2011 reading wrap-up: books # 45-55 for the year.
Here's the end of the 2011 reading list.
45: Wishful Drinking, by Carrie Fisher (audiobook). I had seen the HBO special of her stage show of the same name, so parts of this were not new to me, but it's a very insightful book on the trials of drug and alcohol addition. Carrie reads her book in a matter-of-fact and utterly hilarious manner. It's only three discs long, so an easy listen for the commute (not so good for on the treadmill)
46: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J.K. Rowling (reread). Recommended, but you really ought to have read the previous books in the series before reading this one. By this time Rowling assumes you know the backstory.
47: The Long Winter, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Read aloud to Sophie in chapters at bedtime.
48: At home: A Short History of Private Life, by Bill Bryson. This was a very enjoyable read. You would be in error to assume it's a history of house-living, although it is that, but there is so much more. Absolutely fascinating and entertaining. Two thumbs up. Recommended.
49: Making the Most of your Food Freezer: New Ideas, New Techniques, New Recipes, by Marie Armstrong Essipoff. This was one of Mom's books. I think she picked it up at a yard sale somewhere for the recipes. It was funny to read in a "Wow, look how they did things in 1951!" sort of way.
50: Art of the Creche: Nativities from Around the World, by John L. Grovan. This was nice for Christmas reading. I couldn't understand why he said he'd never found a Japanese creche, because my folks' late 50s-early 60s era manger scene has "JAPAN" stamped on the bottom of each piece.
51: YOU: Having a Baby: The Owner's Manual to a Happy and Healthy Pregnancy, by Drs. Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz. This book gets mixed reviews...the people who love "What to Expect When You Are Expecting" HATE this book, but the people who hate WTEWYAE love it. I personally fall into the latter camp. It's a very good book; up-to-date, informative, with a side dish of snark. Recommended.
52: Little Town on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. This book has more Almanzo, so Sophie liked it better.
53: Not Dead and Not For Sale: A Memoir, by Scott Weiland with David Ritz. It's OK. Not the best rock-star memoir I've read in recent years, but certainly not the worst. For instance, it was not as good as Ozzy's book, but WAY better than Vince Neil's book. WAY.
54: These Happy Golden Years, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I was a little worried that Sophie would lose interest in the series when Laura became a teenager, but the romance between Laura and Almanzo has kept her captivated.
55 I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution, by Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum. Attention children of the 80s and/or early 90s! If watched MTV at all, you will like this book. Easy to pick up and put down, so you don't have to plow through it all at once if you don't have the time. Recommended.
And that's it for 2011.
45: Wishful Drinking, by Carrie Fisher (audiobook). I had seen the HBO special of her stage show of the same name, so parts of this were not new to me, but it's a very insightful book on the trials of drug and alcohol addition. Carrie reads her book in a matter-of-fact and utterly hilarious manner. It's only three discs long, so an easy listen for the commute (not so good for on the treadmill)
46: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J.K. Rowling (reread). Recommended, but you really ought to have read the previous books in the series before reading this one. By this time Rowling assumes you know the backstory.
47: The Long Winter, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Read aloud to Sophie in chapters at bedtime.
48: At home: A Short History of Private Life, by Bill Bryson. This was a very enjoyable read. You would be in error to assume it's a history of house-living, although it is that, but there is so much more. Absolutely fascinating and entertaining. Two thumbs up. Recommended.
49: Making the Most of your Food Freezer: New Ideas, New Techniques, New Recipes, by Marie Armstrong Essipoff. This was one of Mom's books. I think she picked it up at a yard sale somewhere for the recipes. It was funny to read in a "Wow, look how they did things in 1951!" sort of way.
50: Art of the Creche: Nativities from Around the World, by John L. Grovan. This was nice for Christmas reading. I couldn't understand why he said he'd never found a Japanese creche, because my folks' late 50s-early 60s era manger scene has "JAPAN" stamped on the bottom of each piece.
51: YOU: Having a Baby: The Owner's Manual to a Happy and Healthy Pregnancy, by Drs. Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz. This book gets mixed reviews...the people who love "What to Expect When You Are Expecting" HATE this book, but the people who hate WTEWYAE love it. I personally fall into the latter camp. It's a very good book; up-to-date, informative, with a side dish of snark. Recommended.
52: Little Town on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. This book has more Almanzo, so Sophie liked it better.
53: Not Dead and Not For Sale: A Memoir, by Scott Weiland with David Ritz. It's OK. Not the best rock-star memoir I've read in recent years, but certainly not the worst. For instance, it was not as good as Ozzy's book, but WAY better than Vince Neil's book. WAY.
54: These Happy Golden Years, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I was a little worried that Sophie would lose interest in the series when Laura became a teenager, but the romance between Laura and Almanzo has kept her captivated.
55 I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution, by Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum. Attention children of the 80s and/or early 90s! If watched MTV at all, you will like this book. Easy to pick up and put down, so you don't have to plow through it all at once if you don't have the time. Recommended.
And that's it for 2011.