Books I've Read - 2009
Currently reading: A Thief of Time by Tony Hillerman
Recently finished reading:
30. Skinwalkers by Tony Hillerman: Leaphorn and Chee get together on a case; "Chee parked as much of the car as he could in the scanty shade of the tamarisk and waited. It was a courtesy learned from boyhood in a society where modesty is prized, privacy is treasured, and visitors, even at a trading post, are all too rare."; "College of Ganado"; busybody: "one who tells a sheep which weed to eat"; McGinnis, alone, without wife, friend, or family, endured. Leaphorn appreciated those who endured."
29. The Ghostway by Tony Hillerman: Chee's Social Security number: 441-28-7272, hozro, "Chee himself had taken a steam bath in his trailer home--putting his frying pan, super-heated on the stove, on the floor of his shower and pouring boiling water from his teakettle onto the hot metal to create an explosion of steam.", "teacherage"
28. People of Darkness by Tony Hillerman
27. Listening Woman by Tony Hillerman
26. Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman: These Hillerman books have been on our sailboat New Moon for years and are starting to get moldy, so I'm reading them one last time (except for one that was too far gone to do even that) and then releasing them into the "wild".
25. Darwinia by Robert Charles Wilson: Yet another excellent science fiction offering by this author.
24. The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman: Navajo police mystery, fun easy reading.
23. The Dispossessed by Ursula LeGuin: One of my all-time favorite books. It is always fresh.
22. In the Land of Invented Languages: Esperanto Rock Stars, Klingon Poets, Loglan Lovers, and the Mad Dreamers Who Tried to Build A Perfect Language by Arika Okrent: well, that's a ridiculously long subtitle, but the book is really fun and interesting.
21. Food Matters by Mark Bittman: GREAT! No need to read all those other food books (green, diet, politics, rants, etc.) -- just read this eminently sensible book that covers the whole thing concisely, graciously, deliciously, and with humor.
20. Sway: the Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman: reasonable; contains about six ideas, which are worth reading about but not surprising.
19. I'm Not Really Here by Tim Allen: well, more interesting than his first book but, again, about twice as long as it could carry.
18. Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik: literate and tender book about a young American family's five years in Paris -- well worth reading (or listening to, as I did).
17. C'est la Vie by Suzy Gershman: easy-to-read book about a American woman, newly widowed, making a new life in Paris; some useful insights.
16. Into the Nebula by Gene DeWeese: a better-than-average Star Trek book (TNG), but either I'm getting better at figuring these things out or this one was very predictable.
15. Marsbound by Joe Haldeman: Really fun; interesting aliens; ties into my current Mars mania.
14. Mars Life by Ben Bova: Not bad; better than his other books; worthwhile reading in this Mars phase I'm in.
13. Almost French by Sarah Turnbull: Really good; lots of insight into the French and the expat experience.
12. Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man by Tim Allen: Some books are twice as long as they need to be; this is one of them.
11. How Starbucks Saved My Life by Michael Gates Gill: I alternated between admiring and being irritated by him.
10. New Rules by Bill Maher: Bearable; a few laughs.
9. The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt: Not what I expected, but interesting in a social-register kind of way.
8. French Milk by Lucy Knisley: Cute; reminded me of when my kids were college-aged.
7. Enterprise: By the Book by Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch: Much better than the typical Star Trek novel; interesting aliens.
6. Star Trek TNG: Before Dishonor by Peter David: Ugh.
5. An Embarrassment of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude by Ann Vanderhoof: Shows how much of the cruising lifestyle actually takes place on land. :-)
4. French By Heart: An American Family's Adventures in La Belle France by Rebecca S. Ramsey: Interesting; worthwhile reading for francophiles.
3. Through the Grinder (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 2) by Cleo Coyle: A typical series mystery.
2. The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A. J. Jacobs: Funny.
1. Survive!: My Fight for Life in the High Sierras by Peter DeLeo: Amazing! Almost unbelievable, but shows what a strong will can do.
Recently finished reading:
30. Skinwalkers by Tony Hillerman: Leaphorn and Chee get together on a case; "Chee parked as much of the car as he could in the scanty shade of the tamarisk and waited. It was a courtesy learned from boyhood in a society where modesty is prized, privacy is treasured, and visitors, even at a trading post, are all too rare."; "College of Ganado"; busybody: "one who tells a sheep which weed to eat"; McGinnis, alone, without wife, friend, or family, endured. Leaphorn appreciated those who endured."
29. The Ghostway by Tony Hillerman: Chee's Social Security number: 441-28-7272, hozro, "Chee himself had taken a steam bath in his trailer home--putting his frying pan, super-heated on the stove, on the floor of his shower and pouring boiling water from his teakettle onto the hot metal to create an explosion of steam.", "teacherage"
28. People of Darkness by Tony Hillerman
27. Listening Woman by Tony Hillerman
26. Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman: These Hillerman books have been on our sailboat New Moon for years and are starting to get moldy, so I'm reading them one last time (except for one that was too far gone to do even that) and then releasing them into the "wild".
25. Darwinia by Robert Charles Wilson: Yet another excellent science fiction offering by this author.
24. The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman: Navajo police mystery, fun easy reading.
23. The Dispossessed by Ursula LeGuin: One of my all-time favorite books. It is always fresh.
22. In the Land of Invented Languages: Esperanto Rock Stars, Klingon Poets, Loglan Lovers, and the Mad Dreamers Who Tried to Build A Perfect Language by Arika Okrent: well, that's a ridiculously long subtitle, but the book is really fun and interesting.
21. Food Matters by Mark Bittman: GREAT! No need to read all those other food books (green, diet, politics, rants, etc.) -- just read this eminently sensible book that covers the whole thing concisely, graciously, deliciously, and with humor.
20. Sway: the Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman: reasonable; contains about six ideas, which are worth reading about but not surprising.
19. I'm Not Really Here by Tim Allen: well, more interesting than his first book but, again, about twice as long as it could carry.
18. Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik: literate and tender book about a young American family's five years in Paris -- well worth reading (or listening to, as I did).
17. C'est la Vie by Suzy Gershman: easy-to-read book about a American woman, newly widowed, making a new life in Paris; some useful insights.
16. Into the Nebula by Gene DeWeese: a better-than-average Star Trek book (TNG), but either I'm getting better at figuring these things out or this one was very predictable.
15. Marsbound by Joe Haldeman: Really fun; interesting aliens; ties into my current Mars mania.
14. Mars Life by Ben Bova: Not bad; better than his other books; worthwhile reading in this Mars phase I'm in.
13. Almost French by Sarah Turnbull: Really good; lots of insight into the French and the expat experience.
12. Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man by Tim Allen: Some books are twice as long as they need to be; this is one of them.
11. How Starbucks Saved My Life by Michael Gates Gill: I alternated between admiring and being irritated by him.
10. New Rules by Bill Maher: Bearable; a few laughs.
9. The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt: Not what I expected, but interesting in a social-register kind of way.
8. French Milk by Lucy Knisley: Cute; reminded me of when my kids were college-aged.
7. Enterprise: By the Book by Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch: Much better than the typical Star Trek novel; interesting aliens.
6. Star Trek TNG: Before Dishonor by Peter David: Ugh.
5. An Embarrassment of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude by Ann Vanderhoof: Shows how much of the cruising lifestyle actually takes place on land. :-)
4. French By Heart: An American Family's Adventures in La Belle France by Rebecca S. Ramsey: Interesting; worthwhile reading for francophiles.
3. Through the Grinder (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 2) by Cleo Coyle: A typical series mystery.
2. The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A. J. Jacobs: Funny.
1. Survive!: My Fight for Life in the High Sierras by Peter DeLeo: Amazing! Almost unbelievable, but shows what a strong will can do.