“Room” by Emma Donoghue
This is by far the best book I’ve read all year. The book is original, thrilling, captivating, and heartwrenching. At the same time, it is unexpectedly fresh and optimistic, filled with life and hope and wonder.
“Washington’s U Street” by Blair A. Ruble
Washington’s U Street area is a “contact zone”—a place where cultures and peoples exist side by side. Whether black or white, southern or northern, professional or scholarly, residents in the neighborhood have interacted with each other with very few clashes decades. U Street has bred activists, politicians, scholars, educators, athletes, musicians, dancers, calling such famous figures as Duke Ellington and Ralph Bunche sons.
November is NaNoWriMo!
As of yesterday, NaNoWriMo has begun. In 2009, more than 165,000 participants took on the challenge, and even higher numbers are expected this year. In honor of those who undertake this vast but fulfilling project, this month I will be posting reviews of writing-related books.
“The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published” by Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry
Michael Powell comments in the book, “I believe nearly every book that deserves to be published gets published.” And if you follow the advice of the authors of this guide, remembering that getting published is a business and treating it as such, you will deserve to be published.
“The Graveyard Book” by Neil Gaiman
The Graveyard Book was truly a delight to read, and I appreciated Gaiman’s intelligent handling of complex issues without losing sight of his inventive narrative. I would recommend this book to almost anyone for its fully formed characters, excellent prose, and engaging plot.
Guest Review! “Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell” by Susanna Clarke
The book has its strong points, but ultimately I was disappointed. A few interesting scenes involving magic and politics cannot redeem the generally glacial pace of the story. I can’t say I’m going to recommend this to anyone, even though the story is a unique accomplishment.
“Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
While it was fun to read and act out a play together, perhaps Jack and I chose the wrong work; neither of us particularly liked this one. The entire play seemed very disjointed, like there was a scene or even an act missing.
“Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Crime and Punishment discusses the effects of mental anguish, morality, and social and fiscal responsibility. Dostoevsky carefully studies the intricate relations between characters rich and poor, male and female, powerful and powerless, sane and mentally ill.
“Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë
Such a powerful story of love and loss ages well, and the unconventional use of an unreliable narrator had an interesting effect upon my view of the characters and story. The supernatural elements throughout the novel only serve to add to the dark, intense feelings between the two lovers.
Halloween Reading
I’ve signed up for the Halloween Readathon hosted by Young Adult Books Reviewed this weekend… that’s right, I’m ready for some more readathon action! It’ll be a spook-tacular weekend!
“Fingerprints” by Joel Church
Fingerprints, Joel Church’s first collection of flash fiction, captures both the enticing and the mundane. Set against the backdrop of Washington, D.C., Church’s characters explore topics ranging from sexuality and drug abuse to childhood and loss. These stories extend from two to ten pages long, and their brevity makes them an excellent read on the metro; I could read for only one or two stops and not feel completely lost the next time I opened the book.
My Mailbox: R. Scott Bakker and Chris Baty
In My Mailbox was begun by Kristi over at The Story Siren. The idea is that I tell you what I’ve received this week, whether for free, from the library, or through a good old fashioned purchase. I’m also including the publisher’s blurb and my reason for wanting to read the book.
Still Reading
Readathon is nearing its end, but I’ve decided to make up for time lost sleeping. That’s right, folks–I’m ready for another day of nonstop reading. I haven’t yet hit my goal, so I’ll keep you updated as I go.
Readathon-ing!
Happy readathon, everyone! I’m very excited to be able to participate again this year. I’ll keep you updated as I go!
Great Books Week: Desert Island Reading List
If you were stranded alone on a deserted island, what five books would you want? This question goes deeper that listing which books made a great impression on me. If I only had five books to read and re-read for the rest of my life, what would I choose?
“To Have and Have Not” by Ernest Hemingway
To Have and Have Not is my least favorite Hemingway book so far. Though Hemingway attempts to dissect grand social issues, such as troubled economic times and the relationship that exists between husband and wife, the entangled sub-plots and the erratic activities of the characters serve to distract from whatever statement Hemingway is trying to make.
Melody Schreiber 