I'm supposed to be at the 50 book mark, since it's halfway through the year, and I'm trying to read 100 books in one year, but I'm a little bit behind at 46! I guess I have to read more in July...
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
The cartoon movies and the one with Johnny Depp had plots. The book didn't. But it was fun anyway. A goofy classic adventure that will never get old. :)
Through the Looking Glass - Lewis Carroll
Same as first... :)
The Dispossessed - Ursula K. le Guin
Let's not go on a political rant here... This is science fiction, which I am not a fan of, as I said when I read one of her books last month, but the subject matter this author discusses in her books intrigues me extremely. 100 and some years ago, on the planet Urras, there was a revolution, and a group of people moved to the moon, Annares, to begin an anarchical society. Now, one man returns to the plant to learn about the society and try to make the people get along. I'm really into freedom and all that jazz, so I enjoyed this book. I would recommend it, even if you are totally against anarchy, because Ursula K. le Guin has a very interesting viewpoint on it. It makes you think.
The Green Mile - Stephen King
Stephen King is always good. This book had a distinct voice. It was fast-paced and thrilling. I kept getting deja vu as I read it, but then I realized I'd seen the movie a while back. Anyway, this is an amazing book. You should read it if you haven't already.
If on a winter's night a traveler - Italo Calvino
The tone is wonderful. I felt like the author was speaking right to me, even though I am a girl, and the 'you' in the story is obviously a male. It was written in second person, the writer speaking to the reader, and I think this book is a book that every writer must read. So get on that! :)
The Tent - Margaret Atwood
This is a book of little vignette essay type things, all connected thematically. I thought it was a very interesting idea, and the mini stories were very well written.
The Ethical Assassin - David Liss
This is the kind of book I would like to write: a funny thriller that's well written and has a strong message. It's about this kid who's selling encyclopedias to make money for college, but he is caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and ends up as an accessory to murder. I really liked this book.
Demons - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
When you're reading a book that is over 600 pages long, has dozens of characters, and has been translated from Russian to English, it can be pretty tricky to understand. But that's Fyodor Dostoyevsky for you. Of what I did understand, it was funny and clever, and I liked it. Typical Dostoyevsky, I suppose.
Peace, Aimee
Books I Read This Month - May 2011
Since I didn't have school this month, I got a bit of reading done. Here's what I read!
The Tomb - F. Paul Wilson
This is the first book in a series that my parents have been urging me to read. I read The Keep quite a while back, which they told me is a kind of background to the series of like twenty books. I'm not sure I'm committed to reading all of them yet. I mean, The Tomb was good (the writing was great, the characters interesting, the plot suspenseful) but twenty more like it is a lot to handle. I'll probably end up reading them all, just not consecutively. Obviously. Since I didn't read any more in the series this month.
Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
I don't have much to say about this book that has not been said before, so...
You Shall Know Our Velocity - Dave Eggers
Two young men travel around the world in seven days, giving away $35,000. It was funny in some places and tear-jerking in others. The writing was amazing, but the plot confused me slightly.
The Lathe of Heaven - Ursula K. le Guin
My sister pressured me into reading this. It's science fiction, so I was kind of wary, but it was a very intriguing read. It's about a man whose dreams change reality. He goes to a psychiatrist, who tries to use the dreams to his advantage. I would recommend you read this if you are in the mood for a philosophical discussion.
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller
I read this a couple years ago but had to read it again. It's just such a cultural phenomenon, and I'm kind of obsessed with the Catch-22 idea. I run into them almost every day. Good book.
The Nomination - William G. Tapply
The Nomination is the last book published by William G. Tapply before he died a few years ago. It's about a supreme court judge nominee and his history. He tries to hide the secrets of his past so that he will get the job. Somewhat of a murder mystery, the book was wonderfully written. Round characters and a distinct story line. I'd recommend it, but only if you enjoy the genre.
K-PAX II: On A Beam of Light - Gene Brewer
Sequel to K-PAX, which is an amazing book. There's a third one, too, but I'm not sure what it would be about, since this one wrapped up the story pretty well. Psychiatrist's sessions with a patient with multiple personalities, the main alter being an alien from the planet K-PAX. This, like the first book, is one of those unexpected treasures. You'd think it would be the story of the patient and how he heals from the trauma in his life, but it is surprisingly philosophical. I enjoyed it very much. I definitely recommend it, but you have to read the first book first. And maybe see the movie. Kevin Spacey is amazing.
London Fields - Martin Amis
Dense (470 pages took me over a week to read) and almost plotless, but the characters were wonderfully wrought, and there were some humorous moments. Not my favorite of Martin Amis, but it didn't change my high opinion of him. His novels are kind of long and winding, like this one, but his novellas are brilliant.
Peace, Aimee
The Tomb - F. Paul Wilson
This is the first book in a series that my parents have been urging me to read. I read The Keep quite a while back, which they told me is a kind of background to the series of like twenty books. I'm not sure I'm committed to reading all of them yet. I mean, The Tomb was good (the writing was great, the characters interesting, the plot suspenseful) but twenty more like it is a lot to handle. I'll probably end up reading them all, just not consecutively. Obviously. Since I didn't read any more in the series this month.
Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
I don't have much to say about this book that has not been said before, so...
You Shall Know Our Velocity - Dave Eggers
Two young men travel around the world in seven days, giving away $35,000. It was funny in some places and tear-jerking in others. The writing was amazing, but the plot confused me slightly.
The Lathe of Heaven - Ursula K. le Guin
My sister pressured me into reading this. It's science fiction, so I was kind of wary, but it was a very intriguing read. It's about a man whose dreams change reality. He goes to a psychiatrist, who tries to use the dreams to his advantage. I would recommend you read this if you are in the mood for a philosophical discussion.
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller
I read this a couple years ago but had to read it again. It's just such a cultural phenomenon, and I'm kind of obsessed with the Catch-22 idea. I run into them almost every day. Good book.
The Nomination - William G. Tapply
The Nomination is the last book published by William G. Tapply before he died a few years ago. It's about a supreme court judge nominee and his history. He tries to hide the secrets of his past so that he will get the job. Somewhat of a murder mystery, the book was wonderfully written. Round characters and a distinct story line. I'd recommend it, but only if you enjoy the genre.
K-PAX II: On A Beam of Light - Gene Brewer
Sequel to K-PAX, which is an amazing book. There's a third one, too, but I'm not sure what it would be about, since this one wrapped up the story pretty well. Psychiatrist's sessions with a patient with multiple personalities, the main alter being an alien from the planet K-PAX. This, like the first book, is one of those unexpected treasures. You'd think it would be the story of the patient and how he heals from the trauma in his life, but it is surprisingly philosophical. I enjoyed it very much. I definitely recommend it, but you have to read the first book first. And maybe see the movie. Kevin Spacey is amazing.
London Fields - Martin Amis
Dense (470 pages took me over a week to read) and almost plotless, but the characters were wonderfully wrought, and there were some humorous moments. Not my favorite of Martin Amis, but it didn't change my high opinion of him. His novels are kind of long and winding, like this one, but his novellas are brilliant.
Peace, Aimee
Books I Read This Month - April 2011
Please submit your entry for the character contest today! Today is the last day! I'll announce the winners on Monday.
Didn't read very much this month again! I'm falling behind on my 100 books in a year goal...
The Corrections - Jonathan Franzen
I read Freedom a couple months ago. It's amazing how this guy can say so much about the American way of family life and society while focusing only on one family and their struggles. Both of those books are like that, but they are drastically different at the same time. He's a great writer. I'll definitely have to read his other stuff some time.
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
I read this because (cough, cough) I saw the movie, and it reminded a bit about my current WIP. Plus it's a classic, and Oscar Wilde is awesome. "The Importance of Being Earnest" is one of the funniest things I've ever read. But this book was really good. It said lots of interesting things about art and karma and stuff. I would totally recommend it if you haven't read it yet.
Night Train - Martin Amis
Martin Amis is my new favorite author. I think this guy is a genius. I read Time's Arrow a while back, and I think it made me tack a #9 onto my top 8 favorite books. Night Train was a good book, easier to read than Time's Arrow, but it is about suicide, so...
Mangrove Squeeze - Laurence Shames
Personally, it wasn't for me. I felt like the Russian mafia thing had been done before. But there were some funny bits in there that made me laugh. And there were these two homeless guys that I think made the story. I'd recommend it if you want a funny detective story rather than a serious one.
The Information - Martin Amis
Another Martin Amis. Be prepared for more Martin Amis because I went to Borders the other day and bought some Martin Amis. He's cool. And really smart. And English. This book, The Information, proved to me even more how awesome this guy is. He's an amazing writer who can take the most complex human emotions, splatter them on the page, and create this epic monster of a story to explain the root of human behavior. (Both Night Train and Time's Arrow are novellas, less than 200 pages, but they are epic monsters, I'm telling you.) So yeah.
Peace, Aimee
Didn't read very much this month again! I'm falling behind on my 100 books in a year goal...
The Corrections - Jonathan Franzen
I read Freedom a couple months ago. It's amazing how this guy can say so much about the American way of family life and society while focusing only on one family and their struggles. Both of those books are like that, but they are drastically different at the same time. He's a great writer. I'll definitely have to read his other stuff some time.
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
I read this because (cough, cough) I saw the movie, and it reminded a bit about my current WIP. Plus it's a classic, and Oscar Wilde is awesome. "The Importance of Being Earnest" is one of the funniest things I've ever read. But this book was really good. It said lots of interesting things about art and karma and stuff. I would totally recommend it if you haven't read it yet.
Night Train - Martin Amis
Martin Amis is my new favorite author. I think this guy is a genius. I read Time's Arrow a while back, and I think it made me tack a #9 onto my top 8 favorite books. Night Train was a good book, easier to read than Time's Arrow, but it is about suicide, so...
Mangrove Squeeze - Laurence Shames
Personally, it wasn't for me. I felt like the Russian mafia thing had been done before. But there were some funny bits in there that made me laugh. And there were these two homeless guys that I think made the story. I'd recommend it if you want a funny detective story rather than a serious one.
The Information - Martin Amis
Another Martin Amis. Be prepared for more Martin Amis because I went to Borders the other day and bought some Martin Amis. He's cool. And really smart. And English. This book, The Information, proved to me even more how awesome this guy is. He's an amazing writer who can take the most complex human emotions, splatter them on the page, and create this epic monster of a story to explain the root of human behavior. (Both Night Train and Time's Arrow are novellas, less than 200 pages, but they are epic monsters, I'm telling you.) So yeah.
Peace, Aimee
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