New books?

Hey peoples! I reinvigorated my other blog, why not this one? You guys interested in chatting about books on here again? I haven't been reading much since I finished Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruis Zafon earlier this year. I just started the Kite Runner and have purchased a few other new novels and some non-fiction, mostly work related. I hope to start moving away from the television and back into books. I'd be happy to start chatting about them on here again if you all are interested!

Middlesex

Hello Ladies! Have we been reading out there??? I know we've all had lots going on. It took me awhile, but I finished Middlesex just before my trip to Israel. It didn't take long because I didn't like it though, there were a few sections where the story would climax and I could not put it down! Although the gender and the genetics aspects of Cal and his story were fascinating, for me the main draw was what I thought were the overall themes of the book. I found myself identifying with Cal and all other primary characters of the book because it seemed they all came back to the central theme of the importance of family, culture, and individual idenity and how those factors intertwine (and sometimes clash). All the main characters seemed to personify every human's need to come to terms with their own identity- finding a balance between who we are, who we want to be, and who other people in our world expect us to be.

I started reading Nabokov's Invitation to a Beheading. I am almost halfway through and still not sure I understand what the point of the story is. It is very arduous reading, but it's interesting enough that I can't give up on it. What are you all reading right now? Not sure what's next for me, but have a few things I know I would like to read next. We'll see how long it takes me to get through Nabokov first. . .

Memoirs of a Geisha

I just finished it. Had the day off today to recover from the St Patrick's Parade in Birmingham yesterday and had a chance to get those last 100 pages read. I loved it. Julia, you've been telling me for years and it took me awhile but now I can see why you like it so much! I was really surprised that she ended up with the Chairman in the end. I didn't really expect her to have a happy ending, I suppose because she was forced into many decisions she did not want for herself.


I have to say, I'm sad I'm done with it. Now I have to try to find somewhere that might still be playing the movie!


I'm going to read The Only Dance There is, by Ram Dass next I think. Not sure what to expect really, so we'll see how it goes. I'm also planning to take a look at Meditation for Beginners, by Jack Kornfield, as I have become interested again recently in meditation and Eastern practices.

I'm cleaning out some emails today and found this list I put together when we had the "Failed Book Club." I can't figure out how to attatch it as a link so I am just pasting it all in this post for you to see. Just thought you might want to give it a browse. . .and maybe even add to it? I'm not sure where the Nonfiction and Fiction lists came from. I must have just been building a list of stuff that looked interesting at the time. But I am sure I could and the rest of you could add a lot more. Don't know if it's even worth it to do so, but I thought I would share what we had so far, anyways. I didn't link the sites so you will have to paste them in.



Nonfiction
Jane Juska: A Round Heeled Woman (a memoir)
http://forbesbookclub.com/bookpage.asp?prod_cd=IGT1N

http://www.entertainment-reviews.com/A_RoundHeeled_Woman_My_LateLife_Adventures_in_Sex_and_Romance_1400060117.html

Firoozeh Dumas: Funny in Farsi (a memoir)
http://salamworldwide.com/rhymes10th.html
http://www.firoozehdumas.com/

Julie Salamon: Net of Dreams (a memoir)
http://www.history-europe.com/The_Net_of_Dreams_A_Familys_Search_for_a_Rightful_Place_0679431217.html

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0679431217/webmill0c-20/ref%3Dnosim/102-4066797-3657740

Lillian Faderman: Naked in the Promise Land (a memoir)
http://www.lesgaypinkpages.com/releasesBooks.html

http://www.arlindo-correia.com/020603.html


Fiction
Julia Alvarez: In the Time of Butterflies http://gbs.glenbrook.k12.il.us/Academics/gbseng2/ButterfliesAlvarez/reviewsbutterflies.htm
http://www.alvarezjulia.com/

Mark Danielewski: House of Leaves http://www.mouthshut.com/readproduct/925034839-1.html
http://www.salon.com/audio/2000/10/05/danielewski/

Khaled Hosseini: The Kite Runner http://www.puffin.co.uk/static/rguides/us/kite_runner.html
http://www.reviewsofbooks.com/kite_runner/

Christopher Moore: Fluke: I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings http://www.chrismoore.com/fluke.htm

Christopher Moore: Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal http://www.chrismoore.com/lamb.htm

Carol Shields: Unless http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides3/unless1.asp
http://www.salon.com/books/review/2002/05/23/shields/
http://mostlyfiction.com/contemp/shields.htm

Carol Shields: The Stone Diaries http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides/stone_diaries.asp
http://booksiloved.com/21/Stone_Diaries.html

Zora Neal Hurston: Their Eyes Were Watching God. http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides/their_eyes_were_watching_god.asp
http://www.oreenscott.com/zora_neale_hurston.htm
http://www.stanford.edu/~zwyatt/ihum/links.html

Ken Kalfus: The commissariat of Enlightenment (Ecco, 2003) http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides3/commissariat_of_enlightenment1.asp
http://www.reviewsofbooks.com/commissariat/

John Murray: A Few Short Notes on Tropical Butterflies (HarperCollins, 2003) http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides3/notes_on_tropical_butterflies1.asp
http://curledup.com/fewshort.htm

Julia Glass: Three Junes (Pantheon Books, 2003) http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides3/three_junes1.asp
http://www.startribune.com/stories/385/2877541.html
http://www.reviewsofbooks.com/three_junes/

Adam Haslett (Doubleday, 2002): You are Not a Stranger Here (Doubleday, 2002) http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides3/you_are_not_a_stranger_here1.asp
http://www.salon.com/books/review/2002/08/01/haslett/
http://mostlyfiction.com/contemp/haslett.htm

Michelle’s Suggestions
Barbara Ehrenreich: Nickel and Dimed on (NOT) Getting By in America
http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides3/nickel_and_dimed1.asp

http://www.henryholt.com/readingguides/ehrenreich.htm

“I think (it) is an OUTSTANDING book-- it's a quick read and she's a great author—very funny. You'll love it, I promise.”

Alex Kotlowitz: There Are No Children Here
http://www.lilt.ilstu.edu/gmklass/pos334/archive/kotlow.htm

“About kids growing up in Chicago's projects in the 80s. Easy read. Non-fiction.”

HARRY POTTER 1-5!!!
“I finally got Erica & Laura to read them and they love
them. You're the only one left!”

Gabriel Garcia Marquez: One Hundred Years of Solitude
http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides/one_hundred_years_of_solit.asp

“He won the Nobel Prize for this book. Fiction, magic-realism, etc. AMAZING.”

Margaret Atwood: "Cat's Eye"
http://bookreviews.nabou.com/reviews/catseyes.html

“A woman reflecting on adolescence and childhood (...and early
adulthood). Easy read. Fiction.”

Marci’s Suggestions
Wally Lamb: Couldn’t Keep it to Myself- Tales of Our imprisoned Sisters
http://books.reviewindex.com/reviews/006053429X.html
To paraphrase Marci… “This book is very good and an easy read; very much in the style of Wally Lamb.”

Julia’s Suggestions
Arthur Golden: Memoirs of a Geisha
http://www.bookideas.com/reviews/index.cfm?fuseaction=displayReview&id=168
http://www.fiction-net.com/review-memoirsofageisha.htm
Train (to be released September 30- but Julia’s got a bootleg)

Lisa’s Suggestions
Tim O’Brien: The Things They Carried
http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides/things_they_carried.asp
“I read this book sometime ago, but it still resonates in my mind. Not your typical war story- O’Brien exquisitely utilizes methaphor to express the emotions experienced while in Vietnam.”
John Irving: The World According to Garp
http://www.randomhouse.com/randomhouse/catalog/display.pperl?0679603069
“Definitely one of John Irving’s best! He is amazing at creating characters that are so strange yet you can still oddly relate to. He expresses the human condition so well in all his books.”
John Irving: A Widow for One Year
http://www.randomhouse.com/randomhouse/catalog/display.pperl?0812968573
“Another good one from JI, although not my favorite among the three listed…the story does have an interesting plot path and has some unexpected twists. Well worth the read.”
John Irving: A Prayer for Owen Meany
http://www.randomhouse.com/randomhouse/catalog/display.pperl?0679642595
“Perhaps on of my favorite books of all time! A different take on faith and the strength and life lessons that it and friendship can provide.”
Steve Martin: Shopgirl
http://www.bookpage.com/0103bp/fiction/shopgirl.html
“Very good, quick read. Not at all what you’d expect from Steve Martin. I was very impressed with his ability to express both the female and male perspectives of relationships, while also distinguishing the gap of emotions with variant ages.”
Barbara Kingsolver: High Tide in Tucson (essay collection)
http://www.literaturehistoryhub.com/High_Tide_in_Tucson__Essays_from_Now_or_Never_0060927569.html
“A wonderful gift from Emily. I have not yet completed this book, but I am so impressed with Barbara Kingsolver’s eloquent ability to express her views. She expresses many of my ideas more poetically than I ever could. I think even if you didn’t agree with her points you would appreciate the beauty and thoughtfulness with which she presents them.”
David Sedaris: Me Talk Pretty One Day
http://www.uturn.org/Reviews/brwnrv2.htm
“Laugh Out Loud Funny!!! A great book to pick up for a quick read; the essays are connected but you can easily read one-put it down for awhile- and return to read another.”
Chinua Achebe: Things Fall Apart
http://www.artandculture.com/arts/artist?artistId=118
“An excellent novel reflecting the experiences of African Natives and the Christian missionaries who changed their world forever.”
Margaret Atwood: Cat’s Eye
“Chelle gave this book to me in ’97 and I struggled to get into until last year…but once I got into it, it was a great book that relates so well to the difficulties of female relationships, relationships with men and relationships with ourselves that I think we all can relate too.”
Tom Robbins: Another Roadside Attraction http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0553349481/ref%3Dnosim/sealarksgoodbook/102-4066797-3657740
“ A wild, interesting book by the ever strange Tom Robbins. It’s up there with my favorite of his, Still Life with Woodpecker. It takes an interesting stance on the facets of Christianity, mixed in with the absurd and with his completely original use of metaphor.”

Yvonne’s Suggestions
Ken Wilber: Sex, Ecology and Spirituality: The Spirit of Evolution
http://www.worldofkenwilber.com/

“It's thick reading but if you try ONE TASTE by Ken Wilber as well, it's a little faster reading, I believe you'll be hooked. Just his thought processes and a new way of thinking about things.

John Irving: A Prayer for Owen Meany
“I…thoroughly enjoy anything by John Irving, A Prayer for Owen Meany being my favorite!”

Emily’s Suggestions
Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire http://www.ecobooks.com/solitair.htm
Barbara Kingsolver: High Tide in Tucson: Essays from Now or Never; etc.
Tom Robbins: Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates http://www.ecobooks.com/solitair.htm
Stephen Kinzer: Blood of Brothers: Life and War in Nicaragua
Paul Theroux: Mosquito Coast; Fresh Air Fiend; Half Moon Street; London Embassy http://mostlyfiction.com/contemp/theroux.htm
Madeleine L’Engle: Arm of the Starfish; A Wrinkle in Time; any of her young-adult stuff http://www.madeleinelengle.com/
Louise Erdrich: Tracks; Love Medicine; etc. http://www.harpercollins.com/authorintro/index.asp?authorid=2905

Efrat’s Suggestions
James Michener books

“Although no one else seems to share my enthusiasm for them,( because of they're length perhaps?) I have read The Source, Hawaii, and Alaska so far...and they've all been great. I learn so much from them with his style of writing- he combines historical settings with fictitious characters that are representative of the period/place's true flavors. Alaska was really good, especially if you've been there or want to one day.”

Happy Christmas!

Hi all! Hope you are all well and getting ready for a fabulous holiday weekend! I have not been reading much lately. Work has been busy and there's been lots of festive socializing happening England way. I still have Narnia lying around but maybe read a few pages a week. I got Julia's Christmas package today and now have Dharma Punx! Thank you Julia!

Perhaps in the New Year we can get back on board and pick a new book. I love and miss you all!
XXX

Just had to share

I picked up Middlesex on Thursday at O'Hare on my way to NY bc I had heard some good things about it. I read it all weekend and am about 150 pages from being done. This is a great book! Who has read it?

Dharma Who?

So, I have looked around in bookstores in three different countries and no one seems to have Dharma Punx. Ali shared over the weekend that she, too, has had these difficulties. One guy in some bookstore in Toronto told me that it could be ordered in hard cover but was not in print in paperback- which he said was weird because usually it would be the otherway around. . . Soo...I needed something to read on the plane (although I ended up watching a really bad movie and sleeping most of the flight home) and after browsing for awhile narrowed it down to The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen. So far, I really like it- but I am only about 45 pages in. What's everyone else reading right now? Em, I forgot to have a sober discussion with you about Edgar Mint! :-D We were having way too much fun for book talk!