1Sean191
For the last two years, I've decided to face the reality that I might not hit 75 books in a year again for a long time...maybe when the kids are grown up....
I'm hoping to hit 40 titles this year, would be very happy with 50 and would be astounded if I hit the number that would have me as a legitimate member of this group again
2009: 87 titles
2010: 100
2011: 31
2012: 34
2013: 26
2014: 26
2015: 26
2016: 11 (sad trombone sound)
2017: 20
2018: 22
2019: 45
2020: 33
2021
1. One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by B.J. Novak
2. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
3. Devolution - Max Brooks
4. The Necklace and Other Short Stories - Guy de Maupassant
5. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
6. Bunnicula - James and Deborah Howe
7. my grandmother asked me to tell you she's sorry - Fredrik Backman
8. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz
9. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Ken Kesey
10. Creeples! - Patrick Pidgeon
11. Being a Beast - Charles Foster
12. Reading the Woods - Vinson Brown
13. Do Something for Nothing - Joshua Coombs
14. Black Water - Joynce Carol Oats
15. Ridgeline - Michael Punke
16. I Love You Beth Cooper - Larry Doyle
17. Mud Season - Ellen Stimson
18. One Touch of Nature - B.J. Chute
19. Ere the Cock Crows - Jens Bjørneboe
20. Sh*t my Dad Says - Justin Halpern
21. Hit Man - Lawrence Block
22. Iron Weed - William Kennedy
23. Gulp - Mary Roach
24. Round Mountain - Castle Freeman Jr.
25. The Moon is Down - John Steinbeck
26. The Long Walk - Stephen King
27. Restless Nights and Zombies - John Kennebrew
28. It's a Battlefield - Graham Greene
29. The Adventurists by Richard Butner
30. A Day No Pigs Would Die - Robert Newton Peck
31. Ethan Frome - Edith Wharton
32. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs
33. The Maltese Falcon - Dashiell Hammitt
34. Mother Courage - Bertolt Brecht
35. The Gift of the Magi and The Purple Dress - O. Henry
I'm hoping to hit 40 titles this year, would be very happy with 50 and would be astounded if I hit the number that would have me as a legitimate member of this group again
2009: 87 titles
2010: 100
2011: 31
2012: 34
2013: 26
2014: 26
2015: 26
2016: 11 (sad trombone sound)
2017: 20
2018: 22
2019: 45
2020: 33
2021
1. One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by B.J. Novak
2. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
3. Devolution - Max Brooks
4. The Necklace and Other Short Stories - Guy de Maupassant
5. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
6. Bunnicula - James and Deborah Howe
7. my grandmother asked me to tell you she's sorry - Fredrik Backman
8. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz
9. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Ken Kesey
10. Creeples! - Patrick Pidgeon
11. Being a Beast - Charles Foster
12. Reading the Woods - Vinson Brown
13. Do Something for Nothing - Joshua Coombs
14. Black Water - Joynce Carol Oats
15. Ridgeline - Michael Punke
16. I Love You Beth Cooper - Larry Doyle
17. Mud Season - Ellen Stimson
18. One Touch of Nature - B.J. Chute
19. Ere the Cock Crows - Jens Bjørneboe
20. Sh*t my Dad Says - Justin Halpern
21. Hit Man - Lawrence Block
22. Iron Weed - William Kennedy
23. Gulp - Mary Roach
24. Round Mountain - Castle Freeman Jr.
25. The Moon is Down - John Steinbeck
26. The Long Walk - Stephen King
27. Restless Nights and Zombies - John Kennebrew
28. It's a Battlefield - Graham Greene
29. The Adventurists by Richard Butner
30. A Day No Pigs Would Die - Robert Newton Peck
31. Ethan Frome - Edith Wharton
32. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs
33. The Maltese Falcon - Dashiell Hammitt
34. Mother Courage - Bertolt Brecht
35. The Gift of the Magi and The Purple Dress - O. Henry
3FAMeulstee
Happy reading in 2021!
4thornton37814
Enjoy your 2021 reads!
5PaulCranswick
And keep up with my friends here. Have a great 2021.
6Sean191
Thanks everyone! Many years in and LibraryThing is still my favorite community on the internet! :)
7Sean191
1. One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by B.J. Novak
I listened to the audio book years ago and forgot that I did. So, I excitedly picked up this book when I saw it used at Goodwill. Then, I quickly realized I knew it. But, I was stuck in a car with nothing else to read, so I dug in. I had forgotten enough of it that it was mostly new to me. And While not every story was a hit, they were so short (spanning from a few pages to maybe as little as 40 words in one case) that there was plenty of room for Novak to throw things out to see what would stick. A lot of the stories did stick. They were funny, often twist-endings, dry humor, weird observations. Jack Handy provided one of the back-cover blurbs and I think that was appropriate since a lot of the humor was in his style. Steven Wright would have been another good choice.
So overall, Novak delivers. There are laugh-out-loud moments, and for those rare times he misses, the stories are so short, you're back to laughing again a few minutes later.
4 stars.
I listened to the audio book years ago and forgot that I did. So, I excitedly picked up this book when I saw it used at Goodwill. Then, I quickly realized I knew it. But, I was stuck in a car with nothing else to read, so I dug in. I had forgotten enough of it that it was mostly new to me. And While not every story was a hit, they were so short (spanning from a few pages to maybe as little as 40 words in one case) that there was plenty of room for Novak to throw things out to see what would stick. A lot of the stories did stick. They were funny, often twist-endings, dry humor, weird observations. Jack Handy provided one of the back-cover blurbs and I think that was appropriate since a lot of the humor was in his style. Steven Wright would have been another good choice.
So overall, Novak delivers. There are laugh-out-loud moments, and for those rare times he misses, the stories are so short, you're back to laughing again a few minutes later.
4 stars.
8Sean191
2. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
I enjoyed the Coelho's story. I feel Mitch Albom's "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" may have been heavily influenced by this. While I enjoyed Albom's work, I think Coelho's is quite a bit better. He is more poetic and I think his life experience also flows into his writing, making it feel more sincere. The Alchemist is a short, quick read. While there's drama and suspense in quite a few places, it's generally telegraphed in advance how things are going to turn out. I don't think Coelho tried to hide the ending. He was telling the story of how that inevitable ending would be achieved and there's comfort in that for the reader.
4 stars
I enjoyed the Coelho's story. I feel Mitch Albom's "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" may have been heavily influenced by this. While I enjoyed Albom's work, I think Coelho's is quite a bit better. He is more poetic and I think his life experience also flows into his writing, making it feel more sincere. The Alchemist is a short, quick read. While there's drama and suspense in quite a few places, it's generally telegraphed in advance how things are going to turn out. I don't think Coelho tried to hide the ending. He was telling the story of how that inevitable ending would be achieved and there's comfort in that for the reader.
4 stars
9Sean191
3. Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks
Where World War Z covered the actions of the whole globe, Devolution took a decidedly smaller-scale approach. The story focuses on a high tech, eco friendly "back to nature" commune in Washington state. Each of the characters is introduced with some type of flaw apparent or hinted at. Those cracks in the veneer grow (or contract) as the story unfolds. But just as WWZ was not a book about zombies (or wasn't ONLY about zombies), Devolution isn't ONLY about Sasquatch. Brook's writing is a somewhat veiled social commentary on society.
I think readers need to be warned, the writing is thinner than WWZ and this book is a slow burn. I struggled to get past the first few chapters. I found I did not like most of the characters. But as the story developed, it really started to blaze and some of the characters grew on me. I spoke to a friend about this and he had abandoned the book by chapter 3. I told him to give it to the end of chapter 5 (I was a few chapters beyond that by then). Over the course of the next two days, we corresponded about the story as he caught up to new plateaus. The ending in particular created a lengthy discussion about the story, about the title, about society. I don't hold it to the same level as WWZ...I think that book was brilliant. Regardless of whether this is your intro to Brooks or another visit, I highly recommend.
4 stars
Where World War Z covered the actions of the whole globe, Devolution took a decidedly smaller-scale approach. The story focuses on a high tech, eco friendly "back to nature" commune in Washington state. Each of the characters is introduced with some type of flaw apparent or hinted at. Those cracks in the veneer grow (or contract) as the story unfolds. But just as WWZ was not a book about zombies (or wasn't ONLY about zombies), Devolution isn't ONLY about Sasquatch. Brook's writing is a somewhat veiled social commentary on society.
I think readers need to be warned, the writing is thinner than WWZ and this book is a slow burn. I struggled to get past the first few chapters. I found I did not like most of the characters. But as the story developed, it really started to blaze and some of the characters grew on me. I spoke to a friend about this and he had abandoned the book by chapter 3. I told him to give it to the end of chapter 5 (I was a few chapters beyond that by then). Over the course of the next two days, we corresponded about the story as he caught up to new plateaus. The ending in particular created a lengthy discussion about the story, about the title, about society. I don't hold it to the same level as WWZ...I think that book was brilliant. Regardless of whether this is your intro to Brooks or another visit, I highly recommend.
4 stars
10Sean191
4. The Necklace and Other Short Stories by Guy de Mauppassant
I hadn't read any of Guy de Maupassant's work previously (that I recall), but I picked this up at a used bookstore late in November and grabbed it as a "classical" read to dive into. Every story was entertaining, but the final story, "The Horla," which was a ghost story/haunting of sorts, was by far the best. It was very different from any of the other stories eight stories and being that the order of the stories was by the year they were written, I feel I have to investigate and see if Maupassant wrote any more supernatural tales. The descent into madness is a well-worn path....today.... but in 1887 the predecessors were certainly fewer. The other stories often had a handful of characters, but they all seemed so well-developed even within the brief confines of stories only running a dozen pages or so. There's a reason this book has been republished over the years.
4 stars
I hadn't read any of Guy de Maupassant's work previously (that I recall), but I picked this up at a used bookstore late in November and grabbed it as a "classical" read to dive into. Every story was entertaining, but the final story, "The Horla," which was a ghost story/haunting of sorts, was by far the best. It was very different from any of the other stories eight stories and being that the order of the stories was by the year they were written, I feel I have to investigate and see if Maupassant wrote any more supernatural tales. The descent into madness is a well-worn path....today.... but in 1887 the predecessors were certainly fewer. The other stories often had a handful of characters, but they all seemed so well-developed even within the brief confines of stories only running a dozen pages or so. There's a reason this book has been republished over the years.
4 stars
11Sean191
5. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
I read this to my young children over the course of a week or so of bedtime stories. Lots of questions were asked as the language is antiquated and unfamiliar to them. But they enjoyed it enough. More than the story for me, I enjoyed the addition of some reviews from attendees to Dickens' readings of A Christmas Carol which were included at the conclusion of the tale. The story itself is so well-known, but getting that glimpse into the past was a pleasant surprise.
3 stars
I read this to my young children over the course of a week or so of bedtime stories. Lots of questions were asked as the language is antiquated and unfamiliar to them. But they enjoyed it enough. More than the story for me, I enjoyed the addition of some reviews from attendees to Dickens' readings of A Christmas Carol which were included at the conclusion of the tale. The story itself is so well-known, but getting that glimpse into the past was a pleasant surprise.
3 stars
12Sean191
6. Bunnicula: 25th Anniversary by Deborah and James Howe
Another story read to my kids at bedtime. They both enjoyed it (my 10-year-old thought it was funny enough, my eight-year-old was relieved to find it wasn't as scary as the cover made it look like "don't judge a book...") For me, it was a nice return to a book I read and liked as a child and unlike some classics, it was enjoyable to read as an adult. The one thing I didn't know when I read it at 9 or 10 was that one of the authors, Deborah Howe, wife of James, had passed from cancer at 31 and just a little before the book was published. It's sad to think she never got to see how much joy the story she created with her husband brought to the world.
4 stars
Another story read to my kids at bedtime. They both enjoyed it (my 10-year-old thought it was funny enough, my eight-year-old was relieved to find it wasn't as scary as the cover made it look like "don't judge a book...") For me, it was a nice return to a book I read and liked as a child and unlike some classics, it was enjoyable to read as an adult. The one thing I didn't know when I read it at 9 or 10 was that one of the authors, Deborah Howe, wife of James, had passed from cancer at 31 and just a little before the book was published. It's sad to think she never got to see how much joy the story she created with her husband brought to the world.
4 stars
13scaifea
Hi, Sean!
I haven't read Guy de Maupassant in ages, but I really love him. Thanks for the reminder - I may have to pull him off the shelf soon...
I haven't read Guy de Maupassant in ages, but I really love him. Thanks for the reminder - I may have to pull him off the shelf soon...
14Sean191
Hi scaifea! Do you know if he did any other horror stories? I liked all the stories in the collection and horror's not typically what I gravitate to, but The Horla was great!
15scaifea
>14 Sean191: I think he did, in fact. Here's an article that might put you on the right track:
http://darkworldsquarterly.gwthomas.org/the-diary-of-a-madman-the-horror-stories...
http://darkworldsquarterly.gwthomas.org/the-diary-of-a-madman-the-horror-stories...
17Sean191
7. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman
My introduction to Backman was in 2019 when I read A Man Called Ove. I loved the book, it was a favorite that year, but for whatever reason, I didn't give more thought to the author. I walked into a bookstore in January (mask on) and near the front, I saw this book and noticed the author. I read the teaser on the back cover and even though I didn't NEED another book after getting seven or eight for Christmas to add to my ever-growing pile, I happily plunked down my hard-earned money and walked out of the store with this book.
Like Ove, this book starts where you initially aren't sure you like the character associated with the title. Like Ove, it quickly becomes clear that it's all a ruse by Backman. It's a slow burn to liking the character, but that quickly ignites to a blaze. Backman does it over and over throughout the book. "Here's a character. You won't like them." Five chapters later, you'd be incredibly upset if anything were to happen to them. But here's the thing, it's okay. The world isn't perfect, bad things happen to good people. But somehow, Backman just makes it all alright.
I loved the book. I won't say that Backman is a literary master. It's not high art, but it's not a supermarket checkout line beach read either. Backman's stories are maybe formulaic. His characters are larger than life and not really believable...but he creates characters you want to read about. They hold magic. They may be unbelievable, but you'll find yourself wanting so desperately to believe otherwise.
4 stars
My introduction to Backman was in 2019 when I read A Man Called Ove. I loved the book, it was a favorite that year, but for whatever reason, I didn't give more thought to the author. I walked into a bookstore in January (mask on) and near the front, I saw this book and noticed the author. I read the teaser on the back cover and even though I didn't NEED another book after getting seven or eight for Christmas to add to my ever-growing pile, I happily plunked down my hard-earned money and walked out of the store with this book.
Like Ove, this book starts where you initially aren't sure you like the character associated with the title. Like Ove, it quickly becomes clear that it's all a ruse by Backman. It's a slow burn to liking the character, but that quickly ignites to a blaze. Backman does it over and over throughout the book. "Here's a character. You won't like them." Five chapters later, you'd be incredibly upset if anything were to happen to them. But here's the thing, it's okay. The world isn't perfect, bad things happen to good people. But somehow, Backman just makes it all alright.
I loved the book. I won't say that Backman is a literary master. It's not high art, but it's not a supermarket checkout line beach read either. Backman's stories are maybe formulaic. His characters are larger than life and not really believable...but he creates characters you want to read about. They hold magic. They may be unbelievable, but you'll find yourself wanting so desperately to believe otherwise.
4 stars
18Sean191
8. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting, but I know I wasn't expecting what I got in this book. That's too bad, since what I got wasn't what I wanted.
So Diaz is undeniably brilliant. His knowledge of such a wide span of culture, both historical and pop, is just amazing. Unfortunately, that was a turnoff in a way, because he HAD to show it off when it didn't really make sense.
In Wao, we eventually meet the narrator. But that's not before we're hit over and over with the narration of someone who doesn't make sense. It just didn't line up for me. And I also felt that Diaz's obsession with sex just got to an uncomfortable place.
The story ebbed and flowed, when it stayed with Oscar, it was good. But it jumped to other characters too much without really giving a strong connection to them. I kind of understand why this won the Pulitzer, but I'm also confused by that at the same time.
2.5 stars
I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting, but I know I wasn't expecting what I got in this book. That's too bad, since what I got wasn't what I wanted.
So Diaz is undeniably brilliant. His knowledge of such a wide span of culture, both historical and pop, is just amazing. Unfortunately, that was a turnoff in a way, because he HAD to show it off when it didn't really make sense.
In Wao, we eventually meet the narrator. But that's not before we're hit over and over with the narration of someone who doesn't make sense. It just didn't line up for me. And I also felt that Diaz's obsession with sex just got to an uncomfortable place.
The story ebbed and flowed, when it stayed with Oscar, it was good. But it jumped to other characters too much without really giving a strong connection to them. I kind of understand why this won the Pulitzer, but I'm also confused by that at the same time.
2.5 stars
19brodiew2
Hello Sean191!
>9 Sean191: I enjoyed reading through your thread. I had picked up Devolution: firsthand a few months back, from the library, but never got around to it. It seems i might have bailed early as well.
>10 Sean191: Excellent comments on Guy de Mauppasant. I don't recall reading him before, but your comments are intriguing. For some reason Edna St. Vincent Millay came to mind. I remember enjoying her poems. ;-)
>17 Sean191: iIt's not high art/i. I use that phrase as well. I think it must have sunken in the our literary consciousness at some point. others as well.
Dropping a star. I'll be back.
>9 Sean191: I enjoyed reading through your thread. I had picked up Devolution: firsthand a few months back, from the library, but never got around to it. It seems i might have bailed early as well.
>10 Sean191: Excellent comments on Guy de Mauppasant. I don't recall reading him before, but your comments are intriguing. For some reason Edna St. Vincent Millay came to mind. I remember enjoying her poems. ;-)
>17 Sean191: iIt's not high art/i. I use that phrase as well. I think it must have sunken in the our literary consciousness at some point. others as well.
Dropping a star. I'll be back.
21Sean191
9. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
I'm sure it's a case of seeing Jack Nicholson as McMurphy in the movie adaptation, but I really couldn't imagine a better casting choice.
Regarding the rest of the book - it's stellar. The story is riveting - the narrator is an unreliable narrator, but at the same time totally reliable, because what he's telling you is HIS truth throughout.
Some novels when they divert to backstories totally lose their focus and energy. Kesey makes every moment work. There are a lot of characters playing significant enough roles to make you take notice and for a short book, Kesey does a phenomenal job giving you enough information for their actions and issues to make sense.
And finally, the big nurse - I read Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian for the first time last year. The Judge is possibly the worst (by that I mean best/most impactful) villain I've come across, but I don't think Nurse Ratched is far behind.
4 1/2 stars
I'm sure it's a case of seeing Jack Nicholson as McMurphy in the movie adaptation, but I really couldn't imagine a better casting choice.
Regarding the rest of the book - it's stellar. The story is riveting - the narrator is an unreliable narrator, but at the same time totally reliable, because what he's telling you is HIS truth throughout.
Some novels when they divert to backstories totally lose their focus and energy. Kesey makes every moment work. There are a lot of characters playing significant enough roles to make you take notice and for a short book, Kesey does a phenomenal job giving you enough information for their actions and issues to make sense.
And finally, the big nurse - I read Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian for the first time last year. The Judge is possibly the worst (by that I mean best/most impactful) villain I've come across, but I don't think Nurse Ratched is far behind.
4 1/2 stars
22Sean191
10. Creeples!
The exclamation point in the title should have been enough of a red flag.
So I got this book as an ARC, figuring I'd give it a read and pass it to my 10-year-old. I still might, because obviously I'm not the target audience and maybe I just missed it...but I don't think so. It seems to pan younger - more like 8-years-old in writing presentation, but maybe a little too scary for younger kids so 10 and up for content...meaning it doesn't line up well for anyone. Definitely NOT a teen book. I think they'd find the characters, situations and dialogue too young.
This was a cheap knock-off of Harry Potter except it replaces magic with science...except then it replaces science after a very short time with magic. The characters use lingo and pop cultural references that would be familiar to kids who grew up in the '90s, but the story most definitely is supposed to be current. That's all excusable I suppose - not everything needs to be topnotch storytelling...it just needs to be entertaining right? Or should I say... RIGHT?
YES! That's because EVERY page has at least TWO or THREE words in all caps to let the reader know something IMPORTANT is happening. To be fair, the caps are helpful, because it does call attention to words that would otherwise be lost in a sea of adjectives.
Why bother to let the reader use her or his imagination when you can do the work for them by using many more words and describing scenes and actions badly? No one ever "says" anything in the book. Instead, they "growl" "grumble" "mumble" "whine" there may have even been a "snickered" which doesn't even really make sense. Which brings me to "Aussie-splayed" to describe the run of the Creeples. Really, I should say "Aussie-splay" describes the "Aussie-splay" of the Creeples, because maybe run is used the first time to introduce the (as far as I can tell) made-up phrase and then that phrase is used another 20 times throughout the book, becoming a visual "nails on the chalkboard" for me.
Finally, there's the lack of continuity - characters pop up where they shouldn't be (maybe if some adjectives earlier were cut, there'd have been room to describe someone moving across campus or surviving a three-story fall) but there's not.
The funny thing is, as bad as it was because of the major problems - NEEDLESS caps, adjective soup, kids using references and phrases that would identify them as being in their 30s as they attend highschool (and no, this isn't 21 Jump Street...also no, that wasn't actually a reference in the book), and stronger editing....they all seem to be problems that could have been so easily fixed with some hands-on editing. Obviously the author holds ultimate responsibility, but editors could have done better to make this much better.
If my son does end up reading this, I'll update my post with his take on the book.
2 stars.
The exclamation point in the title should have been enough of a red flag.
So I got this book as an ARC, figuring I'd give it a read and pass it to my 10-year-old. I still might, because obviously I'm not the target audience and maybe I just missed it...but I don't think so. It seems to pan younger - more like 8-years-old in writing presentation, but maybe a little too scary for younger kids so 10 and up for content...meaning it doesn't line up well for anyone. Definitely NOT a teen book. I think they'd find the characters, situations and dialogue too young.
This was a cheap knock-off of Harry Potter except it replaces magic with science...except then it replaces science after a very short time with magic. The characters use lingo and pop cultural references that would be familiar to kids who grew up in the '90s, but the story most definitely is supposed to be current. That's all excusable I suppose - not everything needs to be topnotch storytelling...it just needs to be entertaining right? Or should I say... RIGHT?
YES! That's because EVERY page has at least TWO or THREE words in all caps to let the reader know something IMPORTANT is happening. To be fair, the caps are helpful, because it does call attention to words that would otherwise be lost in a sea of adjectives.
Why bother to let the reader use her or his imagination when you can do the work for them by using many more words and describing scenes and actions badly? No one ever "says" anything in the book. Instead, they "growl" "grumble" "mumble" "whine" there may have even been a "snickered" which doesn't even really make sense. Which brings me to "Aussie-splayed" to describe the run of the Creeples. Really, I should say "Aussie-splay" describes the "Aussie-splay" of the Creeples, because maybe run is used the first time to introduce the (as far as I can tell) made-up phrase and then that phrase is used another 20 times throughout the book, becoming a visual "nails on the chalkboard" for me.
Finally, there's the lack of continuity - characters pop up where they shouldn't be (maybe if some adjectives earlier were cut, there'd have been room to describe someone moving across campus or surviving a three-story fall) but there's not.
The funny thing is, as bad as it was because of the major problems - NEEDLESS caps, adjective soup, kids using references and phrases that would identify them as being in their 30s as they attend highschool (and no, this isn't 21 Jump Street...also no, that wasn't actually a reference in the book), and stronger editing....they all seem to be problems that could have been so easily fixed with some hands-on editing. Obviously the author holds ultimate responsibility, but editors could have done better to make this much better.
If my son does end up reading this, I'll update my post with his take on the book.
2 stars.
23Sean191
11. Being a Beast by Charles Foster
This was more philosophical than physical, although I guess a lot of physical occurred too, it was just blurry on the time spans of the physical. It was also a case of me reading and wondering how the author didn't get seriously ill after subjecting himself to the cold and the filth (the man-made filth...I'm not too concerned about actual dirt) and some other questionable decisions. Unfortunately, something about his tone of writing didn't speak to me. I guess I was hoping more for either totally unhinged or a Bill Bryson, but it was something else that didn't do it for me.
This was more philosophical than physical, although I guess a lot of physical occurred too, it was just blurry on the time spans of the physical. It was also a case of me reading and wondering how the author didn't get seriously ill after subjecting himself to the cold and the filth (the man-made filth...I'm not too concerned about actual dirt) and some other questionable decisions. Unfortunately, something about his tone of writing didn't speak to me. I guess I was hoping more for either totally unhinged or a Bill Bryson, but it was something else that didn't do it for me.
24Sean191
12. Reading the Woods by Vinson Brown
I picked this up for a couple dollars to support some environmental group a couple years ago. The book is ancient by naturalist standards being from 1969. While books like Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" predate it, their subject matter wasn't as laser-focused meaning it aged better. Brown details specific trees and unfortunately, the landscape has changed so much in 50+ years that I don't think all of this necessarily still applies. Still, there was a lot of knowledge shared and I think I did come away with some good information to keep in mind as I walk the woods at and around my home.
I picked this up for a couple dollars to support some environmental group a couple years ago. The book is ancient by naturalist standards being from 1969. While books like Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" predate it, their subject matter wasn't as laser-focused meaning it aged better. Brown details specific trees and unfortunately, the landscape has changed so much in 50+ years that I don't think all of this necessarily still applies. Still, there was a lot of knowledge shared and I think I did come away with some good information to keep in mind as I walk the woods at and around my home.
25Sean191
13. Do Something for Nothing
I heard about the author's instagram account a while back...but I never checked it out. That said, I'm so glad to have received this book. It can be so easy to slip into a callousness for other people's suffering and Coombes is a good soul (and a good storyteller). There's a few brief spots of language, otherwise I'd say this should be on the reading list of middle school students. It puts faces and names on people who are invisible and nameless to so many and it provides reasons to why they got where they are, showing every one of us isn't that far away from being in the same place some day and instead of being angry because we might feel momentary discomfort, feel thankful it's not us, but keep in mind too, we're all humans here for a short time and kindness is something we can spend freely without being poorer for it.
And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention - a few chapters in, I looked to see who the publisher was and I don't think I even paid attention when I requested the book, but I can't say I was surprised to see it was Akashic. It's just hit after hit - mostly with their noir series, but even when they stray from that amazing formula, they're still delivering stellar literature.
I heard about the author's instagram account a while back...but I never checked it out. That said, I'm so glad to have received this book. It can be so easy to slip into a callousness for other people's suffering and Coombes is a good soul (and a good storyteller). There's a few brief spots of language, otherwise I'd say this should be on the reading list of middle school students. It puts faces and names on people who are invisible and nameless to so many and it provides reasons to why they got where they are, showing every one of us isn't that far away from being in the same place some day and instead of being angry because we might feel momentary discomfort, feel thankful it's not us, but keep in mind too, we're all humans here for a short time and kindness is something we can spend freely without being poorer for it.
And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention - a few chapters in, I looked to see who the publisher was and I don't think I even paid attention when I requested the book, but I can't say I was surprised to see it was Akashic. It's just hit after hit - mostly with their noir series, but even when they stray from that amazing formula, they're still delivering stellar literature.
26Sean191
14. Black Water by Joyce Carol Oats
I feel like I should like Joyce Carol Oates. She's one of the contemporary greats on quite a few lists and what's more, she's a New Jersey (my home state) literary icon.
But I've encountered her work over the years in short stories and essays and I never enjoyed the experience. I will say she's brilliant, but her style just doesn't sit right with me. It's...brilliant but cold. It just doesn't hold emotion. And Black Water, what apparently is my first novel from Oats holds true to my feelings on shorter works from her.
I thought it was OK...but repetition throughout seemed too heavy handed and annoying after a bit. I'm open to giving one last try with her works though.
I feel like I should like Joyce Carol Oates. She's one of the contemporary greats on quite a few lists and what's more, she's a New Jersey (my home state) literary icon.
But I've encountered her work over the years in short stories and essays and I never enjoyed the experience. I will say she's brilliant, but her style just doesn't sit right with me. It's...brilliant but cold. It just doesn't hold emotion. And Black Water, what apparently is my first novel from Oats holds true to my feelings on shorter works from her.
I thought it was OK...but repetition throughout seemed too heavy handed and annoying after a bit. I'm open to giving one last try with her works though.
27Sean191
15. Ridgeline by Michael Punke
I hate this book. But that's just because I've been getting sleep too late for way too long and I would finish a chapter and then tell myself "just ONE more chapter," for three or four chapters.
Punke offers a great read. Yes, it's historical fiction so liberties were taken (as he readily admits in the notes at the back) but he still did his research and while we'll never know exactly what was said or motivations of many of the real people he writes about, it all certainly seems plausible. Punke keeps the interest throughout - from the drama, action and suspense, he juggles them all and keeps them all in the air throughout to leave the reader entranced.
I think Punke made the decision to keep the language of all the characters straight forward. Neither the soldiers or the natives had speech patterns that differ much from today and that's alright. In fact, it's probably better than alright because it can cross into clunky and insulting very easily. I enjoyed this book, I haven't seen the Revenant yet, but I may have to pick up the book instead.
I hate this book. But that's just because I've been getting sleep too late for way too long and I would finish a chapter and then tell myself "just ONE more chapter," for three or four chapters.
Punke offers a great read. Yes, it's historical fiction so liberties were taken (as he readily admits in the notes at the back) but he still did his research and while we'll never know exactly what was said or motivations of many of the real people he writes about, it all certainly seems plausible. Punke keeps the interest throughout - from the drama, action and suspense, he juggles them all and keeps them all in the air throughout to leave the reader entranced.
I think Punke made the decision to keep the language of all the characters straight forward. Neither the soldiers or the natives had speech patterns that differ much from today and that's alright. In fact, it's probably better than alright because it can cross into clunky and insulting very easily. I enjoyed this book, I haven't seen the Revenant yet, but I may have to pick up the book instead.
28Sean191
16. I Love You Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle
In the bio, it mentions Larry Doyle was a former writer for the Simpsons. That info was handy when I thought about my review. Like the Simpsons, I Love You Beth Cooper seems on the surface that it's for young teens, but it's really not. Unlike the Simpsons, this book leans more toward (and maybe a little past here and there) South Park's level of appropriateness. So, it's a book for juvenile adults I guess? I found it entertaining and a fast read. I also appreciated how each chapter showed the main character's face change as different things occurred to him/it. It was a little attention to detail that added to the book. I haven't seen the movie, but reading the book it's obvious that it would become a teen movie. It's in the same vein as American Pie type of story.
In the bio, it mentions Larry Doyle was a former writer for the Simpsons. That info was handy when I thought about my review. Like the Simpsons, I Love You Beth Cooper seems on the surface that it's for young teens, but it's really not. Unlike the Simpsons, this book leans more toward (and maybe a little past here and there) South Park's level of appropriateness. So, it's a book for juvenile adults I guess? I found it entertaining and a fast read. I also appreciated how each chapter showed the main character's face change as different things occurred to him/it. It was a little attention to detail that added to the book. I haven't seen the movie, but reading the book it's obvious that it would become a teen movie. It's in the same vein as American Pie type of story.
29Sean191
17. Mud Season by Ellen Stimson
Let me try to summarize the story...
A privileged woman and her family arrive in a community, throw money they supposedly don't have to fix up a house and buy a store, but is probably more than most people in the community make in two years (or more), don't really see themselves (or to be fair - herself) as the problem and then proceeds to act entitled throughout the rest of the book.
From causing low-grade environmental disasters, continually doing things to tick off the locals and really showing no self-awareness beyond thinking she's being cute...she never learns who her audience is during her time covered in the book.
For the book (there's a theme here), she never learns who her audience is. It's not Vermonters since most of what she does, including taking a general store that was a staple of the community and the longest continually operating one in the country and running it into the ground - quickly won't endear her. Maybe it's people coming to Vermont for vacation...but if they're enjoying the book because they relate to much of what Stimson is talking about...ugh.
Let me try to summarize the story...
A privileged woman and her family arrive in a community, throw money they supposedly don't have to fix up a house and buy a store, but is probably more than most people in the community make in two years (or more), don't really see themselves (or to be fair - herself) as the problem and then proceeds to act entitled throughout the rest of the book.
From causing low-grade environmental disasters, continually doing things to tick off the locals and really showing no self-awareness beyond thinking she's being cute...she never learns who her audience is during her time covered in the book.
For the book (there's a theme here), she never learns who her audience is. It's not Vermonters since most of what she does, including taking a general store that was a staple of the community and the longest continually operating one in the country and running it into the ground - quickly won't endear her. Maybe it's people coming to Vermont for vacation...but if they're enjoying the book because they relate to much of what Stimson is talking about...ugh.
30Sean191
18. One Touch of Nature by B.J. Chute
I enjoyed this book. It was Mayberry-ish with a little bit of an edge. Chute's writing is perfectly matched with the feel of her stories.
I enjoyed this book. It was Mayberry-ish with a little bit of an edge. Chute's writing is perfectly matched with the feel of her stories.
31Sean191
19. Ere the Cock Crows by Jens Bjørneboe
Ere the Cock Crows is a pretty powerful piece. It deals with aspects of the holocaust, so it has some substantial materials to draw from and it was written not too long after, so there's a level of pain that one might not see in something from many years later.
All that said, I think republishing the novel would have been all that was needed. I read both the play and the novel, but too much of the notes on the recreation of the novel didn't have a lot of value in explaining things. There were too many instances of "I don't know enough about X to determine what Bjorneboe might have been thinking." Well, then maybe you shouldn't try to recreate a lost novel.
But overall as a work, I think it was worth the read.
Ere the Cock Crows is a pretty powerful piece. It deals with aspects of the holocaust, so it has some substantial materials to draw from and it was written not too long after, so there's a level of pain that one might not see in something from many years later.
All that said, I think republishing the novel would have been all that was needed. I read both the play and the novel, but too much of the notes on the recreation of the novel didn't have a lot of value in explaining things. There were too many instances of "I don't know enough about X to determine what Bjorneboe might have been thinking." Well, then maybe you shouldn't try to recreate a lost novel.
But overall as a work, I think it was worth the read.
32Sean191
20. Sh*t my Dad Says by Justin Halpern
Offensive? Sure! Hilarious? Also sure.
Plus, there are some legitimate words of wisdom his dad offers - I just won't repeat them here...
It's a quick read and funny, but maybe not for the easily offended. Worth noting - his father and mother were both pretty high level professionals, so it's more just his dad's unusual communication style. And his dad does show up in a few different spots to be more than just a foul mouth. He seems to be a genuinely good guy who just happens to curse like a sailor and say hilarious things as he doles out wisdom.
Offensive? Sure! Hilarious? Also sure.
Plus, there are some legitimate words of wisdom his dad offers - I just won't repeat them here...
It's a quick read and funny, but maybe not for the easily offended. Worth noting - his father and mother were both pretty high level professionals, so it's more just his dad's unusual communication style. And his dad does show up in a few different spots to be more than just a foul mouth. He seems to be a genuinely good guy who just happens to curse like a sailor and say hilarious things as he doles out wisdom.
33Sean191
21. Hit Man by Lawrence Block
Mystery, detective and hardboiled type novels usually aren't my cup of tea. After reading Block's Hit Man, I still maintain my position there, but it was enjoyable enough. My wife's uncle gave it to me, so I felt a little obligated to read it. Usually, he and I synch up better, but I at least don't feel cheated on my time reading this. Block creates some fun characters, even if those characters happen to kill people for a living.
Mystery, detective and hardboiled type novels usually aren't my cup of tea. After reading Block's Hit Man, I still maintain my position there, but it was enjoyable enough. My wife's uncle gave it to me, so I felt a little obligated to read it. Usually, he and I synch up better, but I at least don't feel cheated on my time reading this. Block creates some fun characters, even if those characters happen to kill people for a living.
34Sean191
22. Iron Weed by William Kennedy
Iron Weed starts out good - interesting characters, amazing writing. The about 3/5 of the way through, it takes a nose dive. It goes sideways too far into a background that wasn't needed. Fortunately, it gets back to the current time before it ends, helping redeem it to a four star for me. Kennedy creates riveting characters with (almost) enough rationale for their actions - with Annie the possible exception. I haven't read the first two books in the series and I might not go out of my way to track them down, but if I stumble across them at a book sale or something like that, I'd gladly give them a read.
Iron Weed starts out good - interesting characters, amazing writing. The about 3/5 of the way through, it takes a nose dive. It goes sideways too far into a background that wasn't needed. Fortunately, it gets back to the current time before it ends, helping redeem it to a four star for me. Kennedy creates riveting characters with (almost) enough rationale for their actions - with Annie the possible exception. I haven't read the first two books in the series and I might not go out of my way to track them down, but if I stumble across them at a book sale or something like that, I'd gladly give them a read.
35Sean191
23. Gulp by Mary Roach
I read Stiff by Mary Roach a year or two ago and while gross, it was really interesting and I learned a lot more than I ever thought I would about dead bodies. In this installment, the grossness and interesting facts are still there, but the dead bodies (mostly) aren't. Mary Roach keeps things entertaining and she's ridiculous in a good way, toeing the line of going just a little too far at times. The worst thing about this book is how I kept wanting to mention things I learned during dinner conversations and my wife definitely did not want to learn those things while she was eating.
I read Stiff by Mary Roach a year or two ago and while gross, it was really interesting and I learned a lot more than I ever thought I would about dead bodies. In this installment, the grossness and interesting facts are still there, but the dead bodies (mostly) aren't. Mary Roach keeps things entertaining and she's ridiculous in a good way, toeing the line of going just a little too far at times. The worst thing about this book is how I kept wanting to mention things I learned during dinner conversations and my wife definitely did not want to learn those things while she was eating.
36Sean191
24. Round Mountain by Castle Freeman Jr.
Castle Freeman Jr. offers some interesting characters and situations that are certainly believable. Even so, I didn't feel a connection to the stories or the people so much beyond recognizing the locales he talked about and recognizing the people (or at least being familiar with people who are just like the characters). I'm not sure if this book would be of interest to people living outside of Vermont or at least familiar with Vermont, but it does offer accurate portrayals even if the situations - a lost young man, ladies of ill repute, a robbery of sorts - give some weight to the tales.
I should add that the book was free - it was created to raise money for Hurricane Irene relief (although it was Tropical Storm Irene by the time it hit Vermont and caused horrendous flood damage).
3 stars
Castle Freeman Jr. offers some interesting characters and situations that are certainly believable. Even so, I didn't feel a connection to the stories or the people so much beyond recognizing the locales he talked about and recognizing the people (or at least being familiar with people who are just like the characters). I'm not sure if this book would be of interest to people living outside of Vermont or at least familiar with Vermont, but it does offer accurate portrayals even if the situations - a lost young man, ladies of ill repute, a robbery of sorts - give some weight to the tales.
I should add that the book was free - it was created to raise money for Hurricane Irene relief (although it was Tropical Storm Irene by the time it hit Vermont and caused horrendous flood damage).
3 stars
37Sean191
25. The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck
It's been a few years since I read a book by Steinbeck and I can't believe I forgot how incredible he is. Within just a sentence, definitely by two, I was sucked into the story. The story, about a small town occupied by Nazis in WWII and how the people slowly woke to the reality of the occupation and fought back is riveting. The writing spectacular and the importance of a story like this right now can't be overstated.
4 stars
It's been a few years since I read a book by Steinbeck and I can't believe I forgot how incredible he is. Within just a sentence, definitely by two, I was sucked into the story. The story, about a small town occupied by Nazis in WWII and how the people slowly woke to the reality of the occupation and fought back is riveting. The writing spectacular and the importance of a story like this right now can't be overstated.
4 stars
38Sean191
26. The Long Walk by Stephen King
This is only the second King book I've read and it almost didn't happen except it was recommended by a family member. The first book, "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" was so boring to me that I wasn't sure I was going to give King another go. The Long Walk isn't boring. It's horrifying for sure. It's not fine literature, but it's captivating like a car wreck and I guess, more Stephen King-ish than TGWLTG is. I couldn't help thinking the whole time I read this that The Hunger Games just took this premise and changed it from a walk to an overall competition...but maybe that's not the case.
3 1/2 stars
This is only the second King book I've read and it almost didn't happen except it was recommended by a family member. The first book, "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" was so boring to me that I wasn't sure I was going to give King another go. The Long Walk isn't boring. It's horrifying for sure. It's not fine literature, but it's captivating like a car wreck and I guess, more Stephen King-ish than TGWLTG is. I couldn't help thinking the whole time I read this that The Hunger Games just took this premise and changed it from a walk to an overall competition...but maybe that's not the case.
3 1/2 stars
39Sean191
27. Restless Nights and Zombies - John Kennebrew
I picked this up at a Little Free Library. So it had two things going for it - it was free and at 70 pages with larger type, it was short.
The rest...not so much. I would think with how quick a read it was that the author could have done some proofing and/or had some other people proof read it. But instead, a reader is faced with at least one or two glaring typos/grammatical errors per page. That's no exaggeration.
I realize this was a vanity pressing, but if you're going to spend the money...maybe spend the time. And the stories overall anyway? They didn't really make sense. Actions of characters didn't make sense, plot didn't make sense. Stay far away from this on the off chance you ever come across it. One star - with the only reason it wasn't a half star is that I reserved that distinction for a book I absolutely loathed and refuse to make it seem less bad by grouping something else with it.
I picked this up at a Little Free Library. So it had two things going for it - it was free and at 70 pages with larger type, it was short.
The rest...not so much. I would think with how quick a read it was that the author could have done some proofing and/or had some other people proof read it. But instead, a reader is faced with at least one or two glaring typos/grammatical errors per page. That's no exaggeration.
I realize this was a vanity pressing, but if you're going to spend the money...maybe spend the time. And the stories overall anyway? They didn't really make sense. Actions of characters didn't make sense, plot didn't make sense. Stay far away from this on the off chance you ever come across it. One star - with the only reason it wasn't a half star is that I reserved that distinction for a book I absolutely loathed and refuse to make it seem less bad by grouping something else with it.
40PaulCranswick
>1 Sean191: Read again your aims for 40 or 50 books this year, Sean and it isn't completely out of the question still!
By the way, I for one consider you just as legitimate a member as any of us including the ones who often manage up to 8x75 books in a year.
By the way, I for one consider you just as legitimate a member as any of us including the ones who often manage up to 8x75 books in a year.
41Sean191
>40 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul, I appreciate it. I don't think 40 is in my future this year, but I'm going to at least tie last year's 33 I think - unless I really dig into a long book.
42Sean191
28. It's a Battlefield by Graham Greene
I've read five or six Graham Greene novels so far and this has to be my least favorite. Maybe I just didn't have the focus for it, but the characters seemed forgettable and hard to track from one chapter to the next. Still, Greene's writing style as always shines.
3 stars
I've read five or six Graham Greene novels so far and this has to be my least favorite. Maybe I just didn't have the focus for it, but the characters seemed forgettable and hard to track from one chapter to the next. Still, Greene's writing style as always shines.
3 stars
43Sean191
29. The Adventurists by Richard Butner
I liked the stories at first, but the theme of going back to an earlier time in each character's life got stale after so many stories. Each on their own was good, even a few together - but a whole collection set up that way was just too much for me.
I liked the stories at first, but the theme of going back to an earlier time in each character's life got stale after so many stories. Each on their own was good, even a few together - but a whole collection set up that way was just too much for me.
44Sean191
30. A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
I liked this book...but I don't think I'd hand it over to my 11-year-old. It's not that it's overly violent - although there's definitely some rough scenes - it's just that it might be a little too much for younger kids. The story was quick, it kept me reading, and I enjoyed references to Rutland (which is only 30 minutes away). It was a look into the past that I enjoyed along with some references local and of that time that I recognized. The semi-autobiographical nature of the book (with the author coming from and writing about a Shaker upbringing) also made it more interesting.
I liked this book...but I don't think I'd hand it over to my 11-year-old. It's not that it's overly violent - although there's definitely some rough scenes - it's just that it might be a little too much for younger kids. The story was quick, it kept me reading, and I enjoyed references to Rutland (which is only 30 minutes away). It was a look into the past that I enjoyed along with some references local and of that time that I recognized. The semi-autobiographical nature of the book (with the author coming from and writing about a Shaker upbringing) also made it more interesting.
45Sean191
31 Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
This is the first novel I've read from Wharton. There was a lot care that went into the writing and the story, thinking you know how it ends and that dread hanging over and the dread hanging over the whole tale...and then the twist ...it was spectacular.
4 stars
This is the first novel I've read from Wharton. There was a lot care that went into the writing and the story, thinking you know how it ends and that dread hanging over and the dread hanging over the whole tale...and then the twist ...it was spectacular.
4 stars
46Sean191
32. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
I had to look it up because reading this book very much reminded me of another YA book and this came out after, so i'm wondering if the series that began with "I am Number Four" influenced Riggs. This seems like the classic fantasy answer to that series' sci-fi bent. Still, I enjoyed the read up toward the end. Then it just seemed like it was getting sloppy. The plot twists were telegraphed so far in advance and some plot devices that ignored the rules set out earlier were too glaring to ignore (the use of an LED beacon where it shouldn't have worked for example). And finally, I hadn't realized it was a trilogy (or more?) or I don't think I would have picked it up at this time. Now that I have though, I don't feel it was riveting enough to return for more. The photos were great and that they were real (apparently), that's neat.
3 stars
I had to look it up because reading this book very much reminded me of another YA book and this came out after, so i'm wondering if the series that began with "I am Number Four" influenced Riggs. This seems like the classic fantasy answer to that series' sci-fi bent. Still, I enjoyed the read up toward the end. Then it just seemed like it was getting sloppy. The plot twists were telegraphed so far in advance and some plot devices that ignored the rules set out earlier were too glaring to ignore (the use of an LED beacon where it shouldn't have worked for example). And finally, I hadn't realized it was a trilogy (or more?) or I don't think I would have picked it up at this time. Now that I have though, I don't feel it was riveting enough to return for more. The photos were great and that they were real (apparently), that's neat.
3 stars
47Sean191
33. The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
The Maltese Falcon is ridiculous. It's so cliche it's painful....and it's kind of fun. It's way easier to stomach once you realize that it wasn't cliche (probably)when it was written since so much of the formula probably comes from the recipe that Hammett cooked up.
The protagonist Sam Spade is over-the-top in so many ways and so much of the story is over-the-top and ridiculous, but it's fun.
The Maltese Falcon is ridiculous. It's so cliche it's painful....and it's kind of fun. It's way easier to stomach once you realize that it wasn't cliche (probably)when it was written since so much of the formula probably comes from the recipe that Hammett cooked up.
The protagonist Sam Spade is over-the-top in so many ways and so much of the story is over-the-top and ridiculous, but it's fun.
48Sean191
34. Mother Courage by Bertolt Brecht
So before I started reading Mother Courage, I checked my library info here because it sounded so familiar. And I was surprised to see that I not only hadn't read it, but hadn't read any Brecht...or so I thought.
It's not a long read, and even though the subject matter is dark, the dialogue is often hilarious. I was about three quarters of the way through the book when I was straightening up my office. I found a college notebook and took a quick glance through it to see if I was going to keep it...and that's when I realized I had read the book before - because I had a page of notes detailing all the characters...and I was a real slacker on taking notes. Even with that, I knew I had read it, but couldn't remember it. So even though I enjoyed (re)reading Mother Courage, I guess I can't say it's necessarily memorable.
So before I started reading Mother Courage, I checked my library info here because it sounded so familiar. And I was surprised to see that I not only hadn't read it, but hadn't read any Brecht...or so I thought.
It's not a long read, and even though the subject matter is dark, the dialogue is often hilarious. I was about three quarters of the way through the book when I was straightening up my office. I found a college notebook and took a quick glance through it to see if I was going to keep it...and that's when I realized I had read the book before - because I had a page of notes detailing all the characters...and I was a real slacker on taking notes. Even with that, I knew I had read it, but couldn't remember it. So even though I enjoyed (re)reading Mother Courage, I guess I can't say it's necessarily memorable.
49Sean191
35. The Gift of the Magi and the Purple Dress by O. Henry
I realized one page into reading this to my 9- and 11-year-old that I had made a mistake. While I was very familiar with the first story, it was clear I never was exposed to the O. Henry original version and my kids had a hard time following along (although my 11-year-old recognized the story). Since I just broke it out as a Christmas read, I didn't subject them to the Purple Dress - but I read that later and enjoyed it. I also quite enjoyed the illustrations for both stories.
I realized one page into reading this to my 9- and 11-year-old that I had made a mistake. While I was very familiar with the first story, it was clear I never was exposed to the O. Henry original version and my kids had a hard time following along (although my 11-year-old recognized the story). Since I just broke it out as a Christmas read, I didn't subject them to the Purple Dress - but I read that later and enjoyed it. I also quite enjoyed the illustrations for both stories.
