2009
Foundation and Empire
By Isaac Asimov
Same as the previous post. The Mule is a fascinating character!
Sep 15, 2009
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
By Timothy Ferriss
I've been tryign to figure out how to quench my wanderlust and still be able to generate income. This book is going to show me how. It answered many questions I had about upward mobility. I loved this book. Plan on keeping it handy in the years to come.
Sep 12, 2009
Foundation
By Isaac Asimov
After having seen this series at the top of most 'best of' lists; I've been wanting to read this series for quite a while. Glad I took the time to track down a copy. It reminded me of Dune because of the in-depth character development and political undertone. Wish it was more descriptive when it comes to setting.
Sep 10, 2009
The Art of Racing in the Rain
By Garth Stein
I thought this book was just OK. It lacked a lot of meat though. I'll say it was pretty enjoyable though. I'm not a real dog lover.
Sep 8, 2009
The Alchemist
By Paulo Coelho
I thought this was a really good commentary on personal determination. There are many lessons to be learned here. I wish I could remember to follow them in everyday life.
Sep 3, 2009
Cause of Death
By Patrica Cornwall
Eh, you know. Entertaining I guess, I hated the ending though. Sometimes I read things like this just to take a break from reading.
Jun 20, 2009
Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer
By Tracy Kidder
This book was very inspiring on one hand and heart-breaking on the other. I was inspired by the determination of Dr. Farmer and sickened by the portrayal of life in Haiti. One man really can change the world.
Jun 12, 2009
When You Are Engulfed in Flames
By David Sedaris
I love this guy's books. They just give a little insight on maybe the smaller things in life, like how you can tell what a person is like by what kind of cigarettes they smoke. Good stuff all around.
Jun 8, 2009
Ender's Game
By Orson Scott Card
If you look at a list of the top Sci-Fi books of all time, this one is nearly always at the top. I thought it was a good entertaining read, but still not a life changer like some other books I've been fortunate enough to read. Perhaps if I would have read this book when I was 15 I would think differently.
Jun 1, 2009
Resurrection
From the War of the Spider Queen Series
By Paul S. Kemp
I am glad to be done with this series. Ya...I thought it was OK but it started to drag and the ending kind of sucked. After all that reading I felt robbed.
May 25, 2009
Annihilation
From the War of the Spider Queen Series
By Philip Athans
These books are gory, violent and very enjoyable. The descriptions of monsters are really great. I'm getting a little tired of the drawn out battle scenes though. One more and I can lay the series to rest.
May 17, 2009
The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet
By Reif Larsen
This was a great book. I really made me think about all the little, seemingly insignificant things that make this world go round. This book teaches us that everything, no matter how small matters. One of the best I've read in quite a while.
May 15, 2009
The Guardian
By Nicholas Sparks
I've never read a book by this fella that I didn't enjoy. As a matter of fact this one was so easy to read and so entertaining that I finished it in one day.
May 12, 2009
New Moon
By Stephenie Meyer
Yhea, I thought it was good. The first half was about love lost...which depressed me. I was happy to see them get back together.
May 10, 2009
Condemnation
From the War of the Spider Queen Series
By Richard Baker
I really looked forward to getting back into these books. This, the third in the series brought me back to the reason I love this series and the fascinating world of the Dark Elf.
May 7, 2009
This House of Sky: Landscapes of a Western Mind
By Ivan Doig
WOW. This could very well be one of the best books I've read. Just the fact that it takes place in and around an area I am very familiar with means a whole lot to me. It also hearkens back to my own childhood spent with my Dad...trying to survive. Gosh what a great book.
Apr 24, 2009
Snow Crash
By Neal Stephenson
Hmm. This is a hard one to write up because I really should have liked this book. Alas, I had a hard time working through it. Computers, virtual reality, an envisioned future are all my bailiwick, but this book just didn't grab me. I have yet to read a 'cyberpunk' genre book I like. Disappointed.
Apr 4, 2009
The Floor of the Sky
By Pamela Carter Joern
I saw this at the library. On a whim I grabbed it. I'm glad I did. Family life and generational history have always fascinated me. This was a good book. The story revolved around a Nebraska farm family that seemed to keep too many secrets. It took the arrival of a lost and insecure teenager to bring everything out into the open.
Apr 2, 2009
Brisingr
By Christopher Paolini
The author really stepped it up for this book. It was violent, and very political...but that made it good! His writing has certainly gotten better as the saga continues. Can't wait for the next one.
Mar 14, 2009
The Road
By Cormac McCarthy
This book haunts me.
Mar 9, 2009
Six Seconds
By Rick Mofina
Ahh, what can I say. Nothing too great, except for the fact that a good part of the story took place in Montana.
Mar 4, 2009
Twilight
By Stephenie Meyer
I think this one got some unfair reviews. I liked it. It was a good love story, and I'm a sucker. I'm actually looking forward to reading the next one in the series. Bravo.
Feb 26, 2009
The House of Sand and Fog
By Andre Dubus III
This was a really great book. Almost sad. It’s a story about how bad things can get when pride gets in the way and communication breaks WAY down. I loved how the author explained everything in the first person, even going so far as to emulate a Farsi accent. Thanks for loaning it to me Russ.
Feb 8, 2009
Tombstone Courage
By J.A. Jance
This was a pretty entertaining book. I have two more in the pile that I'm going to read soon. I was entertained throughout.
Jan 25, 2009
The Eleventh Man
By Ivan Doig
Noe this one was better. Maybe its because I know and love the locations covered in most of Doig's work. Maybe I just think he's a master at turning a phrase (the book is full of great snippets of wisdom and humor) Maybe it's because he's a great writer. A+ again. Great book.
Jan 20, 2009
The Big Bad Wolf
By James Patterson
This one had a cliff hanger at the end and nothing was resolved. I was pissed.
Jan 14, 2009
Body Double
By Tess Gerritsen
Haven't been reading too much as of late. I got a big stack of mass market stuff form a friend so I've been working through them. This one was form that pile. Not so much to learn anything...just to decompress after a long day I guess. Books like this are nice because they really don't require much thought. I liken them to watching TV in my head. Is that good writing or mindless writing? Move along...nothing to see here.
Dec 26, 2008
The Closers
By Michael Connelly
Gosh some of this stuff is like reading an episode of Law and Order. I bet authors of this ilk just rake in the dough. Mindless and somewhat entertaining but not engaging in the least.
