SqueakyChu's 75 Book for 2010 - Chapter 5

(er, that should have said "books")

It was *gently* suggested that I start a new thread, so here it is. :)

My previous thread is here.

An FYI: The Take It or Leave It Challenge (TIOLI) will be directly incorporated into my 75 Books Challenge. Join me, if you'd like. Hint: Always check your TBR pile first when choosing a TIOLI book!



My 2010 goal is to read a wild variety of books for fun!

November 2010

54. Almost - Elizabeth Benedict - TIOLI: Alphabetical Order ("A")
55. Sanchez Across the Street - Barbara Mujica - TIOLI: Book with a "Z" in the Title
56. Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self - Danielle Evans - TIOLI: Last Letter of Author's First Name is the Same as the First Letter of his Last Name
57. Born on a Blue Day - Daniel Tammet - TIOLI: A Color in the Title
58. David Golder by Irene Nemirovsky - TIOLI: Translated from French
59. Blue Hole - G. D. Gearino - TIOLI: A Color in the Title
60. X - James Galvin - TIOLI: Alphabetical challenge
61. Dancing with Max - Emily Colson - TIOLI: Alphabetical challenge

December 2010

62. Gotz and Meyer - David Albahari - TIOLI: three word title; middle word is "and"
63. Travels in the Scriptorium - Paul Auster - TIOLI: animal pictured on the front cover
64. My Jesus Year - Benyamin Cohen - TIOLI: book about religion
65. Mozart and the Whale - Jerry and Mary Newport
66. Gargoyles - Thomas Bernhard - TIOLI: Book on my shelf for more than a year and by an author I've never read
67. Oh, Play That Thing - Roddy Doyle - TIOLI: New book in a series
68. In the Name of Hope and Sorrow - Noah Ben Artzi-Pelossof - TIOLI: Book on my shelf for more than a year and by an author I've never read
69: Salt Water - Charles Simmons - TIOLI: Book on my shelf for more than a year and by an author I've never read
THE END

I have to list my pending reads here. The TIOLI lists are getting so long that I'm afraid my intended reads are going to get lost.

1 and 2: Beside reading Almost, I may or may not continue to read Oh, Play That Thing which I have on CD as well as hardcover.

3, 4, and 5: Then I have three ER books to finish, all of which fit into TIOLI challenges for this month. My books are Eden, Displaced Persons, and Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self.

6 and 7: In addition, I have a thin book called Sanchez Across the Street for the "Z" TIOLI challenge as well as the book X (funky touchstones) by James Galvin on my BookMooch wishlist, hoping it will come up also for the Alphabetical TIOLI challenge. We'll see what happens.

Found you again!

:)

I'll never be able to keep up, but I wanted to pop in for a new-thread hello!

Hi Luxx!

I can't keep up with all the threads either. I appreciate your stopping by. Hope all is well with you!

I'm here!

Nice new thread, Madeline. I wouldn't worry about not reading 75 books this year. With all the time you spend nurturing the TIOLI Challenge, it's a wonder you have time to read as many books as you do. Thanks for all your hard work!

Hi Roni and Donna,

Thanks for stopping by!

If the truth be known, playing on the computer does cut deeply into my reading time. Oh, well! :)

If truth be known, it does cut into mine deeply as well.

Hehe!

Oh, we are supposed to play on the computer? I thought it was just for LT time :)

I thought LT time *was* playing?!

It is for me! I am not so sure about everyone else though :)

54. Almost - Elizabeth Benedict



This is a quiet book about a woman's ruminations after she learns that her husband from whom she is newly divorced just died. Was it traumatic or not? Well you can decide from reading the book because you certainly cannot tell from my review! :)

Rating - 4 stars

It is tomorrow, isn't it? :)

It is.

Sorry. I had to go to work! If you'd rather I stay here and write reviews, simply tell my boss. I doubt if she'd pay me to do that, though!

What is your boss's name? I will call her and tell her we need your reviews. I cannot do anything about the pay part though :)

55. Sanchez Across the Street and Other Stories - Barbara Mujica



What a delightful book and one I thoroughly enjoyed! My (longish) review has been posted.

Rating - 4.5 stars

#21: Nice review, Madeline! I will look for the book.

I hope you're able to stay warm and dry today!

> Thanks, Stasia.

> 23

No such luck. It's off to work I go. I hate when the weather turns cold and nasty. :(

#24: It was cold and nasty here a couple of days ago - I agree with you. I hate it too.

There! I grabbed the book cover for book #55 and uploaded it. Much better!!

I loved your review of Sanchez Across the Street, Madeline. That's definitely one for my obese wish list. Thanks for the recommendation.

Thanks, Caroline.

That book was such a good fit for me. Fortunately, I have another book of short stories here at home by the same author (and it's even signed!) so I don't feel so bad about finishing this book so quickly.

Hi: Venturing off into unfamiliar territory here. I don't think I've stopped by before. Amazingly.

Hi, Linda!

Welcome!! I understand the lack of time to visit so many threads. The only alternative is just to have one gigantic one! :)

56. Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self - Danielle Evans



This was an Early Reviewer book that turned out to be really good. I always love that! Like ZZ Packer in her own debut book, Danielle Evans gives us some fun-to-read stories about young black men and women. Here's more.

By the way, I liked this book enough to tweet the author to tell her so!

Rating - 4 stars

#31: Nice review, Madeline! I will see if I can find that one.

It's not often that I say "Wow!" after reading a book review, but jodavid's review of The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien made me do just that. Tim O'Brien is among my very favorite of writers. He did speak about that girl (to which jodavid's review refers) at a past National Book Festival. O'Brien simply tells it like it is - only he does so much better than most of us could ever hope to do.

57. Born on a Blue Day - Daniel Tammet



I found the autobiography by this young man, an autistic savant with Asperger's Syndrome and synaesthesia, fascinating. In his book, he describes in detail how he thinks and reacts to others, what his life was like as a child, and how it is diferent now. I did post a short review of this book.

Rating - 3.5 stars

Nice review, Madeline. I also enjoyed that one when I read it. I kept thinking how amazing the human brain is and how much we still do not understand about it.

I'm delighted to see that Michael Zadoorian's book The Leisure Seeker made it onto the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award 2011 long list. Michael Zadoorian is an LT author whose book was bittersweet, but a lovely read about aging, illness, travel, and companionship. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it.

ETA: That list is really long...with some great nominations. I have no idea how anyone could pick a winner...or even a short list!

58. David Golder - Irene Nemirovsky



Not as good as Suite Francaise or Fire in the Blood but certainly this ia a read that anyone who liked other work by Irene Nemirovsky should try. Here are my thoughts about this particular book.

Rating - 4 stars

Hi, SqueakyChu. Nice reviews and interesting books, as always. Thanks. :)

59. Blue Hole - G.D. Gearino



I was really disappointed in this book. Here's an author that I recently discovered who writes novels about characters in the gritty south. Two of his novels were outstanding. Then I read this one and didn't like it. I now feel let down. More about this book here.

Rating--2.5 stars

#39: I feel safe in skipping that one. I hope your next read is a better one, Madeline!

Well Madeline, your review of David Golder has me adding this to my obese wish list since I really liked her writing in Suite Francaise.

David Golder is not as good as Suite Francaise, but do read Fire in the Blood, also by Nemirovsky and also just as good. David Golder is a skinny book and can be finished rather quickly, though.

Ok. Thanks for the recommendations, Madeline .. I've added them both to my obese wish list and will start hunting them down. I've to go to the bookstores tomorrow to buy some gift cards for my nieces anyway.

#41: Caroline, there is an edition of David Golder that also includes 3 other short stories or novellas. You might try and pick that one up. I thought it was interesting to read because you could see Nemirovsky's growth as a writer from story to story.

60. X (Lannan Literary Selections) - James Galvin



Gak! There are 37 poems in this book, and I understood two of them. Or should I say two of them “spoke” to me. This is very upsetting as the author of this book of poetry is a member of the permanent faculty of the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop. He has won awards for his poetry, prose, and a novel. His writing was over my head. Sometimes I wonder if I need a translator for poetry in the same way as I might need a translator for a book written in a language I don’t know. I hope not. I’ve always enjoyed poetry and don’t want to be frustrated by what I feel is worthwhile poetry only to have it leave me cold. I can neither rate nor review this book which I read for the TIOLI Alpabetical challenge. We needed a book with a title starting with X!

I’ll share one poem (the shorter of the two) that I liked. I couldn't get the spacing right on here, but each phrase follows below the end of the previous phrase (like a descending staircase).

CHERRY BLOSSOMS IN WET, BLOWING SNOW

In all the farewells in all the airports in all the profane dawns,
In the Fiat with no documents on the road to Madrid,
At the corrida.
In the Lope de Vega, the Annalena, the Jerome. In time past, time lost, time yet to pass.
In poetry. In watery deserts, on arid seas, between deserts and seas.
In sickness and in health. In pain and in the celebration of pain.
In the delivery room. In the garden.
In the hammock under the aspen. In all the emergencies.
In the waterfall.
In toleration.
In retaliation.
In rhyme. Among cherry
blossoms blowing in wet, blowing snow, weren’t we something?

ETA: a review of this book I found on the web.

Skipping that one! I do not 'do' poetry - primarily for the reason you mentioned, Madeline. It tends to fly right over my head.

I like that poem!

I also struggle with poetry. I have been trying in the last few years to read more of it, but it's a slow slog to read much in one go.

ETA apostrophe, dammit. I do know the difference between its and it's.

That was the one I liked the best, Caty. Should I post one I didn't quite "get"?

I also struggle with poetry.

I admire my older son who is now reading Dante's The Inferno. That book, the story of which is told in poetry is HUGE! More power to my son!!

Here's one I didn't understand. Please, someone, throw any explanation in my direction. I can hear good poetry in there somewhere. It's just that I want to understand it as well.

NATURE, BESIDE HERSELF

Nothing is at one with nature,
Not wind or wind-tried trees,
Not striving grass,
Not famished coyotes or lovesick whales.
How do I know?
Interviews.
Without the part
Where I point out the obvious--
The not with us-- there's no such thing as nature,
Is there?
It's just another everywhere where
We loiter
Outside in order
To side-glance in.

--excerpted from X by James Galvin (in order to formulate a fair opinion of this book and possibly rate/review it at some point in the future)

I'm thinking that I should keep Galvin's book of poetry and study it. Perhaps look up words I don't know and take time to delve into each one. Think it might be worth the trouble?

You've read two of Galvin's poems now. I do have a small collection of poetry books and my own personal collection of poems here at home. I tend to favor beat poetry above all others. It's my age showing, I guess. :)

> 46

Stasia, as a rule I like poetry very much. I even used to write some (probably not very good, though). That's really what upsets me about not quite understanding/appreciating/liking "good" poetry.

I have read poetry by aspiring poets of whose poetry did little or nothing for me. That's easier to explain away. I think I'm perhaps not the best judge of poetry, but who's to say that a poetry critic has to be someone other than an average person.

How do poets by trade ever support themselves?! :/

#48 I've found that I get along reasonably well with epic poetry. I didn't have too much trouble with Inferno or Paradise Regained. Paradise Lost I've read snatches of, but not the whole thing - again, didn't bother me too much. Ditto sections of Byron's Don Juan. And Beowulf doesn't scare me. I think the common thread in those is story-telling in a novel-like format. If the poem has a plot, I can cope.

Although - thinking of shorter poets I get on with - possibly it's the definite form, structure and subject. I don't do so well with modern, more abstract stuff.

#49 Nope. Don't get it. Nature is not a thing with which anything can be at one, because nature is 'everywhere' rather than an entity... okay, I get that... but then how can we loiter outside it? Don't understand the interviews bit. And what is the grass striving for? Or against?

Caty, let's figure it out...at least for ourselves! Anyone else want to chime in?

Nothing is at one with nature

Nature can be at one with everyone *precisely* because we are *part* of it. I disagree with the poet. Perhaps the he feels removed from nature. He doesn't understand it and has to interview subjects to try to understand it.

Grass always strives! It certainly strives to grow on my weed-filled lawn. It strives to reach the sun's rays and dig its roots down far enough to reach water. Newly planted grass strives to grow and become big and hearty leaves. (My weeds certainly strive to eliminate my grass.) Grass strives not to be unearthed. if you pull up grass leaves, the roots strive to hold onto the earth. How's that for grass "striving"? :D

> 52

I understand what you're saying about epic poetry. At least there is linear story-telling, albeit in flowery verse.

I like Caty's kind of poetry too, so I guess I enjoy the epic stuff.

#53 Re. the striving grass - true.

I think we sometimes feel as though we're outside nature looking in - but I don't think we really are. The second fits with nature being an 'everywhere', but not the first. Being outside nature... nature being an 'everywhere'... I understand both of those ideas, but not at the same time. They're contradictory.

Maybe I am interpreting 'everywhere' differently from the poet.

If all those things are not at one with nature, does that imply nature is or should be peace, rest, sufficiency, a lack of yearning - and we and everything around us are experiencing the opposite?

Argh. I may have to buy this book and wrestle with these poems.

Who do we know who reads a lot of poetry?

Darryl does. He's the one who did the poetry TIOLI challenge a way back. The people in Club Read did a challenge for poetry at the same time. Darryl (kidzdoc) is meeting up with some other 75-ers today, but I'll ask him to stop by this thread at a later date. We'll see what he says.

There is also a poetry forum here on LT. Perhaps I'll interject this poem into their forum and see what they think of it.

Argh. I may have to buy this book and wrestle with these poems.

If you do, I'd find it fun to wrestle with them along with you. At least it might teach me to appreciate these poems more! I found my book and bought it used and inexpensively at half.com.

The title, Nature, Beside Herself...does that mean one cannot understand nature unless one is separated from it (i.e. the only way to view it objectively)?

Hmmm? That poem seems to be growing on me! :)

ETA: No pun intended!

Darryl - of course! I knew there was someone who'd done a poetry challenge and I couldn't think who it was.

It's a lovely poem, but I'm struggling with its meaning at the moment, too. I'm getting take away dinner at an Indian restaurant, but I'll look at this poem more closely later this evening.

Thanks, Darryl. That's all I needed to know! That it's beautiful - but hard to understand. I await your further explanation.

If we get a few others who are interested in trying to decipher these poems, I'll be glad to post one or two of the shorter ones.

Madeline

My extent of poetry reading is limited. Emily Dickinson is my favorite.

I'm anxious to hear Darryl's interpretation.

HI there Darryl...I hope you had a lovely time today.

I struggle with poetry that doesn't rhyme. I know this makes me some sort of philistine - but I can remember wonderful poetry from my child hood that I can recite at the drop of a hat and it all rhymes!!

Like the Tennyson poem The Eagle:

He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands,
Ring’d with the azure world, he stands.

The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.

I loved that poem - if you have ever seen an eagle swoop on its prey it is so like a thunderbolt :)

But give me a poem like Cherry Blossoms in Wet Snow - and I am left scratching my head :)

Madeline -

I saw your recent post on Darryl's thread and stopped by to check out the poetry. I am fascinated with poetry and love reading the poems over and over and thinking about them. To me it is a very intimate expression (or, at least it can be) of the writer's world, experience, philosophy and/or state of mind.

Nature Beside Herself is definitely one of those poems that gives the reader food for thought. It is almost compelling to think about it over and over again and to try and discern what the poet is saying.

I seem to get very, very close to an a aha moment, but the gestalt, (the whole of it) of it is still just barely out of touch. It has made me think very much and I have lots of ideas about what is being said.

I actually think that it is quite deep and beautiful, I mean, really, he is writing about Nature which is indisputably out of our control and at the same time awe-inspiring and often brutally beautiful. We do experience nature more sometimes when we stand outside of it as the observer. It is difficult to remember that we are part of it at the same time ... it is easier, simpler, provident even, to believe that it is *not* and in a way, that we are not part of nature ourselves. It happens around and to us.

Very tired musings at 4:40 something A.M.

Keep reading poetry. I will stop by whenever you post any to see what you have found. Loving it.

R

> 63

and I am left scratching my head

LOL!!

I am affected not so much by rhyme but whether or not the poem either tells me something or leaves me with change in feeling. If I don't understand a poem, I am left blank. :(

I like the eagle poem. I guess I like rhyming poetry, too, because the poem I best remember that I wrote as a little kid rhymed. It began...

Spring has spring. Spring has sprung.
The world is born anew.
The birds down south heard the news
And back up north they flew...

:D

> 64

I think you've just given me insight into this poem!

With your interpretation, Ruth, the poem makes more sense to me now. If I just substitute the word "peace" for the word "one", my poem would read "Nothing is at peace with nature." Then those who have "complaints" about nature could stand apart from it to voice their unease. They are saying, "If it doesn't work for me, then how can it exist"? "How can I even be part of it?"

I think I'll post a poem once a week (Sunday) if I remember. The poetry (now from James Galvin, but probably later from other poets whose work I would like to understand more in depth) will be one for which I would like to invite interpretations. The selections will be short (easier to type, less chance for error, easier to understand, less time to read, etc.).

Should I open another thread here in "75 Books" for the poetry or should I just post it to the group Poetry Fool? Poetry Fool is a poetry group here on LT which I had joined in the past, then left. Should I rejoin it?

I'd like a 75er thread, because I'd miss the discussion if you take it over to Poetry Fool. I suspect there are a number of us who'd love a discussion. I'd love to share a couple of my favorite poems and I've two new books of poetry to explore as well.

How about doing a 75-er "Help Me with this Poem" thread plus a 75-er "Share A Poem" thread?

In the first, we could solicit help in understanding a poem and invite further interpretation. In the second we could share poems that we like.

Additionally, we could even have a third thread for "Original 75-er Poetry"!!

I thought it was nice when Darryl introduced poetry into the TIOLI challenge. His challeng encouraged me pick up some of my poetry books for the first time in years!!

I'd love to participate in this; here are several reasons why:

1. I don't read enough poetry.

2. I love poetry. (This seems in conflict with #1, but is nevertheless true.)

3. Typically poems are short, relative to the mountains of fiction and nonfiction that we read, so we could do this without a h-u-u-u-g-e time commitment.

4. I often find a poem I like/love and understand, more or less, but know that I'm missing some important elements. I'd love to have anyone's help/input there.

5. Some Many poems, particularly contemporary poetry, are beyond my comprehension in all sorts of ways. I'd like to learn more about those difficult ones without the stress of a class or anything similar.

I would definitely join in with this. Most of those I am likely to read anytime soon (that is, most of the stuff already on my shelves) is old and public domain, so I shall be able to share away at great length without infringing copyright.

so I shall be able to share away at great length without infringing copyright.

That's an issue. I'm not sure if I can post a poem in its entirety. What about copyright? Should I delete the poems I posted above? I can probably point to links.

I think I'm going to opt out of doing a poetry thread. However, if anyone else wants to do one, I'll pop in from time to time.

First off, I think I'm pretty much tied up with the TIOLI challenges, and that's my first love and my first priority. Second, I'm not comfortable with posting other people's poems. Copyright infringement and all that. I simply don't know how to handle that. I'm not comfortable with continuing to post poems in their entirety on a thread. Hopefully the poems I posted above are okay in the sense that they have been excerpted as a review for that book - specifically to say what I liked about the book and what I didn't.

Therefore... if anyone else does a poetry thread, please let me know.

61. Dancing with Max - Emily Colson



I've been on a roll recently reading books about savant sydrome, autism, and Asperger's. This Early Reviewer book is about a single mother who raises a child with autism. A significant part of the book is about how Christianity has a role in the life of mother and son. I liked that less than the story about their relationship, but so be it. Here's my review.

Rating - 3 stars

62. Gotz and Meyer - David Albahari



It was finally a TIOLI challenge that got me to read this book. I originally even had two copies of this book for whatever reason. I think I bought a second copy not knowing I already owned the book.

I kept putting off reading it because each time I opened it, I saw that there were no chapters or paragraphs in this book. Thinking I didn't want to read a book about German soldiers with this kind of writing, it kept on being reshelved until Terri's TIOLI challenge to read a book whose title has three words with the middle word being "and". This was one of only two such books I had in my possession. I chose it because it was the thinner of the two!

Not only was it not a difficult read (perhaps emotionally difficult, but it read very quickly and easily), it affected me greatly. I'll tell you how in my review.

Rating - 5 stars

Madeline, your link to the Gotz and Meyer review just takes me to a cover of the book?

ETA: I went to the book profile page and gave a 'thumbs up' to your review. The book looks right up my alley. Thanks!

> 75

Fixed. Thanks!

#76: No problem.

Great review of Gotz and Meyer, Madeline!

Thanks, Darryl. It was a super read!

63. Travels in the Scriptorium - Paul Auster



I thought this book was fascinating. What has me worried is that other reviews of it rate it as mediocre or worse. I love postmodern fiction. Therefore I found this novel a really fun read. Here's my review. If others think this book was just so-so, when I read Auster's others works, I am going to expect them to be stellar.

Rating - 4.5 stars

#80: I have had that one in the BlackHole for a while now. One of these days I will get my hands on a copy. Nice review as usual, Madeline!

Thanks, Stasia!

I like Paul Auster a lot. My favorites are The New York Trilogy and Timbuktu. The New York Trilogy is post-modern, so you'd probably like it. Timbuktu is more conventional--it's told from the pov of the dog of a homeless man, and makes for wonderful reading.

I'm excited to have discovered this author and look forward to reading more of his work.

64. My Jesus Year - Benyamin Cohen



I'm not sure really why I picked up this book in the first place. It reminded me of another book, The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs that I've not read, but that my husband started reading (and reading excerpts of it to me as well), but then became bored with and never finished. For some reason, I even ended up with two copies of this same book! I thought it would be kind of silly as its premise was that the author, an Orthodox Jew and rabbi's son, recognizes a decline in his own experience of spirituality and decides to check out churches in the Bible Belt to see what he can learn from Christians of different faiths.

I ended up liking this book very much. It's an excellent start for a debut author. I go into more detail here in my review.

Rating - 4.5 stars

Love your review of Auster's book and thumbed you, Suz. I'm definitely going to add this one to my obese wish list.

Btw, check your PM. :-)

*confused*

I'm Madeline, and neither Suz (Chatterbox) nor I have a PM...

I found the thumb, though. Thanks, Caroline!

I enjoyed and thumbed your review of My Jesus Year Madeline, although I had difficulty finding it. Your "review" hyperlink goes to the top of your page, and the title of the book links to The Year of Living Like Jesus.

Thanks for the heads up, Darryl. I'll go fix it.

I just got back from reading your review of the book of the history of cancer and thumbed it as well. The book sounds amazing. I'll have to look for it.

ETA: Since Benyamin Cohen is from Atlanta, I wonder how many of the churches mentioned in his book would be familiar to you.

My apologies, Madeline .. I keep getting your handle mixed up. i wonder why I keep wanting to call you Suz though ... Sorry.

I still really like your review. :-)

That's okay, Caroline. You can call me what you'd like. I just need to be sure that you don't think you're actually leaving a message here for Suz where she won't see it.

65. Mozart and the Whale - Jerry Newport



Blech! I didn't care for this book and don't much care to talk more about it. I posted a very brief review and look forward to reading something else.

Rating - 1.5 stars

#85: I will look for that one. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Madeline.

#92: Skipping that one!

Oddly enough, others liked Mozart and the Whale. I gave it the lowest rating of anyone here at LT who rated the book. I wonder what others liked about it?

The book itself only has two other reviews beside my own. At a party recently, I was talking about this book, and a party guest knew of the book because it had been made into a movie. The guy apparently liked the movie.

How I choose my next book...

I had to laugh when reading David Abram's blog. He chooses books the same way that I do:

My reading habits are sporadic, flighty, and subject to change at the next FedEx delivery to my front door. The best way to describe it is a dog chasing a butterfly through a meadow: snapping his teeth at first one butterfly then, as another crosses his field of vision, suddenly dodging after that one, and the next, and the next.

Now I've got a few of these formerly "snapped at" books eying me with a vengeance (not to mention that some of these are Early Reviewer books). *sigh*

Is this a problem for some of you as well?

Decidedly!

...Stasia! I was under the impression that you were a disciplined reader!! :)

Is this a problem for some of you as well?

Yup. I choose to see it, not so much as a problem, but just the way things are. It's become more the case since LT entered my life. Different books are always catching my eye.

I loved the dog and butterfly quote!

Karen O.

That's absolutely me, too.

That is a perfect metaphor for a constant problem in my life...

#97: Absolutely no idea where you got that delusion from, Madeline!

From Gargoyles: A Novel by Thomas Bernhard:

"If you listen closely," the prince said, "what is told to you, played for you, is always your own story, adjusted to your rhythm."

Happy happy holidays!

Happy Holidays.


glitter-graphics.com

in honour of all your TIOLI work!

Awww! That's so cute! Thank you, calm.

Have a great holiday season and a super 2011, Luxx and calm!

Merry Christmas!

Thanks, Laura.

Have a happy holiday!

Enjoy the holiday season, Madeline.

Thanks, Caroline. Hope yours is wonderful!

Happy Hannukah, Madeline. I hope you have an enjoyable holiday season and a Happy New Year.

Thanks, Stasia.

Wishing you and your family joy throughout the holidays and into the New Year!

Thanks!

66. Gargoyles: A Novel - Thomas Bernhard



"Phew!" is all I can say. My thoughts about this book are more clearly expressed in my review.

Rating - 3.5 stars

Hi Madeline.

I'm sending all good wishes for a restful, peaceful day.

#114: I think I will give that one a pass!

> 115

Thanks, Linda.

Hoping that you and your family have a holiday season that is bright and beautiful!

> 116

That's one of the advantages of knowing nothing about a novel ahead of time. I might have given this one a pass, too, had I known. As it was, I'd been introduced to an author whom I'd have probably otherwise avoided. I'm going to torture myself (!) by looking for more of his work. Let's just say that I'm curious more than anything else.

#118: Let's just say that I'm curious more than anything else.

Or a glutton for punishment!

> 119

Re: Gargoyles: A Novel

What was interesting was that, once I realized that I was deep into a lengthy monologue, I could not put the book down. I found myself trying to read faster and faster to see if there was something "to it" or not, all the while trying to "get through it". Go figure!! :)

I have no problem casting books aside unfinished. What nudged me to finish it was the reputation of the author and my having very much liked the first half of the book. However, I do think the monologue decreased its "value" to me by half a star. I'm sure that to others, the monologue was the best (and mopst unusual) part of the book. Not too many other LTers have read it as I found only two other reviews of it here on LT.

P.S. If anyone reading this thread has read other books by Thomas Bernhard, please chime in. Should I read his other works or not?

Woah..thanks for the heads up Madeline. My sister-in-law received this as a Christmas gift from someone at her workplace and she was thinking to give it to me because she's one who doesn't like reading much and thought I might like it. I'll be sure to tell her not to bother sending it over to me.

> 121

but, but, but...I want others to read it and tell me what they think of it. It's not fun to read such a surprising book alone!!

67. Oh Play That Thing - Roddy Doyle



Here's a book that I found so entertaining, but that others really seemed to have disliked. This is a second book of a trilogy and is best read after having read part I, the book called A Star Called Henry. Read more about Book II here on my review.

Rating - 4 stars

#123: Sorry, Madeline. No can do on that one. I have tried two of Doyle's books and not completed either one. I have decided he is just not an author for me.

Which books were they, Stasia? Did you ever try listening to one on any audio system?

Cariola just recommended that Iread The Deportees. Have you ever read that one? What is it about the style of Doyle's writing that you don't like?

I tried both A Star Called Henry and Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha.

I did not try listening to them on audio since my local library does not have any of his books in that format. I cannot really say what it is about his style I did not care for, just that I did not like it. After two attempts, I feel like I gave him a fair shake.

> 126

I feel like I gave him a fair shake.

You did indeed - because I liked both of those books very much.

I guess Roddy Doyle's the kind of author about whose writing people feel extreme. Either they really like it, or they really dislike it.

#127: Since I think that not every book is for every body, I think authors must be the same :)

Madeline, I read Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha and while I finished it, I simply didn't enjoy the book. Your great review of Oh Play That Thing lures me into wanting to give him another try.

Seriously, Linda, I'd need to know why you didn't like Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha before I'd suggest you read Oh Play That Thing. Too many people really disliked the latter.

68. In the Name of Hope and Sorrow - Noa Ben Artzi-Pelossof



It's rather hard to believe that so many years have gone by since the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin. This book is what his granddaughter wanted to tell the world about herself and her relationship to her famous grandfather. It's a sweet and terribly sad book. I knew I had to read it at some point so I made this the time. Here's my review.

Rating - 3.5 stars

#131: Thanks for the review of that one, Madeline. I will look for the book.

69. Salt Water - Charles Simmons



I wasn't sure about this book when I first started it, but it settled into a nicely paced story. The author, although I'd never heard of him, was former editor of The New York Times Book Review for more than two decades. That alone gave him credibility! The book is a story of a family living at seaside for the summer. Read more about this novel here on my review.

Rating - 3.5 stars

Madeline

I located my review of Paddy Clark ha, ha, ha and here it is:

If anyone can answer my question, I'd love to know the answer. Why is it that books written by Irish authors or told about the Irish seem to consistently focus on a) drinking b) abuse c) poverty d) dysfunction???? Is there joy in Ireland?

While reviews are primarily positive about this book, for many reasons, I simply reacted to the fact that it was yet another angst filled tale of an Irish child witnessing cruelty, and acting out with cruelty, harming those around him, including his younger sibling.

It is 1968 and Paddy is ten years old, his father is drinking heavily, his mother is abused, his brother is a royal pain.

He and his band of friends roam the small town setting fires at building sites, entering forbidden areas while performing various and sundry cruel beatings and taunts to each other.

Written in a hard to follow stream of consciousness style, I had a difficult time absorbing the story line.

Simply stated, I didn't like this book and cannot recommend it.

#133: Thumbs up for your review, Madeline. I love your comment about the cover art - sometimes I wonder if the artist has read the book or even been given an outline so that they know what to put on the cover!

> 134

Linda, I can understand your not liking this Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha. I know you to be a very sensitive person. Your reaction to Doyle's book seems like a visceral response to the cruelty and difficulty of the lives of its characters.

I've heard quite a few people voice the same negative reaction to Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt (although that book was nonfiction and the Doyle book was fiction). Never mind that McCourt's book was a Pulitzer Prize winner. Many people hated it for the same reason you disliked Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha.

Thanks for sharing your review. It's always interesting to learn the reasons people have for their feelings about a book.

> 135

Truthfully? I thought the cover on the book was wrong. I looked up the book again to see if it had the same cover!

ETA: One of the book covers of this book (uploaded by an LT member) is of a boy and a dark-haired woman. I pictured the female character having long hair. I *hate* when a book cover tries to picture a non-fiction character for the reader. That is so wrong!!! It gets even worse when it's a movie tie-in, but I barely ever read any of those and never choose books with those covers for myself , if I can help it.

#137: I have seen several books where the cover did not reflect the contents. The one you reviewed is certainly not the first.

I'd demand my money back from the cover artist! :)

Somehow I doubt that would work, but hey, give it a go!

So, with 69 books read in 2010, I'm bringing this thread to a close. It's been a great reading year for me even though I did not reach my stated goal. I did manage to read more books this year than in any previous year. The fun for me is in the travels, though, not in the destination.

So, thanks, all for sharing your reads and thoughts with me. Let's continue to do this on my 2011 thread. See you there!

I love the Henry Smart trilogy - Oh Play That Thing isn't as good as the other two but it's still good. I note that only a couple of the negative reviews on the LT page actually substantiate what they say properly - I don't take much notice of the one line reviews.

The Deportees is a collection of linked short stories about the impact of immigration to Dublin.

I almost forgot that it's trilogy. Oh, joy! There's one more book to read about Henry Smart!