Month: August 2009

author: Marlene Perez
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2009/08/25
shelves:
review:

author: Deborah Madison
name: Elaine
average rating: 4.41
book published: 1997
rating: 0
read at: 2009/07/10
date added: 2009/08/10
shelves: cookbook, non-fiction, read-again, wishlist
review:
Another one that had to go back before I got to cook anything in it. I can’t overstate how huge this book is: as I said when the hold came in: when she says everyone, she means Everyone. Looks fantastic, had a bunch of post-it notes for things to try. But will wait until I have an actual kitchen again someday.

author: Fu-Tung Cheng
name: Elaine
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2002
rating: 3
read at: 2009/07/10
date added: 2009/08/10
shelves: home-improvement, non-fiction, read-again, wishlist
review:
Great reference on building and maintaining your own concrete countertops. At the moment, it’s a bit more than I think I could handle, but someday I’d love to try it.

author: Zhao Ziyang
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.39
book published: 2009
rating: 3
read at: 2009/08/07
date added: 2009/08/10
shelves: autobiography, biography, history, non-fiction, politics
review:
Important, I suppose, and somewhat interesting. The timeline of events around the Tienanmen Square massacre was particularly significant, and reasonably readable. But the book gets repetitive and somewhat overwhelmed by the personal politics of 80s/90s China. If I were a scholar of Chinese politics & history, I’d be all over it. But, being me, I took it back to the library w/out finishing.

author: Jacqueline Carey
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2009/07/25
date added: 2009/08/10
shelves: fiction, sci-fi
review:
A rare bit of fiction in my list. 🙂 I loved The Banewreaker books, so I thought I’d give this a try. A similar naturalistic tone, but entirely different setting, and 3rd person rather than 1st person. Just fabulous. Great characters, wonderful love story. The fantastical elements felt entirely natural in the strange near-future setting. I think it was recommended to me as a "werewolf book," which I don’t think it was at all. That still doesn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book itself.

author: Laura Miller
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at: 2009/07/30
date added: 2009/08/10
shelves: biography, fantasy, history, religion, writing
review:
Best book I’ve read in a long time. Re-examination of the Chronicles of Narnia by a woman about my age, who was in love with them as a child, then horrified to discover the Christian elements. Ranges all over through the books themselves, Lewis’s biography, the author’s own psychology, the Tolkien connection, and so on, and so on. Gave me a lot to think about from my own youthful readings of Narnia. (Over and over and over.) I think I discovered the Christian stuff about the same age that she did, but my reaction (initially) was quite different. Mom bought me a glossary (?) of Narnia, and I was fascinated trying to work out the symbolism, like a puzzle. Not that I was especially converted (that’s a long story), but I liked the idea of a story inside the story. Also greatly appreciated the little quotes; had forgotten how lovely Lewis’s writing could be.

author: Frank Partnoy
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2009/07/20
date added: 2009/08/10
shelves: biography, economics, history, non-fiction, politics
review:
Fascinating, a great follow-up to Lords of Finance. The intro & jacket mentioned Madoff several times, I assume because that’s what’s in the news, but the story reminds me much more of Enron. There were real products & businesses in there, but everything went wrong because people — in this case Kreuger — wanted to get fancy. Engaging telling of a amazing story.

author: John R. Gribbin
name: Elaine
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2005
rating: 2
read at: 2009/07/15
date added: 2009/08/10
shelves: biography, history, non-fiction, religion, science
review:
I’m fascinated by this era, the transition from magic to science, but this particular book just didn’t hold my interest. Had it recommended in relation to Stephenson’s series set in the same era, found myself wanting to re-read his books instead.