Books I have read: 2010
(Year-to-date totals: books, 32; pages, 9300)
January (total books: 1, total pages: 328)
Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA by Brenda Maddox (328 pages)
February (total books: 2, total pages: 787)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll (317 pages)
For years I've been wanting to read this book, and finally had the opportunity on my trip to Hawaii (the timing of the movie was purely coincidence).
The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill (470 pages)
Another book that I read while in Hawaii. This book was a recommendation, and it was an excellent book.
March (total books: 5, total pages: 597)* Yeah, I know it's not accurate because there are illustrations.
While in Hawaii, I found a Roald Dahl box set on sale, eight books for $20, so of course I had to buy it. Due to fatigue, I've read very few books since I started school in 2006. However, being easy-to-read children's books, I read several of the Roald Dahl books. Even though they are kids' books, it's better than nothing!
George's Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl (89 pages)
I've only read this book once before, in grade 4 or 5, in French.
The Twits by Roald Dahl (76 pages)
One of my favourite Roald Dahl stories!
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (144 pages)
I've only read this once before, and it was one of my least favourite Dahl books, probably because the copy I read did not have illustrations by Quentin Blake.
Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl (81 pages)
The BFG by Roald Dahl (207 pages)
One of my top three favourite Dahl books. I first read this book in grade 3.
April (total books: 1, total pages: 354)
Napoleon's Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History by Penny Le Couteur and Jay Burreson (354 pages)
A re-read. I first read this book about five years ago. An interesting light read.
May (total books: 2; total pages: 338)
Writing: The Story of Alphabets and Scripts by Georges Jean (pages: N/A)
This was a short, coffee table kind of book with lots of images. I picked it up from the library because I'm interested such topics.
Misery by Stephen King (338 pages)
I first read this book when I was about 11 or 12 years old. I can't recall if I have read it several times or if this was only the second time reading it, but after nearly 20 years, it was time for a re-read.
June (total books: 2; total pages: 729 pages)
Native Son by Richard Wright (430 pages)
I saw this book on the bargain table and it sounded interesting, so I bought it. A good, engaging read.
The Collector by John Fowles (299 pages)
July (total books: 4; total pages: 1129 pages)
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (476 pages)
Wow. Amazing book. I read East of Eden years ago and hated it, so I wasn't expecting to like The Grapes of Wrath, but I was blown away. An absolutely fantastic book.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding (225 pages)
Meh. I first attempted reading this book about 15 years ago, but gave up. It wasn't any better reading it as an adult.
I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali with Delphine Minoui (176 pages)
A story about a 10 year old Yemeni girl who was married off by her father, and abused by her husband. A quick read as it's not an in-depth story.
Everything Will Be Alright by Douglas Wallace (252 pages)
A memoir about growing up in poverty and violence. I could definitely relate to the passages describing Wallace's alcoholic father--about living in fear of his father's angry outbursts.
August (total books: 4; total pages: 1196 pages)
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis (399 pages)
A gruesome, but interesting book. The book was written in 1991 and takes place in the late 80s and early 90s, and it was amusing reading about the now outdated technology and references. For example, the main character, Patrick Bateman, constantly listening to his Walkman.
A couple of things bothered me: there are a lot of graphic scenes where Patrick Bateman is having rough and sadistic sex with women. But what bothered me is how he'd stick his fingers or dildo or something up the woman's ass, and then insert the object into her vagina. So very, very unhygienic, and a major no-no! I know hygiene is not the point and the least of the readers' concerns, but the description of ass to cunt totally ruined it for me!
Also, Patrick and his secretary go to a restaurant called Arcadia, and Patrick is explaining the origin of the name (I've only included the relevant parts of the quotation): "Arcadia was an ancient region in Peloponnesus, Greece [....] Pan was worshipped originally in Arcadia. Do you know who Pan was? [....] His revels were very similar to those of Bacchus..." (p. 263)
I don't know anything about Arcadia, but he's talking about ancient Greece and Pan, so why is he talking about Bacchus?! If you're talking about Greek mythology, stick with Greek names!
Ugly by Constance Briscoe (310 pages)
Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote (111 pages)
If it weren't a short story, I wouldn't have finished it. Boring.
The White Earth by Andrew McGahan (376 pages)
Some random book I picked up from the library because it sounded interesting. It wasn't bad, but nothing special.
September (total books: 3; total pages: 893 pages)
My First Five Husbands... And the Ones Who Got Away by Rue McClanahan (335 pages)
House Rules: a Memoir by Rachel Sontag (261 pages)
Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated by Alison Arngrim (297 pages)
I loved watching Little House on the Prairie, so when I saw this book in the store, I had to buy it. I'm glad I did; it was excellent, and I highly recommend it.
October (total books: 3; total pages: 935 pages)
On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder (339 pages)
I've never read the Little House on the Prairie books, but I love the TV show, so I was interested in reading a few and seeing how the books compared to the show.
Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder (307 pages)
These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder (289 pages)
November (total books: 2; total pages: 896 pages)
At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson (452 pages)
Another excellent book full of interesting tidbits, of course.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett (444 pages)
An engaging book.
December (total books: 3; total pages: 1118 pages)
Parasites: Tales of Humanity's Most Unwelcome Guests by Rosemary Drisdelle (218 pages)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (607 pages)
A re-read. I enjoyed it much more the second time!
Still Alice by Lisa Genova (293 pages)
January (total books: 1, total pages: 328)
Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA by Brenda Maddox (328 pages)
February (total books: 2, total pages: 787)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll (317 pages)
For years I've been wanting to read this book, and finally had the opportunity on my trip to Hawaii (the timing of the movie was purely coincidence).
The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill (470 pages)
Another book that I read while in Hawaii. This book was a recommendation, and it was an excellent book.
March (total books: 5, total pages: 597)* Yeah, I know it's not accurate because there are illustrations.
While in Hawaii, I found a Roald Dahl box set on sale, eight books for $20, so of course I had to buy it. Due to fatigue, I've read very few books since I started school in 2006. However, being easy-to-read children's books, I read several of the Roald Dahl books. Even though they are kids' books, it's better than nothing!
George's Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl (89 pages)
I've only read this book once before, in grade 4 or 5, in French.
The Twits by Roald Dahl (76 pages)
One of my favourite Roald Dahl stories!
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (144 pages)
I've only read this once before, and it was one of my least favourite Dahl books, probably because the copy I read did not have illustrations by Quentin Blake.
Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl (81 pages)
The BFG by Roald Dahl (207 pages)
One of my top three favourite Dahl books. I first read this book in grade 3.
April (total books: 1, total pages: 354)
Napoleon's Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History by Penny Le Couteur and Jay Burreson (354 pages)
A re-read. I first read this book about five years ago. An interesting light read.
May (total books: 2; total pages: 338)
Writing: The Story of Alphabets and Scripts by Georges Jean (pages: N/A)
This was a short, coffee table kind of book with lots of images. I picked it up from the library because I'm interested such topics.
Misery by Stephen King (338 pages)
I first read this book when I was about 11 or 12 years old. I can't recall if I have read it several times or if this was only the second time reading it, but after nearly 20 years, it was time for a re-read.
June (total books: 2; total pages: 729 pages)
Native Son by Richard Wright (430 pages)
I saw this book on the bargain table and it sounded interesting, so I bought it. A good, engaging read.
The Collector by John Fowles (299 pages)
July (total books: 4; total pages: 1129 pages)
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (476 pages)
Wow. Amazing book. I read East of Eden years ago and hated it, so I wasn't expecting to like The Grapes of Wrath, but I was blown away. An absolutely fantastic book.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding (225 pages)
Meh. I first attempted reading this book about 15 years ago, but gave up. It wasn't any better reading it as an adult.
I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali with Delphine Minoui (176 pages)
A story about a 10 year old Yemeni girl who was married off by her father, and abused by her husband. A quick read as it's not an in-depth story.
Everything Will Be Alright by Douglas Wallace (252 pages)
A memoir about growing up in poverty and violence. I could definitely relate to the passages describing Wallace's alcoholic father--about living in fear of his father's angry outbursts.
August (total books: 4; total pages: 1196 pages)
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis (399 pages)
A gruesome, but interesting book. The book was written in 1991 and takes place in the late 80s and early 90s, and it was amusing reading about the now outdated technology and references. For example, the main character, Patrick Bateman, constantly listening to his Walkman.
A couple of things bothered me: there are a lot of graphic scenes where Patrick Bateman is having rough and sadistic sex with women. But what bothered me is how he'd stick his fingers or dildo or something up the woman's ass, and then insert the object into her vagina. So very, very unhygienic, and a major no-no! I know hygiene is not the point and the least of the readers' concerns, but the description of ass to cunt totally ruined it for me!
Also, Patrick and his secretary go to a restaurant called Arcadia, and Patrick is explaining the origin of the name (I've only included the relevant parts of the quotation): "Arcadia was an ancient region in Peloponnesus, Greece [....] Pan was worshipped originally in Arcadia. Do you know who Pan was? [....] His revels were very similar to those of Bacchus..." (p. 263)
I don't know anything about Arcadia, but he's talking about ancient Greece and Pan, so why is he talking about Bacchus?! If you're talking about Greek mythology, stick with Greek names!
Ugly by Constance Briscoe (310 pages)
Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote (111 pages)
If it weren't a short story, I wouldn't have finished it. Boring.
The White Earth by Andrew McGahan (376 pages)
Some random book I picked up from the library because it sounded interesting. It wasn't bad, but nothing special.
September (total books: 3; total pages: 893 pages)
My First Five Husbands... And the Ones Who Got Away by Rue McClanahan (335 pages)
House Rules: a Memoir by Rachel Sontag (261 pages)
Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated by Alison Arngrim (297 pages)
I loved watching Little House on the Prairie, so when I saw this book in the store, I had to buy it. I'm glad I did; it was excellent, and I highly recommend it.
October (total books: 3; total pages: 935 pages)
On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder (339 pages)
I've never read the Little House on the Prairie books, but I love the TV show, so I was interested in reading a few and seeing how the books compared to the show.
Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder (307 pages)
These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder (289 pages)
November (total books: 2; total pages: 896 pages)
At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson (452 pages)
Another excellent book full of interesting tidbits, of course.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett (444 pages)
An engaging book.
December (total books: 3; total pages: 1118 pages)
Parasites: Tales of Humanity's Most Unwelcome Guests by Rosemary Drisdelle (218 pages)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (607 pages)
A re-read. I enjoyed it much more the second time!
Still Alice by Lisa Genova (293 pages)