More books to date
Here is what I've read in the past few weeks. Amount has gone slightly downhill, real life has been busy!
The Girls - Lori Lansens
Fiction - Excellent story about conjoined twins and their lives. Rather than focusing on the 'spectacle', the author does a very good job about telling their stories from the two girls' perspectives. I love the way this author writes prose. Favorite quote: Uncle Stash grinned at the black man, who he knew would understand and appreciate his humor. "You caught me. Only one girl is real. The other is bomb." The small black man did not laugh. And neither did Aunt Lovey, when we were detained and questioned for a full two hours before we were given a warning about the serious crime of making jokes at the border, then sent on our way to the zoo.
Fun Home - Alison Bechdel
Non Fiction/Biography - I came somewhat late to the graphic novel scene, and I am nowhere near an expert. However, I loved the way this was done - autobiographical graphic novel about a daughter, and her father, who she doesn't find out was gay/bisexual until after he dies. The comic strips do a -lot- to enhance the story, rather than just illustrate the book.
Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
Fiction - I really liked this book. Very good storytelling, actually believable despite the absurdity of most of the story taking place among a circus traveling by train. Well written.
The Folk of the Fringe
This definately lends more evidence to 'everything Card has written except Ender's Game is Crap' theory. Post-apocolypic book about how Mormons are the only ones who are working towards a future after nukes were dropped. Poorly written, less preachy than I thought it would be, but still.. crap.
Me Talk Pretty One Day - David Sedaris
I'm going to lose any hipster cred I could have hoped to have on this but.. I didn't really enjoy the book. After all the raving about him, I expected something mind blowing, and instead got slightly distracted, annoyed commentary on life and travel. I'm currently reading a Chuck Palahniuk book, and thankfully I'm enjoying him as an author, as if I didn't, I have a feeling I'd be kicked out of my generation.
Just an Ordinary Day - Shirley Jackson
I picked this up after I read 'We Have Always Lived in this Castle' by her (although, 'The Haunting of Hill House' is considered her best book). This was published posthumously after the family went through various boxes of her work that she left behind. They picked out the stories they felt were complete/what their mother would approve of. A lot of the stories feel unfinished, but I think it's part of their charm. The short stories run the gamut of reflections on her family life, disturbing happenstances of fictional day to day life, etc, etc. I really enjoyed the book, and devoured it in the space of a day.
Amnesia Moon - Jonathan Lethem
Fiction, Post Apocolyptic. I fully expected to like this one, but honestly, I just came out of it confused. The author writes like Neil Gaimon on acid. I'm thinking I must have missed the overlying theme of the book, because there just seemed to be no cohesiveness to it.
Remnant Population - Elizabeth Moon
I really enjoyed this book. Reminds me quite a bit of Octavia Butler's 'Lilith's Brood', with the human introduction to alien population thing. Wish there were sequels, I enjoy series of things because I get attached to characters pretty easily.
The Girls - Lori Lansens
Fiction - Excellent story about conjoined twins and their lives. Rather than focusing on the 'spectacle', the author does a very good job about telling their stories from the two girls' perspectives. I love the way this author writes prose. Favorite quote: Uncle Stash grinned at the black man, who he knew would understand and appreciate his humor. "You caught me. Only one girl is real. The other is bomb." The small black man did not laugh. And neither did Aunt Lovey, when we were detained and questioned for a full two hours before we were given a warning about the serious crime of making jokes at the border, then sent on our way to the zoo.
Fun Home - Alison Bechdel
Non Fiction/Biography - I came somewhat late to the graphic novel scene, and I am nowhere near an expert. However, I loved the way this was done - autobiographical graphic novel about a daughter, and her father, who she doesn't find out was gay/bisexual until after he dies. The comic strips do a -lot- to enhance the story, rather than just illustrate the book.
Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
Fiction - I really liked this book. Very good storytelling, actually believable despite the absurdity of most of the story taking place among a circus traveling by train. Well written.
The Folk of the Fringe
This definately lends more evidence to 'everything Card has written except Ender's Game is Crap' theory. Post-apocolypic book about how Mormons are the only ones who are working towards a future after nukes were dropped. Poorly written, less preachy than I thought it would be, but still.. crap.
Me Talk Pretty One Day - David Sedaris
I'm going to lose any hipster cred I could have hoped to have on this but.. I didn't really enjoy the book. After all the raving about him, I expected something mind blowing, and instead got slightly distracted, annoyed commentary on life and travel. I'm currently reading a Chuck Palahniuk book, and thankfully I'm enjoying him as an author, as if I didn't, I have a feeling I'd be kicked out of my generation.
Just an Ordinary Day - Shirley Jackson
I picked this up after I read 'We Have Always Lived in this Castle' by her (although, 'The Haunting of Hill House' is considered her best book). This was published posthumously after the family went through various boxes of her work that she left behind. They picked out the stories they felt were complete/what their mother would approve of. A lot of the stories feel unfinished, but I think it's part of their charm. The short stories run the gamut of reflections on her family life, disturbing happenstances of fictional day to day life, etc, etc. I really enjoyed the book, and devoured it in the space of a day.
Amnesia Moon - Jonathan Lethem
Fiction, Post Apocolyptic. I fully expected to like this one, but honestly, I just came out of it confused. The author writes like Neil Gaimon on acid. I'm thinking I must have missed the overlying theme of the book, because there just seemed to be no cohesiveness to it.
Remnant Population - Elizabeth Moon
I really enjoyed this book. Reminds me quite a bit of Octavia Butler's 'Lilith's Brood', with the human introduction to alien population thing. Wish there were sequels, I enjoy series of things because I get attached to characters pretty easily.