The Cataloger's Reading List

The Noon God, by Donna Carrick (on Nook)

2012-01-13T06:47:00.000-06:00

OK, a quick and cheap Nook purchase that had a great story outline, but was a little light in editing and those sorts of niceties. Still, a good story, fast-moving and clever, though I knew who the murderer was after about 25 pages.

Amos Walker, by Loren Estleman (on Nook)

2012-01-10T21:01:00.000-06:00

Hard-boiled mysteries set in Detroit and published over the course of 20 years, from the mid-80s up until fairly recently. Good stuff. Really good stuff. I may have to look up Amos' novels. I do like Estleman, always have.

The Secret Life of Cowboys, by Tom Groneberg

2012-01-07T17:26:00.000-06:00

Really good book about what it takes to ranch ahe life, and work with animals in the west, what depending on the land really means, now. The author takes care not to overly mythologize the subject, and is very honest about his failings, and discoveries of strengths. Nicely written, very evocative.

I miss the West.

Daddy Long-Legs, by Jean Webster (on Nook)

2012-01-03T19:36:00.000-06:00

I read this while Beast was in the hospital last fall, but just remembered I never blogged it here. It's one of the novels in a collection of several dozen "classics" I got for free when I first got the Nook.

The book was written in 1912. It was not great, but very much a product of the time in which it was written, about a college girl, an orphan, who is subsidized in her education, and writes a letter each month to her Daddy Long-Legs to update him on her life. She acts about 12. But it got me through hours of watching Beast sleep, so I guess I'm not too upset.

Don't Shoot, by David M. Kennedy

2012-01-03T18:31:00.000-06:00

This was really interesting to read; every time I sat down with it, I was drawn in to the subject and the writing itself. The subject is how to deal with crime in ways that are not 'common sense.' Having an effect on crime means getting to know the area, the community/ies, the people, not "cracking down."

However, reading it at the busiest time of the year meant that I never got to spent more than about 5 pages with it before some new thing had to be handled. So, after 5 weeks and only 50 or 60 pages, I gave up. I hope to get back to it sometime though.

Reading Statistics

2012-01-01T15:33:00.000-06:00

Most Memorable {these are not necessarily Literary, but they stuck in my head}
* A Secret Gift, by Ted Gup
* Jewels of the Romanovs, by Stefano Papi
* 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, by Jules Verne
* 61 Hours, by Lee Child
* Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs
* Rock 'n' Roll and American Society. Part One, From the Beginning to 1960, by William McKeen

Best
* Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins
* Travels in Siberia, by Ian Frazier
* Love Wins, by Rob Bell
* A Discovery of Witches, by Deborah Harkness
* A Certain Justice, by P.D. James
* The Grave Tattoo, by Val McDermid
* The Center of Everything, by Laura Moriarty

Least Memorable {books I remember NOTHING about, based on title alone}
* Science Secrets, by Alberto A. Martínez
* We Are Amused, by Brian Hoey

Yuck
* Shakespeare : The Seven Major Tragedies, by Harold Bloom
* Running Scared, by Lisa Jackson
* Fallen, by Lauren Kate

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Keeping in mind that, as usual, I did not cull the books I did not finish, here's the geeky number bit:

number of books read in 2011: 69
number of books read in 2010: 67
number of books read in 2009: 85
number of books read in 2008: 93
number of books read in 2007: 75
number of books read in 2006: 77
number of books read in 2005: 127
number of books read in 2004: 102
number of books read in 2003: 100
number of books read in 2002: 118
number of books read in 2001: 83
number of books read in 2000: 128
TOTAL over ten years : 1124

average read per year, over eleven years: 102.2
2011 average read per month: 5.75 (all eleven years: 8.52)
2011 average read per week: 1.33 (all eleven years: 1.97)

number read in worst month:

2011: 1--December
2010: 0--July
2009: 4--tied June and August
2008: 4--June
2007: 3--November
2006: 4--tied April, May, June and August
2005: 5--January and June
2004: 0--July

number read in best month:

2011: 9--June
2010: 8--May
2009: 12--February
2008: 11--February
2007: 9--March
2006: 11--January
2005: 21--February
2004: 12--June

number of fiction:

2011: 33
2010: 44
2009: 55
2008: 65
2007: 53
2006: 56
2005: 74
2004: 61

number of non-fiction:

2011: 36
2010: 23
2009: 30
2008: 28
2007: 22
2006: 21
2005: 53
2004: 41

number of books by female authors: 24 (2010: 40 | 2009: 35 | 2008: 36 | 2007: 24 | 2006: 24)
number of books by male authors: 41 (2010: 23 | 2009: 60 | 2008: 58 | 2007: 40 | 2006: 33)
[discrepancies in totals are due to individual books by multiple authors and edited books which are not counted]

2011 Reading List

2011-12-31T21:45:00.000-06:00

January (4F, 4NF)

Radiance, by Alyson Noel
The Disappearing Spoon, by Sam Kean
Rituals of the Season, by Margaret Maron (on CD)
The English is Coming! by Leslie Dunton-Downer
Lost to Time, by Martin W. Sandler
The Third Bear, by Jeff VanderMeer
Jane, by April Lindner
At Home, by Bill Bryson (on CD)

February (2F, 5NF)

Travels in Siberia, by Ian Frazier
A Dead Man's Tale, by James D. Doss
The Darwin Awards Countdown to Extinction, by Wendy Northcutt
Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins (on CD)
The Mind's Eye, by Oliver Sacks
A Secret Gift, by Ted Gup
Shakespeare : The Seven Major Tragedies, by Harold Bloom (on CD)

March (2F, 5NF)

Full Dark, No Stars, by Stephen King
Jewels of the Romanovs, by Stefano Papi
Say What?, by Gena K. Gorrell
Winter's Child, by Margaret Maron (on CD)
Paul Among the People, by Sarah Ruden
Secret America, by Barb Karg and Rick Sutherland
The Rise and Fall of the Bible, by Timothy Beal

April (1F, 1NF)

One of Our Thursdays is Missing, by Jasper Fforde (Book on Nook)
The Bible as History, by Ian Wilson

May (5NF)

Michelangelo : David, by Laura Ciucetti
Accademia Gallery, Marcella Anglani and Gabriele Rossi Rognoni
Love Wins, by Rob Bell
Santa Croce, by Emma Micheletti
Euphemania, by Ralph Keyes

June (3F, 6NF)

Colosseum Guide, by Letizia Abbondanza
The Diviner's Tale, by Bradford Morrow
Poetry Speaks Who I Am (edited by Elise Paschen and Dominique Raccah)
In Sheep's Clothing, by George K. Simon, Jr.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, by Jules Verne (Book on Nook)
Read This Next, by Sandra Newman and Howard Mittelmark
The Jesus I Never Knew, by Philip Yancey
Bible : The Story of the King James Version, 1611-2011, by Gordon Campbell
61 Hours, by Lee Child (on CD)

July (2F, 3NF)

Running Scared, by Lisa Jackson (on CD ... and paper)
A Discovery of Witches, by Deborah Harkness
Uncle Vanya, by Anton Chekhov
A Lost Adolescence, by Joy Aavang
The Wilder Life, by Wendy McClure

August (6F, 2NF)

Mountain Ice, by R. E. Derouin
Inkdeath, by Cornelia Funke (on CD)
Dead on the Fourth of July, by R.E. Derouin
Sound Proof, by Barbara Gregorich
We Are Amused, by Brian Hoey
Below Zero, C.J. Box (on CD)
No Rest for the Dead (ed. by Andrew F. Gulli and Lamia J. Gulli)
Guide to the Vatican : Museums and City

September (4F, 2NF)

Camouflage, by Bill Pronzini
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs
Dante's Divine Comedy, adapted by Seymour Chwast
A Certain Justice, by P.D. James (on CD)
King's Cross, by Timothy Keller
Sarah's Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay

October (2F, 3NF)

Rock 'n' Roll and American Society. Part One, From the Beginning to 1960, by William McKeen (on CD)
Science Secrets, by Alberto A. Martínez
The Grave Tattoo, by Val McDermid (on CD)
Overland West (V. 1), by Will Bagley
Skip Case, by R. E. Derouin

November (6F, 1NF)

The Gospel in Brief, by Leo Tolstoy
Fallen, by Lauren Kate
The Center of Everything, by Laura Moriarty (on CD)
13 Rue Thérèse, by Elena Mauli Shapiro
Betrayal of Trust, by J.A. Jance
City of Whispers, by Marcia Muller
Torment, by Lauren Kate (on CD)

December (1F)

Coffin Man, by James D. Doss

Coffin Man, by James D. Doss

2011-12-10T17:09:00.000-06:00

Good. Not quite as good as the last one, but fun primarily because Daisy loses her ability to see 'beyond', though she can still hear the ghosts and the Little Man. I just wish Charlie would get a grip and figure out how much Sarah likes him.

Torment, by Lauren Kate (on CD)

2011-11-29T07:51:00.000-06:00

Title pretty much describes this book. I want to smack this little Bella-like dweeb in the nose. Reading Part 3 is unlikely.

City of Whispers, by Marcia Muller

2011-11-26T18:38:00.000-06:00

Good, as usual. I seem to have missed a book though. Anyway, this one is about her half-brother who is homeless and hopeless, and missing. He's also the main suspect in the murder of a wealthy young woman.

Betrayal of Trust, by J.A. Jance

2011-11-18T20:25:00.000-06:00

Beaumont and his wife Mel are asked to investigate the Washington State governor's step-grandson's activities when the governor finds an apparent snuff video on the kid's cell phone.

From that, the case explodes into the death of the boy, the death of the girl in the video, the intermixture of the rich and poor at a teenage sort-of-halfway-house, and politics. Not a strong plot, but the characters are so well-drawn that it feels like more than it is. And I do like Beau, even as he gets old and creaky and his knees get more and more painful. Oh, and he gets to meet his father's side of the family finally, too.

13 Rue Thérèse, by Elena Mauli Shapiro

2011-11-17T07:18:00.000-06:00

Odd little book. The author owns a collection of artifacts from a woman named Marie Brunet who lived in her apartment building 80 years ago. From those artifacts, she has created a story-inside-a-story of an American academic in Paris to do research who is gifted this box of artifacts by his charming and beautiful secretary. He becomes a bit mad about recreating the life of Marie Brunet, eventually becoming part of her life (i.e., going back in time). Interesting, charming--like the secretary--and offbeat.

The Center of Everything, by Laura Moriarty (on CD)

2011-11-05T11:48:00.000-05:00

Wow. There's a lot in this book to think about, which is a nice counterpoint because nothing much actually happens in the sense of plot. A 10-year-old girl grows up into an 18-year-old young adult. Think about those years in your life: full of potential, much sturm und drang, self-definition, drama, etc. For most people, most of the time, it's also a period of fallowness that is where you become You.

And so, Evelyn at age ten is relatively happy living with her young mother in a run-down apartment complex, being visited by her evangelical-Christian grandmother (but never her grandfather) regularly, and trying to make sense of the nearby and distant currents of life in Kansas in the 1980s. That year is a pivotal year: she comes to understand that family is complicated, that adults make horrifically bad judgments that turn their kids' lives upside down, that people are usually hypocritical about something in their lives, and that sometimes moms don't have all the right answers. Her mother gets pregnant, again, loses her job, becomes depressed, tries to go on welfare but her temper and pride cause problems there, and eventually gives birth to a boy with serious birth defects.

By the time Evelyn is 18, her best friends have ended up married to each other because Travis gets Deena pregnant when she is just 15. Evelyn has always assumed that she and Travis would be together, yet given the opportunity to do just that...she turns it down.

This is not a girl you always like; she does some pretty typically teenaged 'mean things' to people, but in the end she is what we all are at 18: complex and beautiful, not-yet-fully-formed, yet showing the outlines of potentiality. Gorgeous book.

Fallen, by Lauren Kate

2011-11-04T06:33:00.000-05:00

Book one in the Fallen Trilogy. Book three got great reviews, so I figured I should start from the beginning. This is a pretty typical YA novel, similar in outline to the dreaded Twilight books, but "starring" angels instead of vampires, et al. Lucinda transfers to a reform school after she is involved in a tragic and deadly event at her former boarding school. Sword and Cross is not a typical prep/reform school: untidy, ugly, weird-but-not-criminal kids, and apparently lots of very hot guys, one of whom is quite charming and attentive, another of which seems to hate her on sight.

Of course, she is drawn more to the latter boy, who ends up being more attentive than he seems while Mr. Charming turns out to be a...well, demon.

War breaks out, her best friend turns out to be mortal after all, and the librarian, while not at all stereotypical, is definitely a villain.

Book Two awaits!!

The Gospel in Brief, by Leo Tolstoy

2011-11-01T22:03:00.000-05:00

Towards the end of his life, Tolstoy became interested in 'freeing' the scripture from the layers of religiosity inside of which he felt the Orthodox Church had encased it. So he retranslated and paraphrased the gospels as he felt they should read. This was happening in the midst of the great German discourse on who the historical Jesus really was, so Tolstoy had lots of people to help him over the translation problems since I doubt he learned Biblical Greek and/or Hebrew.

Fascinating that whenever someone decides to do this sort of project, it ends up creating a clearer picture of the person doing it than it does of Jesus.

In any case, I read about 1/3 of the book and the copy I had turned out to be defective--50 missing pages--and I just never got back to it; I sort of feel like I got the gist of it.

Skip Case, by R. E. Derouin

2011-10-30T12:30:00.000-05:00

The origin story--How They Met--which was more than a little creepy because David and Cynthia met when her husband disappeared. It is explained, at the end, that they dated for quite awhile before getting married to each other, which is good since the basis of this book is that Cynthia really loved her first husband; her going on dates with Dean just weeks after his disappearance rings a little off to me.

Anyway, the gist of the book was outstanding and complicated; I had no idea what was going on.

Overland West (vol. 1), by Will Bagley

2011-10-28T09:27:00.000-05:00

I started this, ambitiously, and only got about 25 pages in. I think I'll wait for volume 2 since by then he will start talking about Colorado. ;-)

OK, that's not fair, because he already was talking about Colorado. However, this may be one of those things that works better on Nook simply because I can read it for a long period of time and spend some time thinking about it and making notes to myself as I go.

The Grave Tattoo, by Val McDermid (on CD)

2011-10-26T19:37:00.000-05:00

Another case of the reader making the book so much better, in this case a difficult task as the book is already pretty darn good.

The case superficially revolves around a recently discovered body in the marshes in the Lake District, but really it's about Jane Gresham, a scholar from the area currently supplementing her small teaching stipend by waiting tables in London, who is determined to find out whether this body is that of Fletcher Christian--of H.M.S. Bounty fame--and whether his return to his birthplace in the Lake District led to his friend William Wordsworth's writing of a "lost" epic poem about him. Murder ensues. Are academics really this amoral?

I knew fairly early on who the Bad Seed was. I stuck with the book primarily because of the side-story of a neighbor of Jane's in London, a 13-year-old girl named Tenille, who is all that a neglected, poor, project-raised girl would be as well as being quite smart and very into poetry, especially 19th-century poetry. What an interesting mix of personality traits! And because of her background and some ill-timed bad choices, she is on the run in connection with the death of her aunt's boyfriend.

Science Secrets, by Alberto A. Martínez

2011-10-17T09:32:00.000-05:00

I tried, I really did. My mind is just not on this track right now. It's well-written, and interesting, but I couldn't get into it. For 8 weeks!

Rock 'n' Roll and American Society. Part One, From the Beginning to 1960, by William McKeen (on CD)

2011-10-04T09:25:00.000-05:00

Very interesting. I learned a great deal about the early years. I really wish they'd been able to include the songs in the recording. While I knew many of them, there were a large number of early ones that I haven't heard. Oh, well.

The best parts of this were stories about what went on behind-the-scenes, like Little Richard singing the original lyrics to "Tutti-Frutti" while facing away from the young English teacher/songwriter who wrote the ones we all know now, because he was mortified at how dirty those original lyrics were. I hope there is a Part Two (and following).

Sarah's Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay

2011-09-29T07:20:00.000-05:00

Wow! The horrifying hook in this book about the Holocaust is that is tells the story from the point of view of a ten-year-old Parisian girl named Sarah rounded up with her parents by the French police in 1942. Because she doesn't know what is going on around her, she locks her little brother in a hidden cupboard in their house, sure that she'll be back in just a few hours to let him out.

Of course, she isn't back in just a few hours, or days, or weeks.

This story is interspersed in the story of Julia, an American researching this event for a French magazine as she navigates the pitfalls of her marriage and family. That part was far less interesting to me. I did end up feeling a little gypped in the end because I wanted to hear more about Sarah's life and less about Julia's. In the end, my outlook on the French didn't exactly improve.

King's Cross, by Timothy Keller

2011-09-24T21:12:00.000-05:00

OK, so this is basically a sermon based on the entire book of Mark. Once I had that nailed down, it was easier to ignore the lack of rigor in the writing. It isn't meant as a scholarly, factual piece, just a reminder of what the point of Jesus' life was, according to (mostly) Mark, with some references to the other synoptic gospels. I did find myself saying, "But what about...??" a few times and had to remind myself that answering critics isn't the author's purpose here. Not bad.

A Certain Justice, by P.D. James (on CD)

2011-09-18T13:04:00.000-05:00

I have no idea how I missed this one when it came out ten years ago, but I'm glad I read it finally. It reminds me a bit of another of hers in that it ends in a non-solution, although we do find out "whodunnit." This one, however, involves the death of an attorney in her locked "room" (office) with a judge's wig and blood on her head.

And there are plenty of suspects; this was not a woman that anyone found anything much good to say about. She's actually one of those characters who rather 'deserved to die.' And so when one of the suspects turns out to have had a great deal to do with her death, it's a shame that the character turns out to be much more likable than the victim was.

Lots of twists and turns, as usual in all James' books.

Dante's Divine Comedy, adapted by Seymour Chwast

2011-09-12T15:17:00.000-05:00

This reminds me of a mash-up of Guys & Dolls (the movie) and Sunday School at a particularly gloomy church. It's the whole of the Comedy: Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. All the characters look straight out of the 40s and 50s. Very odd.

I guess it's good that I read this, since I've never made it past Hell in the actual printed version. Now I can say I know how it all ends. ;-)

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs

2011-09-08T19:55:00.000-05:00

Very interesting book, about WWII orphans on an island off Wales, except they really aren't exactly as the grandson of one learns when he returns to investigate his grandfather's stories after his death. Turns out there is time travel involved, and these children are definitely peculiar in some very interesting ways. Plus, there are period photographs gleaned from collections the author has had access to. Quite an interesting book. I hope Riggs writes more.

Camouflage, by Bill Pronzini

2011-09-02T21:09:00.000-05:00

Why did I stop reading this series? Things have changed appreciably since I stopped: the agency has...wait, there IS an agency now! With more employees. The cases here involve finding a client's ex-wife to sign some papers, except it turns into a WHOLE OTHER deal involving murder. And one of his employees is investigating the apparent abuse of his girlfriend's child. The cases don't intersect, but they do parallel each other in terms of divorce wreaking havoc, and the injection of new blood helps a lot.

Guide to the Vatican : Museums and City

2011-08-26T19:00:00.000-05:00

Honestly? I need to sit with a big book of pictures of the Vatican Museums, or go back and walk around with my nose buried in this book to actually get anything out of it. LOTS of info, much of which doesn't translate without the item in front of your eyeballs.

Now I have an excuse to go back, right?

No Rest for the Dead (ed. by Andrew F. Gulli and Lamia J. Gulli)

2011-08-24T18:08:00.000-05:00

This is one of those serial novels that I'm such a sucker for: each chapter written by a different author, including some Big Names along with some folks I've never heard of. The story centers on the execution of a woman convicted of murdering her husband ten years ago by stuffing him into an Iron Maiden. And again we have the necessary suspension of belief, because there is no way a wealthy woman with no skeletons would lose every appeal on a case like this and be executed inside 2 years of her crime being committed.

BUT ANYWAY. Her husband was a skunk, a womanizer, a thief, a con-man...definitely deserved to die. But from the beginning you're sure she didn't, couldn't, do this. So, what really happened? Ah, that's what these 26 authors duke out in the pages. Pretty fun.

Below Zero, C.J. Box (on CD)

2011-08-23T10:23:00.000-05:00

I really like Joe Pickett. This is about a teenage girl, his former foster-daughter, whom was presumed dead in a horrible accident 6 years ago. At least, until she--or someone claiming to be her--starts texting one of his daughters. While the main plot is quite far-fetched (no mob hit-man is this much of a sucker, really, is he??), once you buy in it's quite a ride. Great book. Not a huge fan of the guy doing the reading though.

We Are Amused, by Brian Hoey

2011-08-18T17:59:00.000-05:00

Hmm, well, I had this on the sidebar as 'humor' but it is NOT humor; it is dead-serious trivia about the British Royal Family. Rather oddly arranged--alphabetically, in general, except for the Important Info about Each Person and their awards, titles, etc.--and QUITE confusing for this American trying to follow when someone's title changes over time. Ugh. Who are these people who keep track of all this stuff!?!

Sound Proof, by Barbara Gregorich

2011-08-14T15:52:00.000-05:00

Another self-published book, this one set in Illinois at a folk-music festival. Frank Dragovic, a private investigator from Chicago, has been asked to impersonate a repairman for the week of the festival while he keeps his eyes out for the person behind the thefts of expensive musical instrument that have taken place at previous years' festivals. In the process of which, one of the instructors is murdered and everyone is under suspicion for doing something: stealing or killing.

There's a little too much going on, and the whole structure could have used some editing, but generally the story was interesting.

Dead on the Fourth of July, by R.E. Derouin

2011-08-08T05:42:00.000-05:00

OK, so these are self-published, but really-and-truly, every book is better in terms of writing, and the description of the city of Ouray and the scenery and history are well-done, I'm totally enjoying the series. In this one, David and Cynthia's pseudo-foster daughter is reunited with her recently-released-from-prison mother and removed to Denver, and the rest of the crew are in the midst of David's campaign for sheriff and a search for a missing skeleton while dealing with four very unpleasant b&b guests.

Inkdeath, by Cornelia Funke (on CD)

2011-08-05T22:47:00.001-05:00

I've listened to all of these now, and am glad I did; there were some slow points, but this series is really different from any other I've ever read and pretty deep for YA stuff. This book does get into what makes 'real life' real versus the life that is in books; which is more real, really?

Mountain Ice, by R. E. Derouin

2011-08-03T15:53:00.000-05:00

One of the books I bought last summer while we were in Ouray, and another in the series starring David Dean as the owner of a B&B in Ouray. This one is about a 19th century diary and a guest who appears to be trying to escape from an abusive husband. When the husband dies, there's no shortage of suspects.

The Wilder Life, by Wendy McClure

2011-07-30T12:40:00.001-05:00

The author was as much of a Laura fan as a child as I, but she says she grew out of it, only to rediscover the books soon after the death of her mother. She and her husband make the rounds of all the extant Laura houses on a journey to rediscover the 1880s and her childhood. Good book, a bit 'skimmy' but fun for Little House die-hards like me.

A Lost Adolescence : Surviving the Blitz, by Joy Aavang

2011-07-20T05:54:00.000-05:00

Self-published and not without some problems, but a well-told story of what it was like living with bombs dropping regularly. I was never transported back in time as a good writer can do, but it's good to have this documented. And because I know the author passing-well, I could hear her voice telling the stories.

Uncle Vanya, by Anton Chekhov

2011-07-16T07:10:00.000-05:00

For some reason I had this down as a Must Read from some list or another. So very Russian. So very classic. I like it--maybe someday I'll see it performed.

A Discovery of Witches, by Deborah Harkness

2011-07-09T17:56:00.000-05:00

Wow. While not the best amalgam of history, fantasy, and romantic suspense, it's a pretty good story. We have a powerful witch who refuses to use her power, preferring to blend in with the human world, but that all ends when she 'draws' a coveted manuscript to her by accident. We have a powerful vampire who at first only wants the manuscript, then wants the witch herself. We have daemons--they are the eccentrics of the world, the savants.

And this is only the first book in a series. Wish I'd've known that when I picked it up.

Running Scared, by Lisa Jackson (on CD ... and paper)

2011-07-01T11:41:00.001-05:00

I bailed on this CD near the end simply because I couldn't stand listening to it anymore. But I had to find out how the plot tied up. A little too neatly for my liking. Reminded me why I don't read romantic suspense novels very often. Ugh.

61 Hours, by Lee Child (on CD)

2011-06-29T16:59:00.000-05:00

Great book. I knew who the Bad Guy was fairly early, but wasn't sure what the deal was really. And the ending is pretty spectacular.

Bible : The Story of the King James Version, 1611-2011, by Gordon Campbell

2011-06-22T08:35:00.001-05:00

It took me months to finish this, but it was worth it. Quite a good overview of the creation of the KJV and its continuing impact on culture and the western world over the past 500 years. This even talks about the various translations that have come about in the past 150 or so years, many of which are based on the translation done five centuries ago. I never realized that.

The Jesus I Never Knew, by Philip Yancey

2011-06-19T17:13:00.000-05:00

I do like the way Yancey writes, and this book is no exception. He talks here about the terrifying God he was taught about as a young person, and the forgiving merciful Jesus he has discovered as an adult. The section on the Beatitudes was extraordinarily well-done. This dovetailed well with our mission trip passages as well.

Read This Next : 500 of the Best Books You'll Ever Read, by Sandra Newman and Howard Mittelmark

2011-06-14T12:31:00.001-05:00

OK, so this is arranged a bit oddly, and I'm not sure what I can do with it as a library book. Definitely one to buy and write in.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, by Jules Verne (on Nook)

2011-06-09T19:56:00.000-05:00

Hmm, what to say. Good story. VERY abrupt ending. If you like long lists of fish and flora of the sea, this is a book for you. Definitely dated, which shouldn't be a surprise. Not bad, but rather blah. I read this over the course of two months, breaking in the Nook.

In Sheep's Clothing, by George K. Simon, Jr.

2011-06-09T06:52:00.001-05:00

The subtitle: "Understanding and Dealing with Manipulative People" and that was why I grabbed it. However, it wasn't really what I expected, and didn't address what I was looking for so...browsed and tossed back.

Poetry Speaks Who I Am (edited by Elise Paschen and Dominique Raccah)

2011-06-08T22:35:00.000-05:00

I finally finished browsing this and made copies of pages I wanted to save for next year's poetry month. Good stuff for younger people. And it includes a CD with some of the poems read by their authors.

The Diviner's Tale, by Bradford Morrow

2011-06-07T13:42:00.002-05:00

Good book. A little heavy-handed in the explanation of the work "divine" but a good mystery told somewhat backwards in that the further you get into the book, the further back (and deeper) you go in the narrator's life.

Good.

Colosseum Guide, by Letizia Abbondanza

2011-06-01T13:06:00.000-05:00

A very short, but also VERY thorough history of the Colossum and the surrounding areas. Shoulda read this BEFORE we were there. Oh well.

Euphemania, by Ralph Keyes

2011-05-28T13:06:00.000-05:00

OK, I've read enough language sites to take virtually everything in books like this with a grain of salt. However, this was less academic and more 'fun' in terms of why we euphemize the things we do, and how that has changed over the centuries. That I liked. Also, I liked the random family or in-group phrases that Keyes included.

Santa Croce, by Emma Micheletti

2011-05-22T08:59:00.001-05:00

Yep, another guidebook from our trip. I didn't read every word of this one, but it's got great photos, and lots of detail about the art world in Florence over the centuries. It's just hard keeping everyone straight. ;-)

Love Wins, by Rob Bell

2011-05-19T23:55:00.001-05:00

Great book. Not the best-written book, but the ideas in it are good. Not sure it goes as far as it could, but as far as it does go it's good. And he's taking a lot of flack for saying that heaven and hell are a little less locationally-based than most people think. Props to him.

Accademia Gallery, by Frances Falletti, Marcella Anglani and Gabriele Rossi Rognoni

2011-05-14T07:24:00.002-05:00

A brief but clear overview of some of the highlights of the collections in the Accademia. Also includes a good history of the gallery itself and the collections it has housed over the years.

Michelangelo : David, by Laura Ciucetti

2011-05-13T11:01:00.001-05:00

A short (30 page) book about the history of the David statue, in brief, with lots of photos.

The Bible as History, by Ian Wilson

2011-04-30T07:44:00.001-05:00

I read this over the course of several months, so I'm not sure I've retained everything. Still, a decent overview of what archaeological evidence is showing about the historicity of the stories in the Bible.

At least, that's what it is up until the last couple of chapters when suddenly I can see more clearly how he conflates archaeological data with historical accuracy. I felt like he was picking random Bible verses from the gospels and finding specific discoveries to show how they 'fit together.' Having read so much on the Jesus Seminar and other 'historical Jesus' work, this just seemed totally cavalier.

Still, nice pictures, and, as I said, a decent overview.

One of Our Thursdays is Missing, by Jasper Fforde

2011-04-11T23:20:00.001-05:00

My first purchased book on my Nook, and well worth it. The story is a bit weird; took awhile to figure out just what was going on, and I think I need to read the end again. I'm not actually sure how the story worked out. I think that's more to do with the format and other things going on while I was reading it (on vacation) than the book itself.

The Rise and Fall of the Bible, by Timothy Beal

2011-03-28T06:37:00.000-05:00

I liked this book. Good insight on where the book has come from, how it's been used (and misused) and why it has become something it really isn't: the book EVERYone has read. Not.

Secret America, by Barb Karg and Rick Sutherland

2011-03-24T19:34:00.000-05:00

Uhm. Well. Lots of info in here, poorly arranged and with a very (VERY) loose organizational structure. At least now I sort of know what the Masons are doing at their meetings.

Paul Among the People, by Sarah Ruden

2011-03-17T14:44:00.000-05:00

A reclamation project for sure. Ruden goes back and places some of Paul's more incendiary (to modern eyes) writings back into the society in which they were written and uses contemporary sources to show what people were writing and talking about outside of Christian society. She doesn't always come down on the side I would prefer, but it is enlightening to see more realistic translations of Paul's epistles.

However, towards they end, she seemed to go off on VERY random tangents which were distracting, something about writing a letter or meeting Nelson Mandela...? I reread those sections and never did figure out what she was talking about.

So, the Greek was good, but the English needs work.

Winter's Child, by Margaret Maron (on CD)

2011-03-15T11:39:00.000-05:00

I think one of the main reasons I like listening to this series is the reader (C.J. Critt). She may not get the accents or voices right, but she certainly nails the tone.

This one is about the death of Dwight's first wife.

Say What?, by Gena K. Gorrell

2011-03-12T18:06:00.001-06:00

A very quick read, and fun. Definitely aimed at students, and pretty basic information about the history of the English language, but worthwhile as an introduction.

Jewels of the Romanovs, by Stefano Papi

2011-03-08T12:32:00.002-06:00

For someone who doesn't really care about jewelry that much, I was practically salivating over this book. Yeah, there are some pieces included in the photos that don't do it for me, but the ones I like: WOW! I mean, really: WOW!!

Full Dark, No Stars, by Stephen King

2011-03-02T10:28:00.002-06:00

So humdrum = excellent stories from an engaging author telling tales to keep you on the edge of your seat. Wonderful. The best part is that the good guys almost always win, and the bad guys get what they deserve. Usually.

Shakespeare : The Seven Major Tragedies, by Harold Bloom (on CD)

2011-02-27T18:26:00.000-06:00

Well, I can honestly say that there are few people I'd be less likely to listen to another lecture from than Harold Bloom. What a puffed-up, annoying person.

However, he does know his Shakespeare. I just wish he didn't find so many things "extraordinary."

A Secret Gift, by Ted Gup

2011-02-21T11:22:00.001-06:00

This book has garnered all kinds of plaudits, and it's a well-deserved recognition for a topic that is pretty unique. However, it would have been even more delightful to read if the author and his editor had really worked together on tightening up the story: make sure people's names are spelled correctly (e.g., Brownlee or Browning? Same family, two entirely different names). There was just enough of this sort of thing to distract me from the whole point of the story: that Gup's grandfather anonymously gave 150 Canton, Ohio, families money at Christmastime 1933, a story no one but his grandfather and grandmother told anyone until much later. Gup tracks down a fair number of the recipients' families and interviews those willing to talk to him. Another couple of months of editing and this would be prize-winning.

The Mind's Eye, by Oliver Sacks

2011-02-19T16:19:00.001-06:00

I read this over the course of a month while eating lunch at work. As always, quite fascinating stories of how the brain and senses interact. This time Sacks discusses vision, primarily because he lost partial vision rather suddenly a few years ago. He's brilliant, but definitely not perfect and quite humble in his explanations of his own and other eye-brain complications. Easy to read and at the same time rather disturbing.

Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins (on CD)

2011-02-18T13:16:00.002-06:00

Wow.
Wow.
WOW. This series is astoundingly good. Not just as a YA series, but as a series of any kind. Wow.

Having listened to the whole thing, however, I'm trying to decide if I want to read it too. Maybe on my Nook?

The Darwin Awards Countdown to Extinction, by Wendy Northcutt

2011-02-14T16:11:00.001-06:00

People are completely stupid sometimes. The joy of this book is that it is equal opportunity about Teh Stoopud--the author tells a nearly-award-winning story on herself.

A Dead Man's Tale, by James D. Doss

2011-02-10T23:05:00.001-06:00

One of the things I have become more aware of in this series is the use of humor and sarcasm. Generally, the further one is from the "action" in the book, the more loosey-goosey and relaxed--and even downright silly--is the writing. There is some choice goofiness going on in the description of Samuel Reed, the Dead Man of the title, whose Charlie and Scott are hired to prevent. They do, only to find they've been snookered by a pro. Fun(ny) book. Aunt Daisy is particularly devilish in it.

Travels in Siberia, by Ian Frazier

2011-02-02T18:02:00.005-06:00

What a great book about Siberia and the whole Russia experience. Frazier is right in saying that this is one of those places that gets under your skin once you've been there. Also fun from the standpoint of reading about other people's travel experiences, not all of which were pleasant. Enjoyable read.

At Home : a Short History of Private Life, by Bill Bryson

2011-01-31T14:02:00.001-06:00

While I wasn't thrilled with the author's reading of the book, the writing itself was the usual in-depth research combined with wry humor. I may have to find this book and read it (with my eyes) as so many of the names he mentions didn't stick because I didn't see them.

In any case, following the floor plan of his home in England, Bryson explains why and how our houses work the way they do today, and what has changed over the course of history, specifically in the last 150 years or so.

Jane, by April Lindner

2011-01-25T17:54:00.002-06:00

When I cataloged this, I knew I had to read it: it's a modern retelling of Jane Eyre. In spite of having reservations towards the beginning of it, by the middle of the book I was firmly pulled in, trying to figure out how Lindner was going to work the original plot out.

Now I need to go find my copy of JE and reread it....

The Third Bear, by Jeff VanderMeer

2011-01-21T22:16:00.001-06:00

Well, if you like really odd stories, these are for you. Weird beyond weird, but well-written, well-plotted, and fun. Except for the creepy-icky one or two, which are just well-written and interesting. Don't be surprised to find talking animals.

Lost to Time, by Martin W. Sandler

2011-01-17T13:36:00.000-06:00

A load of stuff we think about what happened in the past isn't exactly true. Everything from Paul Revere's ride to the Wright Brothers being first in the air to the planning that let up to D-Day.

The English is Coming! by Leslie Dunton-Downer

2011-01-15T22:22:00.001-06:00

The author is a big proponent of "global English"--the English that is spoken by people around the world. Interesting, fun to think what the language might look like in 20 or 50 or 100 years.

Rituals of the Season, by Margaret Maron (on CD)

2011-01-07T17:53:00.001-06:00

Deborah and Dwight are on the verge of getting married, but in the meantime a local attorney and a cop are killed, and a death-row inmate's case is re-investigated.

The Disappearing Spoon, by Sam Kean

2011-01-05T17:27:00.002-06:00

Science, even PHYSICS, made understandable. Well, kinda. This is a look at the world of science by looking at the periodical table and how it works.

Radiance, by Alyson Noel

2011-01-03T12:20:00.001-06:00

Interesting concept of what happens after death, with the idea that personal growth doesn't end then.

Reading Statistics

2011-01-01T19:36:00.000-06:00

Most Memorable {these not necessarily Literary, but they stuck in my head}
* What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell (on CD)
* How to Read a Painting, by Patrick de Rynck
* I Had Brain Surgery, What's Your Excuse? by Suzy Becker
* The Exile : An Outlander Graphic Novel, by Diana Gabaldon
* Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, by Robert Schnase

Best
* Stories : All-New Tales (edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio)
* Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins (on CD)
* In the Land of Invented Languages, by Arika Okrent
* How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, by Charles Yu
* Four Feet, Two Sandals, written by Karen Lynn Williams & Khadra Mohammed ;illustrated by Doug Chayka

Least Memorable {books I remember NOTHING about, based on title alone}
* Making Mischief, by Gregory Maguire
* Dead or Alive, by Michael McGarrity (on CD)
* Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver

Yuck
* The Cutting Room, by Laurence Klavan (on CD)
* Book of the Dead, by Patricia Cornwell (on CD)
* House of Leaves, by Zampanò ; with introduction and notes by Johnny Truant

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Keeping in mind that, as usual, I did not cull the books I did not finish, here's the geeky number bit:

number of books read in 2010: 67
number of books read in 2009: 85
number of books read in 2008: 93
number of books read in 2007: 75
number of books read in 2006: 77
number of books read in 2005: 127
number of books read in 2004: 102
number of books read in 2003: 100
number of books read in 2002: 118
number of books read in 2001: 83
number of books read in 2000: 128
TOTAL over ten years : 1055

average read per year, over ten years: 105.5
2010 average read per month: 5.58 (all ten years: 8.79)
2010 average read per week: 1.28 (all ten years: 2.03)

number read in worst month:

2010: 0--July
2009: 4--tied June and August
2008: 4--June
2007: 3--November
2006: 4--tied April, May, June and August
2005: 5--January and June
2004: 0--July

number read in best month:

2010: 8--May
2009: 12--February
2008: 11--February
2007: 9--March
2006: 11--January
2005: 21--February
2004: 12--June

number of fiction:

2010: 44
2009: 55
2008: 65
2007: 53
2006: 56
2005: 74
2004: 61

number of non-fiction:

2010: 23
2009: 30
2008: 28
2007: 22
2006: 21
2005: 53
2004: 41

number of books by female authors: 40 (2009: 35 | 2008: 36 | 2007: 24 | 2006: 24)
number of books by male authors: 23 (2009: 60 | 2008: 58 | 2007: 40 | 2006: 33)

[discrepancies in totals are due to individual books by multiple authors and edited books which are not counted]

2010 Reading List

2010-12-31T19:49:00.000-06:00

January (2F, 4NF)

The Cutting Room, by Laurence Klavan (on CD)
Don't Panic -- Dinner's in the Freezer, by Susie Martinez, Vanda Howell and Bonnie Garcia
Don't Panic -- More Dinner's in the Freezer, by Susie Martinez, Vanda Howell and Bonnie Garcia
Screaming Bones, by Pat Burden
What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell (on CD)
Last Words, by George Carlin with Tony Hendra

February (5F, 1NF)

By Blood We Live (edited by John Joseph Adams)
Wreath of Honesty, by Pat Burden
Living Oprah, by Robyn Okrant
Bury Him Kindly, by Pat Burden
Blaze, by Richard Bachman
Blood Trail, by C.J. Box (on CD)

March (3F, 2NF)

Making Mischief, by Gregory Maguire
Reading Jesus, by Mary Gordon
The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer; a retelling by Peter Ackroyd
Book of the Dead, by Patricia Cornwell (on CD)
U is for Undertow, by Sue Grafton

April (2F, 1NF)

Watchlist : A Serial Thriller, based on an idea by Jeffery Deaver
How to Read a Painting, by Patrick de Rynck
Good Morning, Midnight, by Reginald Hill (on CD)

May (6F, 2NF)

Blackout, by Connie Willis
One Shot, by Lee Child
A River in the Sky, by Elizabeth Peters
Dead or Alive, by Michael McGarrity (on CD)
The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb
Little Tiny Teeth, by Aaron Elkins
One Amazing Thing, by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (on CD)
Number Freak, by Derrick Niederman

June (6F, 2NF)

Bindlestiff, by Bill Pronzini
Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Self-Testing Your Personality, by Arlene Matthews Uhl
The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England : A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century, by Ian Mortimer
Lord John and the Private Matter, by Diana Gabaldon (on CD)
The Counterfeit Crank, by Edward Marston
A Faint Cold Fear, Karin Slaughter
Asta in the Wings, by Jan Elizabeth Watson

July

August (3F, 3NF)

I Had Brain Surgery, What's Your Excuse? by Suzy Becker
Exit Music, by Ian Rankin (on CD)
This Body of Death, by Elizabeth George
Words Gone Wild : Fun and Games for Language Lovers, by Jim Bernhard
The Essential Agatha Christie Stories : Twenty Unabridged Mysteries, by Agatha Christie (on CD)
Creating Colorado, by William Wyckoff

September (3F, 4NF)

Ouray, by Gail Zanett Saunders, Maria Jones and the Ouray County Historical Society
The Murder Room, by Michael Capuzzo
Detective Fiction, by M. Lee Alexander (on CD)
Soiled Doves, by Anne Seagraves
Cemetery Dance, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child (on CD)
Stories : All-New Tales (edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio)
Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins (on CD)

October (5F, 2NF)

The Spider's Web, by Margaret Coel
The Last Lie, by Stephen White
Darkly Dreaming Dexter, by Jeffry Lindsay (on CD)
The Exile : An Outlander Graphic Novel, by Diana Gabaldon
Grave Sight, by Charlaine Harris (on CD)
Bounce, by Mathew Syed
Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, by Robert Schnase

November (3F, 2NF)

Body Work, by Sara Paretsky
In the Land of Invented Languages, by Arika Okrent
Grave Surprise, by Charlaine Harris (on CD)
Religion, Myth, and Magic, by Susan A. Johnston (Book on CD)
How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, by Charles Yu

December (6F)

Three Stations, by Martin Cruz Smith
The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise, by Julia Stuart
Four Feet, Two Sandals, written by Karen Lynn Williams & Khadra Mohammed ; illustrated by Doug Chayka
Shatter, by Michael Robotham (on CD)
House of Leaves, by Zampanò ; with introduction and notes by Johnny Truant
Happyface, by Stephen Emond

Happyface, by Stephen Emond

2010-12-23T17:28:00.002-06:00

House of Leaves, by Zampanò ; with introduction and notes by Johnny Truant

2010-12-19T11:26:00.001-06:00

Shatter, by Michael Robotham (on CD)

2010-12-16T15:51:00.001-06:00

Four Feet, Two Sandals, written by Karen Lynn Williams & Khadra Mohammed ;illustrated by Doug Chayka

2010-12-12T23:19:00.001-06:00

The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise, by Julia Stuart

2010-12-10T16:57:00.001-06:00

Three Stations, by Martin Cruz Smith

2010-12-02T12:45:00.002-06:00

Russia is sad. Sad sad sad.

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, by Charles Yu

2010-11-29T07:43:00.001-06:00

Religion, Myth, and Magic : The Anthropology of Religion, by Susan A. Johnston (Book on CD)

2010-11-23T15:02:00.000-06:00

Grave Surprise, by Charlaine Harris (on CD)

2010-11-15T18:09:00.001-06:00

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

2010-11-11T19:36:00.001-06:00

Body Work, by Sara Paretsky

2010-11-03T06:34:00.000-05:00

MASSIVE FAIL

2010-11-01T23:35:00.011-05:00

No annotations for awhile, folks.

Life is kicking my ass.

Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, by Robert Schnase

2010-10-31T09:46:00.002-05:00

This was a "One Congregation, One Book" kickoff-for-fall thing. Not bad. The keys to a healthy, growing church according to Schnase are:

-Radical Hospitality
-Passionate Worship
-Intentional Faith Development
-Risk-Taking Mission and Service
-Extravagant Generosity

Honestly, the adjectives are purely hype. The important this is that Christians together need to DO all these things out of a desire to proclaim God's word and do His work on earth, not because we are supposed to in order to get into heaven. We need to do them the same way we need to breathe. Or as George Carlin said, in a different context, we "gotta wanna" do 'em.

Bounce : Mozart, Federer, Picasso, Beckham, and the Science of Success, by Mathew Syed

2010-10-30T12:27:00.003-05:00

Disclaimer: I didn't finish this. However, it is a well-written, nicely organized thesis on the fact that Mom Was Right: Practice Makes Perfect. Syed argues that there is no real 'innate' talent, no such thing as genetic predisposition, that excellence is derived from practice, the search for perfection, and a desire to improve. Everyone who is superior at their art arrived at that point through hours of work and energy and planning, even if it didn't feel that way or look that way to others.

I'd like to finish the book--it would only take 3 or 4 uninterrupted hours--but it's weeks overdue and I need to return it to the library.

Grave Sight, by Charlaine Harris (on CD)

2010-10-24T14:05:00.000-05:00

This is a series by the woman who created the Sookie Stackhouse characters (i.e. True Blood on TV), but this is about a woman who was hit by lightning and can now tell by touch how someone died. That's all; she can't see beyond the moment of death or injury.

She makes her living searching for missing people and trying to resolve family pain over issues such as 'what really killed Aunt Mabel, the surgery or the heart attack?' Of course, she is also asked to find out how murder victims died, which she can't do; she can only tell that they were killed. This is a problem since people refuse to see that her vision isn't limitless. And people dislike that she is earning money off of 'other people's pain' which she points out over and over again is just the way she earns a living.

Interesting concept. The reader wasn't great, but the characters are fascinating. Arkansas doesn't come off looking too friendly in this one at all. And I knew what the "key" was to the mystery REALLY early on.

The Exile : An Outlander Graphic Novel, by Diana Gabaldon ; illustrated by Hoang Nguyen

2010-10-21T20:52:00.000-05:00

This is only the first third or so of the first book in the Outlander series, but it's quite interesting to see how the story changes a bit when it's told only in pictures, and more from the third-person point of view. Or maybe it's supposed to be Jamie's point of view. Still. Jamie=adorable. Claire=more annoying in pictures than text. Warning: must be able to 'read' tartans to follow the story coherently.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter, by Jeffry Lindsay (on CD)

2010-10-12T11:23:00.000-05:00

Since we've been watching the TV show on DVD, I picked this up to see if the books are different. They are, somewhat, though only in superficial ways. The whole first season of the show is the first book, so of course there was a good deal of padding and rearranging of elements, but Dexter is far creepier in print than on TV. No shock, really. Part of the creep factor is that sense of wanting to hate Dexter--he is, after all, a murderer--while at the same time admiring him for ridding society of other killers in a completely rational way. Talk about a deeply flawed narrator!

The Last Lie, by Stephen White

2010-10-08T14:11:00.000-05:00

I love these books and not only because they take place in Boulder. The characters are complicated and real and current and sometimes frustrating and unlikeable. This was all about a drug-rape that occurs in the house next to Alan's in which he becomes involved via two routes other than only the neighbor one. All tied together at the end, though far from neatly.

The Spider's Web, by Margaret Coel

2010-10-03T21:46:00.000-05:00

I love this series about Father John O'Malley and Vicky Holden on the Wind River reservation in Wyoming. This time, we have a very unstable young white woman who gets caught up in the midst of a burglary ring gone wrong. Vicky agrees to represent her so she doesn't get railroaded as an outsider on the rez, but in the meantime other people are much more likely to be guilty of everything from lying about what they know to murder.

I like the series because there's not one person who is perfect; everyone makes poor choices over the course of the series, all of the characters are flawed, and sometimes in pretty damaging ways. But there is a spirit of forgiveness and acceptance that runs through it. Nice.

Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins (on CD)

2010-09-29T18:34:00.000-05:00

As in all second parts of trilogies, this book suffers from a lot of plot building and a climax that mostly just leads to the next book, which can be annoying.

However, Collins is an exceptional author. While I found the first book (Hunger Games) a little "too YA-y", I didn't really pay attention to how well-written it was. Listening to this book, I realized the craft behind the story. So, I'm a convert to the excitement behind this series. Can't wait to get Mockingjay.

Stories : All-New Tales (edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio)

2010-09-20T15:26:00.000-05:00

These stories all spring from the question, "And then what happened?" and as such run the gamut from spooky to cliff-hanger to fantasy to straight mystery. Absolutely wonderful--one of the best books I've read in quite awhile.