10 book reviews
I've managed to put a dent in (well, really only to make a small bruise on) my reading lists, but I haven't posted any book reviews. I'm not up for anything super-detailed right this second, but let's see if I can manage a quick overview of a few of them.
Against the Tide: The Battle for America's Beaches, by Cornelia Dean. Nonfiction.
I intended to skim this book to get info for a school project and ended up reading the entire thing in about two days. I'm fascinated by issues of people vs. nature, and this book was clearly written and easy to read without ever being condescending or simple. If you love beaches anywhere, if you live near the ocean (especially on the East Coast of the U.S.), if you're interested in conservation issues, if you like coherent descriptions of complex systems, or if you're any sort of policy maker or civil engineer, this book is well worth reading.
Tooth & Nail and Hide & Seek, both by Ian Rankin. Mystery.
This is a new mystery author for me. I started near the beginning of a series involving Inspector Rebus. The misanthropic Inspector lives and works in Edinburgh, which I find interesting, but to be honest I'm not sure what I think of the the author yet. I appreciated how he constructed the mystery in one of the books but not so much in the other. Also, a large part of why I read mystery series is for the perspective of the main character, and it's not clear to me yet if I like Inspector Rebus. Reading another book or two in the series will give me a better feel for the author, and I'm refraining from an opinion until then.
The Birth of Pleasure, by Carol Gilligan. Nonfiction.
Not sure whose review put this book on my list, but it was sooo bad I didn't make it past the first chapter (and it was a struggle to get that far). Lots of layered and loaded words which are never defined and an inability to write a clear sentence, let alone lay out a thesis.
The Circus in Winter, by Cathy Day. Fiction.
This collection of connected stories is dark and cold, but compelling. The stories revolve around the town and people of Lima, Indiana, winter home of the Great Porter Circus. The themes are largely of loss and longing. I was already in a slightly dark mood when I started this, so I had to read it in chunks, to give the individual stories time to digest and to give my psyche time to be ready for the next one. I'm curious what the author will tackle next.
The Quick and the Dead, by Joy Williams. Fiction.
Nothing to do with the movie of the same name, this novel touches on the stories of three adolescent girls in the Southwest. This is one of those novels that jumps around from character to character, describing neighboring events that never quite overlap. Unfortunately this method prevents any of the characters from becoming detailed or complete enough to take form. There are a few good scenes and a few good lines, including some nice references to the surrounding desert, but overall the characters were unpleasant and the book was a bust.
Confessions of a Tax Collector, by Richard Yancy. Nonfiction.
A fascinating look at working for the Internal Revenue Service that reads like a novel. Humorous, with just enough self-revelation and shading to give it body and allow it to stand on its own.
Sand in My Bra and Other Misadventures: Funny Women Write from the Road, edited by Jennifer L. Leo. Nonfiction.
Tonya reviewed it here, which is how it ended up on my list. I didn't like it as much as she did, but it does have some funny stories and the format makes for a quick easy read.
Not So Funny When It Happened: The Best of Travel Humor and Misadventure, edited by Tim Cahill. Nonfiction.
I read this collection first, and found it more appealing than the other one. A couple stories are actually in both collections, which may have tainted my opinion Sand in My Bra (with books like this, I like reading things I've never read before). For a more thorough review, here's what Tonya said. I actually borrowed it from her (and if you ask her nicely she may be okay with it being loaned out again).
A Rum Affair: A True Story of Botanical Fraud, by Karl Sabbagh. Nonfiction.
I had hopes for this book, but sadly Mr. Sabbagh seems to spend a lot of pages padding out a limited amount of knowledge and even then it's a slim read that reaches few definite conclusions. One upside of the book is a desire to visit the Isle of Rum (also known as Rhum), as it sounds a lovely place. Another is the increased awareness that, in science, documenting your work so others can replicate your findings is of paramount importance.
Against the Tide: The Battle for America's Beaches, by Cornelia Dean. Nonfiction.
I intended to skim this book to get info for a school project and ended up reading the entire thing in about two days. I'm fascinated by issues of people vs. nature, and this book was clearly written and easy to read without ever being condescending or simple. If you love beaches anywhere, if you live near the ocean (especially on the East Coast of the U.S.), if you're interested in conservation issues, if you like coherent descriptions of complex systems, or if you're any sort of policy maker or civil engineer, this book is well worth reading.
Tooth & Nail and Hide & Seek, both by Ian Rankin. Mystery.
This is a new mystery author for me. I started near the beginning of a series involving Inspector Rebus. The misanthropic Inspector lives and works in Edinburgh, which I find interesting, but to be honest I'm not sure what I think of the the author yet. I appreciated how he constructed the mystery in one of the books but not so much in the other. Also, a large part of why I read mystery series is for the perspective of the main character, and it's not clear to me yet if I like Inspector Rebus. Reading another book or two in the series will give me a better feel for the author, and I'm refraining from an opinion until then.
The Birth of Pleasure, by Carol Gilligan. Nonfiction.
Not sure whose review put this book on my list, but it was sooo bad I didn't make it past the first chapter (and it was a struggle to get that far). Lots of layered and loaded words which are never defined and an inability to write a clear sentence, let alone lay out a thesis.
The Circus in Winter, by Cathy Day. Fiction.
This collection of connected stories is dark and cold, but compelling. The stories revolve around the town and people of Lima, Indiana, winter home of the Great Porter Circus. The themes are largely of loss and longing. I was already in a slightly dark mood when I started this, so I had to read it in chunks, to give the individual stories time to digest and to give my psyche time to be ready for the next one. I'm curious what the author will tackle next.
The Quick and the Dead, by Joy Williams. Fiction.
Nothing to do with the movie of the same name, this novel touches on the stories of three adolescent girls in the Southwest. This is one of those novels that jumps around from character to character, describing neighboring events that never quite overlap. Unfortunately this method prevents any of the characters from becoming detailed or complete enough to take form. There are a few good scenes and a few good lines, including some nice references to the surrounding desert, but overall the characters were unpleasant and the book was a bust.
Confessions of a Tax Collector, by Richard Yancy. Nonfiction.
A fascinating look at working for the Internal Revenue Service that reads like a novel. Humorous, with just enough self-revelation and shading to give it body and allow it to stand on its own.
Sand in My Bra and Other Misadventures: Funny Women Write from the Road, edited by Jennifer L. Leo. Nonfiction.
Tonya reviewed it here, which is how it ended up on my list. I didn't like it as much as she did, but it does have some funny stories and the format makes for a quick easy read.
Not So Funny When It Happened: The Best of Travel Humor and Misadventure, edited by Tim Cahill. Nonfiction.
I read this collection first, and found it more appealing than the other one. A couple stories are actually in both collections, which may have tainted my opinion Sand in My Bra (with books like this, I like reading things I've never read before). For a more thorough review, here's what Tonya said. I actually borrowed it from her (and if you ask her nicely she may be okay with it being loaned out again).
A Rum Affair: A True Story of Botanical Fraud, by Karl Sabbagh. Nonfiction.
I had hopes for this book, but sadly Mr. Sabbagh seems to spend a lot of pages padding out a limited amount of knowledge and even then it's a slim read that reaches few definite conclusions. One upside of the book is a desire to visit the Isle of Rum (also known as Rhum), as it sounds a lovely place. Another is the increased awareness that, in science, documenting your work so others can replicate your findings is of paramount importance.