30 Days of Books Challenge: Day 12 - A book so emotionally draining you couldn’t complete it or had to set aside for a bit

Reading: Hunger's Brides, Paul Anderson
Stars: Five

Drinking: Green Tea, Bigelow

I haven't finished Hunger's Brides yet, though I've been reading it for a long time.  It is such a well-written, beautiful, lyrical book that I am unable to read more than a few pages at a time without being filled with an intense longing - for what, I do not know.  The books length makes it even more difficult to finish.

The novel lays out the life of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a Mexican poet-nun.  Born in the mountains of Northern Mexico, she has a childhood full of both Spanish and native Mexican culture. As a young woman, she entered the court in Mexico City and became a great favorite.

The story of Sor Juana is framed by that of Donald Gregory, a former professor whose student and lover became obsessed with the poet. His story is simply not interesting - nor does it seem to be particularly relevant in this long story.  Since I've barely scratched the surface, however, I'm sure the two plots become more intertwined as it goes on.

Hunger's Brides is a rich chocolate - it can be gobbled, but you are left feeling unsettled and slightly queasy.  It is best enjoyed in small, concentrated doses so that one can revel in Anderson's rich prose.  Reading too much of it has much the same effect eating too much chocolate does.  It is a wonderful novel, but it is hard to read.  I hope to complete it and give a full review in the future.



30 Days of Books Challenge

Day 01 - Your favourite book

Day 02 - Least favourite book 

Day 03 - A book that completely surprised you (bad/good)

Day 04 - A book that reminds you of home

Day 05 - A non-fiction book that you actually enjoyed

Day 06 - A book that makes you cry

Day 07 - A book that’s hard to read

Day 08 - An unpopular book you believe should be a bestseller

Day 09 - A book you’ve read more than once 

Day 10 - The first novel you remember reading

Day 11 - The Book that made you fall in love with reading

Day 12 - A book so emotionally draining you couldn’t complete it or had to set aside for a bit

Day 13 - Favorite childhood book

Day 14 - Book that should be on hs/college required reading list

Day 15 - Favorite book dealing with foreign culture

Day 16 - Favorite book turned movie

Day 17 - Book turned movie and completely desecrated

Day 18 - A book you can’t find on shelves anymore that you love

Day 19 - A book that changed your mind about a particular subject (non-fiction)

Day 20 - A book you would recommend to an ignorant/racist/closed minded person

Day 21 - A guilty pleasure book

Day 22 - Favourite series

Day 23 - Favourite romance novel

Day 24 - A book you later found out the author lied about

Day 25 - Favourite autobiographical/biographical book

Day 26 - A book you wish would be written

Day 27 - A book you would write if you had all the resources

Day 28 - A book you wish you never read

Day 29- An author that you completely avoid/hate won’t read

Day 30 - An author that you will read whatever they put out

Giving Thanks

Today, we take a break from our regularly scheduled lives for Thanksgiving here in the US.

This year I am thankful for:

My loving family and all their support

My job and my friendly coworkers

My fabulous roommate and our silly dog

Friends old and new, far and near who are always there for a chat or a museum outing or a Skype date

A wonderful man

Public libraries

The Simple Dollar, for teaching me not only about personal finance, but about how to find my true goals in life

Living in Washington, DC where there are lots of fun (and free!) things to do

30 Days of Books: Day 11 - The book that made you fall in love with reading

Read: The Country Mouse and the City Mouse by Aesop
Stars: Five

Drinking: Spiced Apple Cider, Alpine

To be fair, I'm not sure this is the book that made me fall in love with reading.  But it's the first book I remember reading very distinctly.  I read if for show-and-tell to my kindergarten class.

Aesop's classic fable was brought to life in a picture book that I recall had beautiful illustrations of the mice.  The tale tells of the country mouse, who visits his cousin in the city.  The city is great, but busy and dangerous.  The city mouse then visits the country mouse out at the farm, where there are different dangers, but also many more joys.  Aesop may have been aiming for the lesson that simple county life is better than busy city life, but I really think the story highlights the benefits of both.  As a current city mouse,  I love being able to see friends at the drop of a hat with minimal trouble, to go to museums, bars, and restaurants whenever I wish.  But as a true country mouse, I miss the slower pace and more personal relationships of a small town.

How about you? Are you a city mouse or a country mouse?



30 Days of Books Challenge

Day 01 - Your favourite book

Day 02 - Least favourite book 

Day 03 - A book that completely surprised you (bad/good)

Day 04 - A book that reminds you of home

Day 05 - A non-fiction book that you actually enjoyed

Day 06 - A book that makes you cry

Day 07 - A book that’s hard to read

Day 08 - An unpopular book you believe should be a bestseller

Day 09 - A book you’ve read more than once 

Day 10 - The first novel you remember reading

Day 11 - The Book that made you fall in love with reading

Day 12 - A book so emotionally draining you couldn’t complete it or had to set aside for a bit

Day 13 - Favorite childhood book

Day 14 - Book that should be on hs/college required reading list

Day 15 - Favorite book dealing with foreign culture

Day 16 - Favorite book turned movie

Day 17 - Book turned movie and completely desecrated

Day 18 - A book you can’t find on shelves anymore that you love

Day 19 - A book that changed your mind about a particular subject (non-fiction)

Day 20 - A book you would recommend to an ignorant/racist/closed minded person

Day 21 - A guilty pleasure book

Day 22 - Favourite series

Day 23 - Favourite romance novel

Day 24 - A book you later found out the author lied about

Day 25 - Favourite autobiographical/biographical book

Day 26 - A book you wish would be written

Day 27 - A book you would write if you had all the resources

Day 28 - A book you wish you never read

Day 29- An author that you completely avoid/hate won’t read

Day 30 - An author that you will read whatever they put out

Review: One for the Money

Read: One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
Stars: Three

Drinking: Saffron Chamomile Tea

Stephanie Plum is quite possibly the world's worst bounty hunter. She's not even supposed to be a bounty hunter, but she lost her job and her husband.  Stephanie turns to Cousin Vinnie, the bondsman for a job, and ends up searching for her old nemesis, Joe Morelli.  Can she figure out who really committed the murder and get her cut of  Morelli's bail?

One for the Money is a funny romp disguised as a mystery.  Stephanie gets herself into trouble constantly through amateurish mistakes and scheming bad guys.  The book is a great beach read.  Evanovitch clearly sets the story in the mid-nineties, which makes for an amusing retrospective.  The descriptions of life in Trenton, New Jersey's 'burg and less savory areas are what brings the book to life.

If you like mysteries, sexy men, and colorful characters, the Stephanie Plum series is for you.  

30 Days of Books Challenge: Day 10 - The first novel you remember reading

Read: The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene
Stars: four

Drinking: Sleepytime Tea, Celestial Seasons

I'm sure I read other novels before this one, but the Nancy Drew series is the first time I remember reading chapter books.  I devoured them between first and third grade, and still go back to them when I need a good old-fashioned scare.

In The Secret of the Old Clock, we are introduced to Nancy, a perky girl with a great car.  Nancy's father is a lawyer who has encouraged his daughter's investigative skills.  This first mystery involves Nancy's desire to help a poor family who have lost their inheritance to rich, snobby distant relatives. She hunts down the rich relative's will in the titular clock.

While researching for this post, I discovered that this book was originally published in 1930, but that edition was replaced in 1959 with an altered story line and characters.  Nancy is less adventurous and uncouth in the newer edition, and racial stereotypes have been removed.  From the ever trusty Wikipedia article, it sounds like the 1930 edition is much more interesting, to be honest.

Nancy Drew and the subsequent novels are really great, particularly for pre-teen girls. Nancy is a bit of a Mary-Sue with all her powers and the large amount of freedom she is given by the adults in her life.  She is not a great role model, either, since she is solving mysteries and putting herself in serious danger.  Nonetheless, this is a great novel and a great series that I have long loved.  I highly recommend it.



30 Days of Books Challenge

Day 01 - Your favourite book

Day 02 - Least favourite book 

Day 03 - A book that completely surprised you (bad/good)

Day 04 - A book that reminds you of home

Day 05 - A non-fiction book that you actually enjoyed

Day 06 - A book that makes you cry

Day 07 - A book that’s hard to read

Day 08 - An unpopular book you believe should be a bestseller

Day 09 - A book you’ve read more than once 

Day 10 - The first novel you remember reading

Day 11 - The Book that made you fall in love with reading

Day 12 - A book so emotionally draining you couldn’t complete it or had to set aside for a bit

Day 13 - Favorite childhood book

Day 14 - Book that should be on hs/college required reading list

Day 15 - Favorite book dealing with foreign culture

Day 16 - Favorite book turned movie

Day 17 - Book turned movie and completely desecrated

Day 18 - A book you can’t find on shelves anymore that you love

Day 19 - A book that changed your mind about a particular subject (non-fiction)

Day 20 - A book you would recommend to an ignorant/racist/closed minded person

Day 21 - A guilty pleasure book

Day 22 - Favourite series

Day 23 - Favourite romance novel

Day 24 - A book you later found out the author lied about

Day 25 - Favourite autobiographical/biographical book

Day 26 - A book you wish would be written

Day 27 - A book you would write if you had all the resources

Day 28 - A book you wish you never read

Day 29- An author that you completely avoid/hate won’t read

Day 30 - An author that you will read whatever they put out

Author Love: Madeleine L'Engle

Drinking: Butter Toffee Coffee

I was introduced to Madeleine L'Engle's writing on a family road trip many years ago. At a rest stop, my mother handed out books to my sister and I to keep us entertained for the next segment.  My book was A Wrinkle in Time. From the first page, I was sucked into the story of Meg and  Charles Wallace Murray.  Calvin O'Keefe was my first literary crush (and probably paved the way for my die-hard Ron Weasley fangirlism a few years later).  It's a perfectly crafted science fiction novel with no "hard" science in it.  I could argue it's her best book, but that would be misleading.  A Wrinkle in Time is just one of the many wonderful books L'Engle wrote during her lifetime.

In fact, I would be hard pressed to name my favorite L'Engle book.  I'd say my top three are: Many Waters, the adventure of Meg & Charles Wallace's twin brothers; Troubling A Star, about Vicky Austin's trip to Antarctica; and Two-part Invention, the non-fiction story of L'Engle's marriage to actor Hugh Franklin.  Her books, especially those for young adults, feature smart, strong young women making their way in an uncertain world.  All of her works, both fiction and non-fiction, reflect her strong faith in God, her loving marriage and family, and her adventurous life.

If you're looking for a good place to start with L'Engle, I recommend either A Wrinkle in Time or The Small Rain, her first novel.  However, you can't really go wrong with any of her books.  Each is stand-alone but also interwoven into the greater fabric of her work.

That's why I love Madeleine L'Engle

30 Days of Books Challenge: Day 9 - A book you’ve read more than once

Read: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Stars: five

Drinking: Early Gray, Bigelow

Note: Since I rebooted this blog, I figured I should finish off the 30 Days of Books Challenge.  The original post can be found here.  I won't be having these post every day (NaNoWriMo anyone?); they will be once a week instead.  Don't worry - you'll still get all the book review and rambling goodness too.


"Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents, grumbled Jo, lying on the rug."

For many years, I re-read Alcott's classic every year.  The tale of four sisters making their way from the safety of home into the world resonated with me.  I fully identified with Jo, particularly since I wanted to be a writer with a handsome next-door neighbor.  I cried every time when Beth dies, even though I knew it was coming.

A recent re-read of Little Women was odd for me.  Some of the magic is gone, though I am not sure if it is from a recent development of cynicism or a change of taste.  I still enjoyed the story, but I wasn't as absorbed as I remember being during previous re-reads. I still love Jo, but Meg, Beth, and Amy all annoyed me to the point where I skipped a few chapters that featured them.

I recommend this book for all young people, but it doesn't hold up as well to an adult re-read.


30 Days of Books Challenge

Day 01 - Your favourite book

Day 02 - Least favourite book 

Day 03 - A book that completely surprised you (bad/good)

Day 04 - A book that reminds you of home

Day 05 - A non-fiction book that you actually enjoyed

Day 06 - A book that makes you cry

Day 07 - A book that’s hard to read

Day 08 - An unpopular book you believe should be a bestseller

Day 09 - A book you’ve read more than once 

Day 10 - The first novel you remember reading

Day 11 - The Book that made you fall in love with reading

Day 12 - A book so emotionally draining you couldn’t complete it or had to set aside for a bit

Day 13 - Favorite childhood book

Day 14 - Book that should be on hs/college required reading list

Day 15 - Favorite book dealing with foreign culture

Day 16 - Favorite book turned movie

Day 17 - Book turned movie and completely desecrated

Day 18 - A book you can’t find on shelves anymore that you love

Day 19 - A book that changed your mind about a particular subject (non-fiction)

Day 20 - A book you would recommend to an ignorant/racist/closed minded person

Day 21 - A guilty pleasure book

Day 22 - Favourite series

Day 23 - Favourite romance novel

Day 24 - A book you later found out the author lied about

Day 25 - Favourite autobiographical/biographical book

Day 26 - A book you wish would be written

Day 27 - A book you would write if you had all the resources

Day 28 - A book you wish you never read

Day 29- An author that you completely avoid/hate won’t read

Day 30 - An author that you will read whatever they put out

Review: Naked Economics

Read: Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science by Charles Wheelan
Stars: Five

Drinking: China Royal Jasmine Curls, TeaGschwendner

I first read Naked Economics after graduating with my Economics degree.  I found it to be a funny, useful overview of all the economic theories and ideas I had learned over the years.  About a month ago, I discovered that Wheelan had published a new edition after the financial crisis of 2007-2008.  I was rather curious to read his analysis of the principles behind the meltdown and how economics dictates we should move forward.  I found his discussion, once again, to be fantastic, simple, and thorough. 

Wheelan covers topics ranging  from basic supply and demand theory to poverty in the developing world with pertinent and timely examples. He pares economic down to the essentials: supply, demand, and utility, and explains how each of these building blocks explain everything from why you buy what you do to why the housing bubble burst. Want to know what, exactly, the Federal Reserve does? It's in here. Is globalization a good thing?  That's in here too. To a certain extent, Wheelan even predicts the current Occupy Wall Street protests.  The only thing this book doesn't have are charts, graphs and equations.  It's the perfect neophyte's guide to economics.

I highly recommend this book.  It is well written, easy to read, and absolutely fascinating.  In my opinion (as an economist), economics is fundamental to everything people do.  Even if you think economics is in no way related to your work or desires, I can assure you it is.  Read this book -  you won't regret it.  Your whole way of thinking will be changed.

Best Books of 2011 - NYT Edition

Yesterday, the New York Times released its 10 Best Books of 2011.  I am ashamed to admit that I have not read any of them.  Only two were on my to-read list, too.  Have you read any of these?  What did you think?

FICTION

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach - This seems like a book that my dad, a rabid baseball fan, will love. 

11/22/63 by Stephen King - Another confession: I have never read any King!  This one combines time-travel and historical fiction, which are two of my favorite genres.  I think I'm adding it to the to-read list.

SWAMPLANDIA! By Karen Russell - Sounds interesting.  Another one for the list.

Ten Thousand Saints by Eleanor Henderson - This sounds depressing but beautiful.  

The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht - Already on my to-read list.  I"m looking forward to reading this one!

NONFICTION

Arguably: Essays by Christopher Hitchens - Not a Hitchens fan.  He is just too obnoxious about his atheism, and it's grating.

The Boy in the Moon: A Father’s Journey to Understand His Extraordinary Son by Ian Brown - This book is intriguing.  I am ready to read it!

Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable - Sounds interesting, but probably doesn't cover any new ground.

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman - Psychology of thinking is always fascinating.  It's on the list now.

A World on Fire: Britain’s Crucial Role in the American Civil War by Amanda Foreman - I previously reviewed Foreman's Dutchess.  I am really looking forward to reading her new book.

Musings: NaNoWriMo

Drinking:  Rooibus Peach Bloom, Teavana

That's right, friends, I'm competing in National Novel Writing Month this year!  Not to worry, your regularly scheduled book reviews will continue - I suspect they will provide excellent procrastination material throughout the month.

Why am I writing a novel? Well, as a child, I wanted to be a writer.  However, I never really developed the discipline of writing every day, despite my discipline in sports and school. My dream mutated and changed until I was writing term papers and theses instead of short stories, poems and novels.  I am not unhappy with these choices - I am pursuing a fulfilling career.  But inside there is still a little girl who wants to be a writer.

Why am I doing NaNo this year?  I briefly attempted to participate two years ago, in the midst of researching and writing my Master's thesis.  Obviously, that did not go well - I think I wrote only about 500 words.  This year I have the time, energy, and support to write as much as possible.  I have a full time job with predictable hours.  I realize these things are not prerequisites to writing or participating, but having a measure of comfort will make it that much easier for me (or so I hope!)

Are you doing National Novel Writing Month?  If so, let's be writing buddies!  I'm "liesey" on the NaNo site.  If you're not, I'll be keeping a word count widget on this blog so you can cheer me on!