Archive for the 'Books' Category
April 28th, 2006 by Blythe
The Agony and the Ecstasy
by Irving Stone
Essential reading if you’re planning to visit Florence or Rome.
Barcelona Lonely Planet Guide
Follow their directions to Parc Guell; you’ll ride open-air escalators instead of trudging up the hill with the sweaty masses.
The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown
Maybe you’ve heard of this one? It’s dedicated to me, you know. Check the flyleaf.
Half in Love by Maile Meloy
Short stories about people I feel like I’ve met before. And the author is a young woman who was raised in Montana. And her brother fronts a hip band.
HTML for the World Wide Web by Elizabeth Castro
I told you I am a geek.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
It has some of the eerie futuristic elements of The Handmaid’s Tale without feeling like science fiction. I was reluctant to jump on the bandwagon (I’ve been cranky about hype ever since I slammed shut The Corrections midway through and had it immediately removed from my home) but now I’m riding it right along with the book reviewers of the world.
March 31st, 2006 by Blythe
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
A graceful story that painlessly led me on a philosophical journey. I wasn’t beaten about the head with a Bible, yet I mused about God, and even Jesus.
House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski
It could be argued that this one took me on a philosophical journey, too. And it’s really creepy. And when you see the page count you’ll understand why I only read three books this month. It’s been called the “Blair Witch” of novels, and I’d agree with that accusation.
The Power of Now by Eckhardt Tolle
Guess what? Another philosophical journey. This one is a little too New-Agey-gaze-at-a-plant-and-sense-its-life-force for me (see: my distaste for all things Celestine Prophecy) but it’s caused me to look at the world in a slightly different light.
February 28th, 2006 by Blythe
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Funny and sad and fascinating and I loved it even though there’s quite a bit of math involved.
The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt
Some Venetians are testy about this book, but at least he promises that it’s really nonfiction. My next weekend trip, perhaps?
French Women Don’t Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano
I actually started eating plain yogurt after I read this book. I figure, if the CEO of Cristal can do it, I can too.
Love Bug by Zoe Barnes
I had to read something on that long train ride, didn’t I?
Blessings by Anna Quindlen
A sweet story, and if someone could buy me the featured home for my birthday, I’d appreciate it.
The Best of Montana’s Short Fiction edited by William Kittredge and Allen Morris Jones
Maybe by the time they publish the next edition, there will be a section devoted to former Montanans’ blogs?
Will You Please Be Quiet, Please? by Raymond Carver
These stories aren’t gonna cheer you up, but they will scare you and you won’t be sure why.
January 31st, 2006 by Blythe
The Cowboy Way: Seasons of a Montana Ranch by David McCumber
If I had been paying attention, this is what I would have learned from my dad. Thank goodness David McCumber wrote a book about it so I could get caught up.
Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy
Last year, I read Truth and Beauty: A Friendship by Lucy’s friend Ann Patchett. Inspiration for memoirists everywhere.
The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Yum, a good thriller for the airplane.
Travels by Michael Crichton
Climbing mountains and levitating and writing about it all the while.
Provence & The Cote d’Azur Lonely Planet Travel Guide
I need a vacation from my vacation.
September 2nd, 2005 by Blythe
Just to prove to you that our room at the Residence Inn is not a complete intellectual wasteland, I’m going to shoot out a couple of book reports at ya:
I just finished The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, one of those books that tells a story that feels nice and cozy and small but when you talk about it sounds big and epic and meaningful. Like Middlesex (which you really must read even if you’ve heard it’s about transsexuals and that seems a little ‘edgy’ for you), it taught me something about cultures within cultures and integrating without really integrating. Yes, I’m making notes to self for future reference. And it had good food descriptions which always moves any book up a few notches on my personal rating scale.
The Sparrow and Children of God are two of those books that few of my book-y (vs. bookie) friends seemed to know about but which are devoured by everyone who picks them up – people who like to read, people who only read USA Today, people who hate science fiction, people who refuse to read about religion, etc etc. I don’t think I’m about to become a sci fi junkie but if I start receiving invitations to Trekkie conventions, we’ll know why. And just shut up about that link to Wil Wheaton’s blog and the X-Files and Buffy addictions. That’s different.
I’m feeling melancholy book-wise, probably because Monday was my last appearance at my book group. There are those who label book groups as an excuse to seem intellectual while actually just drinking too much wine on a weeknight and gossiping about “The O.C.” (which has been known to happen) but along with the gossiping we’ve squeezed in some great conversations about spirituality, culture, sex (no, not specific instances of sex, so all you significant others out there can just calm the heck down), education, and art. Plus I’ve made some groovy friends who sometimes think I’m neat. Movie Stars, I’ll miss you.