First, I have a question.... last week I read Into Thin Air, about a group climbing Mt. Everest and the tragedy that occurred there (19 people were stranded when a freak storm blew in). And I was wondering if anyone knew of other books about mountain climbing/ rock climbing out there? They don't have to be about that particular event (although I know there are a lot out there about then) and actually, they don't even have to be non-fiction, I recently read another book called Peak about climbing Everest. And I'm interested in reading more climbing type books.
Anyway, on to my reviews.
Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
#62 on Radcliffe's 100 Best Rival List.
This is the story of The Divers, Dick and Nicole and Rosemary, an actress on vacation in France who meets and falls in love with Dick. This book deals a lot with Dick and Nicole's relationship and the problems Nicole has. This is definitely my least favorite Fitzgerald so far. I thought at the beginning it was pretty interesting, but soon I got bored and confused. It seemed to jump around a lot, and it just wasn't horribly interesting. Maybe I was expecting too much from all the other reviews I've heard. I do have to admit that the actual language and descriptions were written well, like in other Fitzgerald books. Just not my favorite.
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer
Like I said above this is the account of the 1996 disaster on Everest when 8 people died on the summit. Krakauer had been sent there to do an article for Outside magazine and happened to be in the group that lost both of its guides. There was also an IMAX crew on the mountain and the events are also in the IMAX movie about Everest. I've read other books about Everest and seen several documentaries, enough so I never want to climb the mountain myself, but this book was horrifying. I couldn't imagine going through what these people went through. It was as amazing book.
The High King by Lloyd Alexander
The last book of The Chronicles of Prydain, also won the Newbery Medal in 1969 (although I'm not sure how). After suffering through The Book of Three and The Black Cauldron I decided I couldn't take anymore and skipped to the last book in the series. This one tells the final story of Taran and his friends as they try to defeat Arawn for the last time. What bothered me most in this series of novels was how incredibly annoying Taran was. But I have to admit he wasn't near as annoying in this one, but still, I wanted him to die. It was a boring and fairly predictable book and I would not recommend this series to anyone.
Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman
Won the Newbery Medal in 1989. This is a book of poems designed to be read by two people at the same time. They are all about insects. It's actually a very cute book. I enjoyed reading the poems myself, but I can imagine it would be a lot of fun reading them with someone else. It seems like a nice thing to do in a classroom. And it has a lot of interesting information about insects.
Newbery books read/out of: 43/86
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
so many books
Geez, I've read like 10 books since last updating, so I'll keep it kinda short.
A Great and Terrible Beauty & Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
These are the first two books in the Gemma Doyle trilogy. The second one I am still reading, but they are both AMAZING. They tell the story of Gemma Doyle, who after her mother is killed is enrolled in an English boarding school where she learns more about who she is, who her mother was and discovers the magic of "the order" all while learning how to be a proper woman. I bought the first one because it was described as a shivering curl up under the covers kind of book. While I may not go so far as to agree with that, it was definitely worth reading and I look forward to the third book!
Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston
Another book on my 100 best list. This book tells teh story of Janie Crawford and her life in Florida and follows her through 3 marriages. It was an interesting book, I've never read it before but I am glad that I did. I know it's really known for the way the dialogue was written, but it drove me crazy. I felt like I spent the majority of the time trying to figure out what everyone was saying. Usually when I read a book written in different kind of dialect after a while I get used to it, but that never did happen. But still, it was interesting overall.
Out of the Dust- Karen Hesse
Won the Newbery Medal in 1998. This is the story of Billie Joe and her family living in Oklahoma during the Depression. Tragedy strikes and Billie Joe must find a way to pull through. The main thing that stands out in this book was that it reads as if it is Billie Joe's diary, all her thoughts and feelings no matter how small are told here. And it is written in verse. So it reads pretty quickly. It's a sad story, told in an interesting way.
Confessions of a Prep School Mommy Handler - Wade Rouse
This is a memior from Rouse's time working at a private school in public relations and the crazy mothers he has to deal with. I thought it would be really funny, but it was only somewhat amusing. It deals with no matter how bad morals the mothers have and how against them Rouse is he is still able to fall into their club. He is tempted by what they have to offer. It was decent.
A Visit to William Blake's Inn - Nancy Willard
Won the Newbery Medal in 1982, Caldecott Honor in 1982. This is a book of poems inspired by William Blake. It basically tells the story of visiting Blake's inn full of animals and other odd things. It is fairly interesting but I think I much more enjoyed the illustrations. They were pretty cool.
Life of Pi - Yann Martel
The story of Pi, a zookeeper's son who on the way to Canda from India his family's ship sinks and he ends up stranded in a lifeboat with a tiger, a wounded zebra, a hyena and an orangutan. What an interesting book! I loved the story and the could not put it down! I don't have much more to say on it, except that it is very enjoyable and everyone should read it.
The Hero and the Crown- Robin McKinley
Won the Newbery Medal in 1985. This is a fantasy novel about Aerin who longs to be a dragon slayer. It really is a typical fantasy novel in which the daughter of the king lacks some sort of "gift" that she should have, her mother is dead and she is trying to find a place where she can fit in. Even though it is a commonly found story, the book was interesting enough. It wasn't amazing but it was decent. There were some odd parts though. And the Lexington Public Library really needs to get a new copy with a decent cover. Honestly I don't know how anyone checks it out with that horrible 80s cover.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan- Lisa See
The story of Lily and Snow Flower, daughters in China who become laotong, same sisters. They basically become friends for life, cause typically in Chinese culture when a daughter marrys out she stops talking to her old friends and makes new ones. This tells of their relationship from when they were children with the feet newly bound until their falling out at old age. It was an amazing book. I recommend it for everyone. It seems that books involving Chinese fiction is popular these days (Memoirs of a Geisha and the like), but this one is a definite must read. I still cringe with pain thinking of the descriptions of the foot binding.
Notes from a Small Island - Bill Bryson
Talking with Jill about Bryson's books made me want to re-read some of his and seeing as how I didn't own this one I decided I should get it. Bryson and his family are preparing to move from England back to the US, and before they go Bryson wants one last tour of England. It just makes me laugh. I've always had an obbession with England and British things so it makes it even more interesting for me. There was one part I was reading at home, about Bryson asking for directions from someone and the man kept responding "it's a boose you need" and I was cracking up. Luis finally asked what I was laughing at, so I started reading it aloud to him but I never could get all the way through I was laughing so hard. Ah, good times.
And there, that's all of them, until tomorrow at least.
Newbery books read/out of: 41/86
A Great and Terrible Beauty & Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
These are the first two books in the Gemma Doyle trilogy. The second one I am still reading, but they are both AMAZING. They tell the story of Gemma Doyle, who after her mother is killed is enrolled in an English boarding school where she learns more about who she is, who her mother was and discovers the magic of "the order" all while learning how to be a proper woman. I bought the first one because it was described as a shivering curl up under the covers kind of book. While I may not go so far as to agree with that, it was definitely worth reading and I look forward to the third book!
Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston
Another book on my 100 best list. This book tells teh story of Janie Crawford and her life in Florida and follows her through 3 marriages. It was an interesting book, I've never read it before but I am glad that I did. I know it's really known for the way the dialogue was written, but it drove me crazy. I felt like I spent the majority of the time trying to figure out what everyone was saying. Usually when I read a book written in different kind of dialect after a while I get used to it, but that never did happen. But still, it was interesting overall.
Out of the Dust- Karen Hesse
Won the Newbery Medal in 1998. This is the story of Billie Joe and her family living in Oklahoma during the Depression. Tragedy strikes and Billie Joe must find a way to pull through. The main thing that stands out in this book was that it reads as if it is Billie Joe's diary, all her thoughts and feelings no matter how small are told here. And it is written in verse. So it reads pretty quickly. It's a sad story, told in an interesting way.
Confessions of a Prep School Mommy Handler - Wade Rouse
This is a memior from Rouse's time working at a private school in public relations and the crazy mothers he has to deal with. I thought it would be really funny, but it was only somewhat amusing. It deals with no matter how bad morals the mothers have and how against them Rouse is he is still able to fall into their club. He is tempted by what they have to offer. It was decent.
A Visit to William Blake's Inn - Nancy Willard
Won the Newbery Medal in 1982, Caldecott Honor in 1982. This is a book of poems inspired by William Blake. It basically tells the story of visiting Blake's inn full of animals and other odd things. It is fairly interesting but I think I much more enjoyed the illustrations. They were pretty cool.
Life of Pi - Yann Martel
The story of Pi, a zookeeper's son who on the way to Canda from India his family's ship sinks and he ends up stranded in a lifeboat with a tiger, a wounded zebra, a hyena and an orangutan. What an interesting book! I loved the story and the could not put it down! I don't have much more to say on it, except that it is very enjoyable and everyone should read it.
The Hero and the Crown- Robin McKinley
Won the Newbery Medal in 1985. This is a fantasy novel about Aerin who longs to be a dragon slayer. It really is a typical fantasy novel in which the daughter of the king lacks some sort of "gift" that she should have, her mother is dead and she is trying to find a place where she can fit in. Even though it is a commonly found story, the book was interesting enough. It wasn't amazing but it was decent. There were some odd parts though. And the Lexington Public Library really needs to get a new copy with a decent cover. Honestly I don't know how anyone checks it out with that horrible 80s cover.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan- Lisa See
The story of Lily and Snow Flower, daughters in China who become laotong, same sisters. They basically become friends for life, cause typically in Chinese culture when a daughter marrys out she stops talking to her old friends and makes new ones. This tells of their relationship from when they were children with the feet newly bound until their falling out at old age. It was an amazing book. I recommend it for everyone. It seems that books involving Chinese fiction is popular these days (Memoirs of a Geisha and the like), but this one is a definite must read. I still cringe with pain thinking of the descriptions of the foot binding.
Notes from a Small Island - Bill Bryson
Talking with Jill about Bryson's books made me want to re-read some of his and seeing as how I didn't own this one I decided I should get it. Bryson and his family are preparing to move from England back to the US, and before they go Bryson wants one last tour of England. It just makes me laugh. I've always had an obbession with England and British things so it makes it even more interesting for me. There was one part I was reading at home, about Bryson asking for directions from someone and the man kept responding "it's a boose you need" and I was cracking up. Luis finally asked what I was laughing at, so I started reading it aloud to him but I never could get all the way through I was laughing so hard. Ah, good times.
And there, that's all of them, until tomorrow at least.
Newbery books read/out of: 41/86
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