Moby Dick

Moby Dick

by Herman Melville
audio book: 15 hours (15 cassettes)
first published in 1851

"Thar' she blows! Moby Dick - the white whale!"

Can anyone tell me why it is always "she"?


*** The Plot ***

Do I really need to tell you this? Ok, ok ...

"Call me Ishmael." That's the first sentences, and he is our narrator. Ishmael decides to try a new adventure and ships off on a Nantucket whale ship bound for three years of whale fishing around the world. Once the ship is out to sea, the strange captain of the vessel, Capt. Ahab, announces his true motive - to hunt and kill the legendary white whale that took his leg when last they met. (This part always reminds me of Capt. Hook in Peter Pan, and how he has the ongoing battle with the crocodile who took his hand.)

But the book is about much more than the ship, the crew, and the whale. It is a history of whaling, a whale anatomy lesson, a scientific investigation, a how-to manual for a whale ship, and much, much more.

*** The Audio Version ***

I've tried to read this book a few times in the past and never made it very far, hence my decision to try the audio version. I really WANTED to get through this book and I figured this was the best way to make that happen.

The narrator, Frank Muller, did an excellent job. His interpretation of the various voices of the character, the pacing of the story, and the feeling behind the words were all perfect. I highly recommend his version for it's "understandability" in spite of Melville's wordiness (which I'll get to shortly.)

*** What I Liked ***

In spite of Melville's wordiness (which I'll talk about more in the next section) there are some things that I really enjoyed about this book.

First, the beginning is really good! I was captivated by Ishmael and I loved reading about his first encounter with Queequeg. In fact, everything up until the time they actually boarded the ship was excellent. If the entire book continued in that manner, I would have been thrilled. Alas, it did not.

Second, whaling is exciting. Living in the modern age, we know so much about whales that the idea of hunting them is simply appalling. But Melville writes so vividly of the excitement, anticipation, and intense danger of hunting a whale that I was drawn into the chase. I actually wanted to BE on the boat rowing with all my might after a whale. When he got to the part where they actually killed the whale I was justifiably horrified though - it is NOT a pretty picture.

Third, I loved the parts about whale anatomy. Most people I've talked to say they hated these parts but I have to disagree. Here's how I approached it ... Imagine that I'm were living in the 1850s. I've never seen a whale, nor do I ever expect to. The few pictures of whales I've seen all seem to contradict each other. And now I'm reading a book that not only explains how to hunt and kill a whale but exactly what it looks like. Amazing! Think of how exciting that must have been! I put myself into that mindset whenever the whale sections came up and I found that I quite enjoyed them.

Fourth, this is an era on the edge of scientific discovery. Scientists were still arguing over whether a whale is a fish or a mammal, no one had seen a whale under the water, there was no consensus regarding the whale's blowhole (did it spout water, air, or poison?), and so on. Whalers were at the forefront of knowledge about these magnificent creatures - discovering their migratory patterns, for example - and I was fascinated to be along for the ride. This feeling of discoveries about to happen is the same I felt when reading THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, by Jules Verne.

*** What I Didn't Like ***

Oh boy, are there LOTS of things ...

Melville is WORDY. Add that to the fact that he perfected the art of digressing and you get a book that is almost impossible to get through. The man spent an entire chapter on the idea of "whiteness" for goodness sake!

Of course there is the inherent racism in all (almost all?) books written during this time period. Not a big fan of that, but it is what it is.

The beginning of the book was so good in part because Ishmael made such a great narrator. I loved his personality and his humor. However, once on board the ship, he is often replaced by an omniscient narrator and various other characters. Their perspectives were not nearly as interesting to me as Ishmael's and my interest in the book waned quickly.

My biggest complaint is that the book drags. The pacing is off, there are too many digressions, and no enough time is spent on the story itself. They don't even site Moby Dick until the end of the 14th cassette ... and there are only 15 cassettes in all. And in the final scene - which should be very exciting - I got bogged down with all of Ahab's speechifying. Disappointing to be sure.

*** Movies ***

There have been several movie versions of this book, but I've only seen the one with Patrick Stewart. I don't recall being all that impressed with it though.

However I just read that there is a possibility of making two movies - a new version of Moby Dick, and the true story of sinking of the whaleship Essex - in the near future, and they both look very interesting. You can read about it here and see the comments I bounced back and forth with the author as well.

*** Connection to LOST ***

I've been going over the book in my mind, trying to figure out how it relates to the show LOST (since that is, after all, why I read it). I don't see any direct parallels, but I did come up with something ...

Ben is a lot like Capt. Ahab. Both have a specific goal in mind (Ben wants to get back to the island and be in charge, Ahab wants to kill this particular whale) and they will do absolutely anything to achieve that goal. Their own ambitions seem to be the only important thing. They are both willing to allow other people to die (or in Ben's case, to actually kill people) in order to achieve their goal.

So I hopped over to Lostpedia to see if I was right and this is what I got: "On the raft, Michael suspects that Sawyer is on the raft because he has no reason to live, a form of honorable suicide. In Melville's Moby Dick Ishmael comments on how whaling is his substitute for the 'pistol and ball,' his suicide."

WHAT?! That is all you got out of Moby Dick?! My theory is much, much better than that, thank you very much. Hmpf.

*** In the End ... ***

I'm really glad that I finally got through this book, even if it was on audio. I can't say that I liked all of it but I did really enjoy some of it. I also can't imagine ever wanting to read it again although I will happily watch a movie of it.

Have you read it? Reviewed it? Seen the movie? Maybe you love Melville and think I've been unnecessarily harsh (really?!). Whatever you've got to say, I want to hear it.

February '09 Summary

Whew, another month has just flown by. Can you believe it? I mean, I know February is the shortest month of the year but this one feels like I sneezed and it was over.

I did have a good reading month though ...

Books - 5 (1,889 pages)

• Island (295 pages)
  
  
• Phineas Finn (776 pages)
  
  
• The Long Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven (242 pages)
  
  
• Alpine Americas (256 pages)
  
  
• Delta of Venus (320 pages)
  

Short Story/Essay - 2 (40 pages)

• The Fall of the House of Usher (20 pages)
  
  
• The Pit and the Pendulum (22 pages)
  

Audio Books - 1 (15.25 hours)

• Change of Heart (15.25 hours)

Mom & Son Book Club - 2 books (480 pages)

• Wizardology (32 pages)
  


• The Ark, the Reed, & the Fire Cloud (448 pages) - this link brings you kiddo's review and this one brings you mine

Books I Gave Up On - 1 (after 2 cassettes)

• How to Read and Why, by Harold Bloom - I had this on audio and I'm thinking that is not the best way to approach this book. I often found myself daydreaming instead of listening. After 2 cassettes I put it aside to listen to something else, and I never got back to it. I renewed it from the library 3 times and I've finally decided that I'm simply not going to listen to any more. I would like to actually read it at some point though.
  

There were no stand-out favorites this month. Most of what I read was good (other than Island and Change of Heart, which were horrible) but not great.

In other news, I did finally get to see a Kindle 2 in person this month. I've never even seen a read Kindle 1 but can I tell you it was not at all what I expected? My boss bought it for his wife and since she and I share books, he asked me to download a few for her as a surprise. It was very easy ... and sort of fun. I'm still not convinced that I will ever want one but I was impressed all the same.

How did your month go?

A Monstrous Regiment of Women

A Monstrous Regiment of Women
by Laurie R. King
326 pages

This is the 2nd installment in the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series (see below for related links). For simplicity's sake, I'm going to call them the MR/SH books, ok?

It is late 1920 and Russell has now known Holmes for about six years. She is approaching her 21st birthday and hence emancipation from her hated aunt. She is also preparing to present a paper at Oxford prior to the end of her studies there. Through her friendship and apprenticeship with Holmes, Russell has become quite adept at detective work and is coming in to her own in that arena.

Due to the variety of changes coming in her life Russell is in a bit of an upheaval and is often seeking solitude (in part to avoid some awkward feelings she has developed). On one of her walks she runs into an old friend, Veronica, who she hasn't seen in years. [Veronica's character was introduced in book 1.] It is apparent that Veronica is having difficulties of her own so Russell agrees to do what she can to help. The two begin spending time together and Veronica gets Russell involved with an organization known as "The Temple". And here is where things get interesting ...

One of the things I enjoy about the MR/SH books is the way King brings so much of "current events" into the stories. In this particular book, World War I has been over for a few years and there are changes in society as a result: women in the workforce (or who had been during the war), women wanting to do more meaningful work than staying at home, fewer men in general, shell-shocked soldiers, drug abuse, etc. All of these elements make their way into this book at various points.

This particular book is less about "cracking the case" and more about Russell's development and her partnership with Holmes. Although their relationship is central to all the books, it seemed more important than anything else in this one (in my opinion).

I quite enjoyed this book, getting back into MR/SH's world, experiencing the post-Great-War years, and seeing the changes in Russell since the first book. All in all, a great stop in my Month of Joyful Reading.

Thoughts anyone? Have you read it? Have I convinced you to? Speak up out there!


Other posts so far in my Month of Joyful Reading

• what it is
• author interview: Laurie R. King
• my review of book 1, The Beekeeper's Apprentice
• and there are more reviews to come!
  

Friday Finds 03/06/09

Welcome to another edition of Friday Finds! Before I get into my list for this week, a few of you wanted to know how my book club meeting went (this is the one where we were discussing a book I hated). Actually, the meeting went really well. You can read about it at my club's blog here if you want. Suffice it to say, though, that everyone had some sort of problem with the book this time around ...

Anyway, back to sharing what hopped on my TBR list this week!

1. Every Man Dies Alone, by Hans Fallada - I heard about this from Miz B and when I clicked to read the summary at Amazon.com I actually got chills. I can't imagine what this author must have went through. The book should be amazing.
   
   
2. The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, by Diana Wynne Jones - I've never read anything by her but this one sounds like lots of fun - here's what Amazon.com says "Suffering from a bit of deja vu after reading your umpteenth fantasy trilogy? Seen too many magic swords, musical elves and warring wizards? Then you're ready for the funniest and most complete "tourist's" guide to Fantasyland's standard character types, plot elements, and settings ever devised." I've already ordered this on from paperbackswap.com.
   
   
3. Moll Flanders, by Daniel Defoe - Of course I've heard of it, but I had to add it to my list when I finally read the entire extended title over at Books 'N Border Collies
   
   
4. Genesis, by Bernard Beckett - I've been hearing about this book for a while but this review hooked me. Basically it is the story of a girl at her examination for acceptance into school (sort of like a dissertation). Her topic is a hero of the past, a guy who overthrew the previous government. As I understand it, the book is entirely the story of her exam, but through her presentation we learn about the history of this future-Eartha and questions regarding our opinions on consciousness and the human mind are raised. Intriguing, no?
   

This month I hosted the 12th Book Review Carnival. There were almost 50 reviews included in my post and I ended up adding six books to my TBR list and one to kiddo's. You can read more about them at my Carnival post, but here's my list:

1. Hattie Big Sky
2. African Diaries
3. Extraordinary Knowing
4. The Emperor's Embrace
5. The Lost City of Z
6. Old Man's War (this one is a maybe)
   
7. Seven Miles to Freedom (for kiddo)

What did you find this week?

Homefront

Homefront
by Kristen J. Tsetsi
312 pages

*** The Plot ***

HOMEFRONT is a novel about what it is like to be left at home when someone you love ships off to war.

Mia and Jake have a great relationship and things are going well for them. Then Jake's Army unit is ordered to Iraq for what turns out to be the start of the war, and Mia is left behind to deal with her life - and Jake's absence from it - on her own.

It's not just Mia though. There's Jake's mom, Olivia, whose car is covered in yellow ribbon magnets and who sends "Jakey" letters almost every day ... Denise, wife of a soldier who also shipped out, and who seems to have another life once her husband is gone ... and various other people in this small, military town. Each one is dealing with the war in different ways.

How will Mia handle the separation? Will their relationship be the same when (if...) Jake returns - or will there even be a relationship to return to?

*** What I Liked ***

This book is not at all what I expected it would be. Based on the description on the back I was expecting more of a non-fiction feel, more analysis of what the various characters were going through. But it is so much better than that.

Once I picked it up, I didn't want to put it down. I was drawn into Mia's life immediately. I love how the author allows the reader to get into Mia's head. The story is told in Mia's first person point of view and in the present tense, so I experienced Mia's thoughts and actions as they occurred. This helped me to identify with her right from the start. I've never been in her shoes but I felt like I completely understood what she was going though ... and it was painful to be sure. Mia's worries, her fears, her suspicions, her sense of being lost - all this made perfect sense when seen through her own eyes.

There is not a lot of description in this novel and the lack of it works well. The characters are not really described physically (and why would they be, if you actually were in Mia's head?) but that isn't a failing - it helps the story to progress quickly and not get bogged down on superfluous details.

I was very concerned that the author's own opinions on the war - positive or negative - might be a huge part of the book. Honestly, I was worried that this would be an opinion piece disguised as a novel. Thankfully that was not true. Characters in the book do express their opinions on the war but only as part of who they are, not as a "statement" by the author. In fact I'd say that the book doesn't present this war in any particular light, good or bad - it simply is what it is, and the people left at home deal with it however they can.

This is an amazing book and I highly recommend it.

*** What I Didn't Like ***

I'm not usually picky about book covers but I have to admit that this one was off-putting. After it arrived in the mail I put it aside easily for a while because the cover actually made me not want to read it.

Also, the summary on the back of the book is misleading. Here's a quote for you: "HOMEFRONT sheds needed light on the highly under-documented internal battles suffered by those left waiting." Now you tell me, doesn't that sound more like non-fiction to you?

As for the book itself, I only have two minor complaints.

First, Mia's actions toward the end of the book didn't make sense to me. I identified with her for most of the story but then she made some decisions that I simply didn't understand. However, it could just be me; you might "get it" where I did not. This didn't ruin the story for me though - I still very much enjoyed the book.

Second, the author is vague at times regarding what is actually going on in the war. She alludes to events without explaining them fully. This worked for me because I remember watching much of the bombing of Iraq and the subsequent events on TV, but it might be confusing to someone who doesn't have those memories.

But those really are minor complaints. This was a great book and I'm very glad that I read it.

*** Other Thoughts ***

If you can't tell, I really enjoyed this book. I'm very grateful to the author for sending me a copy. I'd never heard of it before she contacted me, and I hope that this post brings some well-deserved attention to HOMEFRONT.

For more info about Kristen Tsetsi and HOMEFRONT, please visit her website: http://www.kristentsetsi.com/index.html.

Author Guest Post: Laurie R. King

As part of my Month of Joyful Reading I'm thrilled to welcome author Laurie R. King to my blog. Laurie is the genius behind the books I've immersed myself in this month. Here are her answers to the random questions I threw her way recently ...

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Me: If someone had never heard of the Mary Russell books before, how would you explain them in just a few sentences?

LRK: What if you took the mind of Sherlock Holmes and put it into a young, female, feminist, 20th century person? And how would that new (and improved!) version of Holmes interact with the old, Victorian detective, in the years after the Great War when the entire British Empire was reshaping itself as well?

Me: What was the appeal of setting your stories in Holmes' world? What type of research have you had to do over the years?

LRK: I'm one of those Americans with a strong British influence in my past--my mother was more or less raised by two English maiden aunts, although she only made it there when I took her to Oxford in 1984. And I married into the country as well, since my husband was born Anglo-Indian but lived and raised his first lot of children there. By the time I started writing, the UK was my second home.

Then there's the deep influence of Britain on the world of crime fiction, where the setting infuses the story with meaning. Justice Hall, for example, would make little sense if I'd tried to set it in the US.

As for research, there are two kinds. One is the really arduous and expensive part, the hard slog of travel to the UK, usually in summer, exploring such things as picnic lunches a la Brit, punting on the river, and--especially hard but vitally important--the varieties of beer available in British pubs. The other research of course is from books, many of which I dig up through my immensely helpful University of California library, topics ranging from Surrealist art to pig-sticking. I also buy a lot of books that have to do with the time and place I'll be writing about, and try to lay hands on a Baedeker's guide to any place I'm writing about.

For an insider's view, collected letters and diaries are lively and immediate in a way full biographies or even autobiographies are not.

Me: Is it "dangerous" to write books that include famous literary characters? If so, why risk it? Why not start from scratch? What are the difficulties involved in writing about established characters?

LRK: There are writers who claim that committing themselves to words on a page is a dangerous profession. Personally, I've always thought that claim a trifle pretentious, however, I do understand that it is a risky thing to take on an interpretation of someone else's character that may prove to be a personal, and idiosyncratic, version of a "person" whom others know very differently.

To tell the truth, I've found it much more dangerous to take on real-life characters, such as the incorporation of Dashiell Hammett (rather than Sam Spade) in Locked Rooms. I blithely decided that it might be fun to write the man into the book, since he happened to be in San Francisco at the same time as my characters--only to later come face to face with Hammett's actual daughter and granddaughter. Such a psychic wrench that was--it couldn't have been much more disturbing to be introduced to a granddaughter of Sherlock Holmes.

As for why take on someone else's character, I'm not sure that any of us in the world of crime fiction ever start from scratch. Considering that the world of the detective story is well into its second century, all of us write on a foundation built by others. Even if we mention no names, we write with the vocabulary and experience of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple and (yes) Sam Spade. It's just that some of us choose to identify our sources by name.

I could have written a Mary Russell born long after Sherlock Holmes died. As a person, she would have worked, and she would still have been interesting. However, putting her--a female version of the Great Detective's mind--beside her paradigm allowed me to compare and contrast in ways that I couldn't otherwise. The scenes with the two of them, locking horns or working together, are the liveliest in the books.

Me: What type of response have you gotten from Holmes enthusiasts?

LRK: When I first started writing the Russell books, Sherlockians were by and large suspicious: was I about to turn Holmes into a romantic figure, making him fall in love with this (disturbingly young) uncanonical character?

However, after the first three or four books, it became apparent even to the most suspicious of Holmes fans that I had a great deal of respect and affection for Conan Doyle and his creation, and that I had no intention of doing violence to the man. They have relaxed considerably, to the extent that they invited me to speak to the annual Baker Street Irregulars dinner last year, and not one tomato was thrown.

Although, any of them who are following Mary Russell's ongoing blog/story on Myspace are no doubt beginning to wonder where the tale of Russell and the pack of ravening Sherlockians is going...

Me: Do you have an ending to the series in mind, or a specific number of books you plan to write, or do you plan to continue Mary Russell's adventures indefinitely?

LRK: I have no ending in mind, nor any number of books. So long as I enjoy writing them, and I can conceive of fresh ideas and interesting people to put in the books, I'll continue with them. The chief problem at the moment is that there are not enough hours in the year, to produce a Russell book, and a Martinelli, and the standalone I plan to go with the other San Juan books, and oh yes, those characters from Touchstone need to be revisited...

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A big thank you to Laurie for stopping by today. You can find more about her at her blog. And keep an eye out for the latest Mary Russell book, THE LANGUAGE OF BEES, coming to stores on April 28th!

Books & Movies: The Last Unicorn

Kiddo and I watched THE LAST UNICORN this week. This was one of my all-time favorite movies from childhood but I had forgotten all about it until recently. I showed kiddo this clip from YouTube and asked if he’d like to see the whole movie. He was very enthusiastic in his yes.

We’ve been so busy that we had to split it up over two nights, but that didn’t seem to matter – kiddo loved it anyway. His favorite part was when the unicorn drove the red bull into the sea. I asked him if he thought the movie was "too girly" and he said no. Cool! Can I add that he even liked the music?! I’m so glad, because I could watch this movie over and over again.

I’ve never read the book (in fact, I didn’t know until recently that there WAS a book) so I have a question for those who have. Are there girl and boy unicorns or only girl unicorns? Kiddo wants to know. My guess is that there are only girls but kiddo is hoping there are both. Does the book mention it?

How This Blog Got Its Name

Today Rebecca from Ramblings by Reba is hosting a really fun carnival ... How This Blog Got Its Name. The concept is simple - share with your readers why you chose your blog's name, then link up to your post from the carnival's page. All are welcome to join in, so write a quick post about your blog's name and go link up!

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How This Blog Got Its Name

My story is simple. I've written about it before but I'll share again today ...

People always asked me how many books I read in a year, or in a month. I honestly had no idea, and that bugged the heck out of me. So when I turned 30 (in 2007) I decided to keep track of what I read for one year. The plan was to use my regular word processing program to keep a list of books read each month, along with a 2-3 sentence summary of my thoughts. That worked great!

A few months before my birthday I had created a blog for my book club (which you can check out here) and I was getting the hang of how it works. I also started reading the blog over at ReadingGroupGuides.com. While browsing the comments over there I found links to other book blogs and I was fascinated. Shortly thereafter I decided to move my list from my word processor to my very own blog.

My first title for my blog was simple: Age 30 - A Year of Books. After all, that is exactly what my blog was meant to be - one year's chronicle of what I read with notes to help me remember. If you go back and read some of the posts from my early days you'll clearly see that I was writing only for myself. After a few months I became more involved in the book blogging world and began writing posts with my readers in mind. Blogging became a part of my every day life.

Then my 31st birthday came around. I couldn't imagine ending my blog as I'd originally planned - this was too much fun, too much a part of who I am, too much of a connection to the whole-wide-world! What's a girl to do?! Ends up, the answer was quite simple ... change the name of my blog.

And so, I renamed my blog Age 30+ ... A Lifetime of Books. And THAT, my dear readers, is how my blog got its name.

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Now it is your turn - tell me the story of YOUR blog's name! Share it in the comments or write your own post and link up to it. I'd love to learn more about your blog!

Month of Joyful Reading Kickoff

Have you ever heard the phrase "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb"? It has to do with the weather, but that's not the point. Here at Age 30+ ... A Lifetime of Books, March is going to come in like a lion and keep roaring all month long!

Why, you ask? This is my Month of Joyful Reading! And my focus this month is the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes books by Laurie R. King.

(Maybe you need a little more information to understand what the heck I'm talking about. If so, hop on over here and read all about it.)

Here's what you can expect from me this month ...

• Book reviews of 7 Mary Russell books - I already reviewed book #1, THE BEEKEEPER'S APPRENTICE, so this will get me ready for the release of the 9th book in April.
  
  
• Two - that's right, TWO! - guest posts from author Laurie R. King! Her first post will appear on March 4th. Her second will be an interview later in the month, so please feel free to submit any questions you'd like me to ask her.
  
  
• And of course, I'll be posting other random things this month as well.
  

All my reviews will count toward the Baker Street Challenge as well. You can read more about the challenge - and join in if you like - at the Challenge's blog.

I know that many of you have the Mary Russell books on your TBR piles. Feel free to read along with me this month - I'd love the company!

And now I'm off to continue reading my first book ... OH JERUSALEM!

Book Review Carnival

Welcome to the 12th Book Review Blog Carnival!

Thank you to everyone who submitted a review for this event - the response was overwhelming and I have so many great reviews to share with you all. To make things easy to peruse (since this is a very long list) I've split the list into genre groups then alphabetized the reviews in each group by title. Let me know if that works well for you or not.

For those who are new to Carnivals, please don't be in shock over the length of this post. Simply browse the titles then click the links to visit those reviews that catch your eye. You can stick to your favorite genre or explore others that are new to you. Carnivals are all about discovering new books and having fun doing it.

More info on the Book Review Carnival can be found at the BRC blog: bookcarnival.wordpress.com.

And now, the reviews!

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*** Children's/Juvenile Books ***

• ANIMAL TRACKS & SIGNS, by Jinny Johnson - Urban Science Adventures! says " is perfect for animal lovers and junior naturalists of all ages.... I recommend taking it along with you on your outdoor adventures..." What kid wouldn't enjoy exploring with this?!
  
  
• HATTIE BIG SKY, by Kirby Lawson - Hope is the Word loved this book. She says "In addition to being a Newberry Honor book for 2007, this novel is also based on the author's own family history; her great grandmother was the original Hattie who struck out on her own on the Montana prairie as a sixteen year old. Knowing that such stories actually took place made this novel all the richer for me." This was never a book that I wanted to read, but I'm a sucker for books based on someones real-life family history so I'll definitely have to check this one out.
  
  
• SAVVY, by Ingrid Law - Children's Book Reviews and Then Some says "I discovered that the words inside the book are just as dazzlingly, swirlingly, colorfully beautiful as the cover art. [...] You will find yourself totally absorbed by the wet, humid, crackling world that Ingrid Law creates in this book." If you've seen the cover of SAVVY you'll know what an amazing description that really is.
  
  
• SEVEN MILES TO FREEDOM: THE ROBERT SMALLS STORY, by Janet Halfman - Book Dads says this book "is the astonishing true story of Robert Smalls, an African-American who became one of the greatest heroes of the American Civil War." He goes on to say that the "story of Robert Smalls' life ... is not only a story about slavery ... it's a story about how fatherhood can make all of us better men...." It is amazing the lessons we can find in history and in children's books, is it not?
  
• THE ARK, THE REED, AND THE FIRE CLOUD, by Jenny Cote - Kiddo and I reviewed this 400+ page book about the animals making their way to Noah's ark.
  

*** Fiction ***

• Australian fiction in general - Becoming a Fiction Writer gives brief reviews of four books and says "I thought I'd share some of these recent great reads with you - both for my Aussie readers who have probably heard about these books and those of you in other far flung corners who might enjoy hearing what Australia has to offer."
  
• CHANGE OF HEART, by Jodi Picoult - I reviewed this book and I explained in detail all the things that I couldn't stand about it.
  
  
• FUP, by Jim Dodge - The Truth About Lies says that this very short book "is a remarkably laid back little book in that it feels neither rushed nor so crammed full of details there's no room for the story." But the part I found interesting is when he says "Remember The Sixth Sense, The Crying Game, and the original Planet of the Apes? In each there was a major reveleation that you really didn't want to know about before you saw the film and yet were desperate to share afterwards. Fup is like that." Hmm, now I'm really intrigued.
  
  
• LIFE OF PI, by Yann Martel - My Two Blessings says this book "is an oddly fascinating tale that keeps you reading, wandering what is going to happen next." I couldn't agree more.
  
  
• THE BOOK OF NIGHT WOMEN, by Marlon James - Linus's Blanket says "when I began reading Lilith's story I was immediately drawn in and could not put it down. It's a pretty substantial book, yet I was through with it in just a few short days." Those are the best kind of books, ones where you're not worried about the page count because you're so into the story.
  
  
• THE FUGITIVE PIGEON, by Donald E. Westlake - Karen't List of Books says "I do not konw whether Westlake was a fan of P.G. Wodehouse but there is much about thie book that reminds me of Wodehouse. Funny, well paced, with well drawn characters, it is indeed a 'comedy of perils.'" I love Wodehouse so that's a ringing endorsement in my opinion.
  
  
• THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins - Bart's Bookshelf says "The premise initially seems to be a mix of Battle Royale, Lord of the Flies and Big Brother, and yes it is a mix of those things, but is has it's own very clear identity as well. [...] If this book doesn't make my top books of the year list, then I have some bloody good books to read between now and December." I have yet to read a negative review of this book an any blog.
  
• WIDEACRE, by Philippa Gregory - Books I Done Read says that according to her rating system this book gets "Six caterpillars for style, but nine for DRAMA! So seven-and-a-half." If you've never read her reviews before you must go check this one out. This gal is hysterical!
  

*** Mysteries & Thrillers ***

• A RULE AGAINST MURDER, by Louise Penny - My Random Acts of Reading says "Louise Penny's writing is wonderfully musical, and she has a real gift for keeping the reader hurrying along, while still wanting to savor the words."
  
  
• IN THE WOODS, by Tana French - My Random Acts of Reading says that what "I didn't know was how I would carry this book everywhere and sneak in pages in between tasks, at stoplights, and when I couldn't sleep in the night. It was that absorbing." I've heard that same sentiment echoed on other blogs too!
  
  
• O JERUSALEM, by Laurie R. King - Books and Movies says "In The Beekeeper's Apprentice, Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes have to lay low for a while.... They accept an assignment from Holmes' brother Mycroft, which sends them to Palestine. [This book] gives us that venture in detail." This one is already on my list to read in March - I can't wait to read it!
  
  
• several Hercule Poirot stories, by Agatha Christie - Mysteries in Paradise gives a unique perspective on several of these stories by "interviewing" Poirot himself. What fun!
  
• THE LOW ROAD, by Chris Womersley - Mysteries in Paradise says "Wild, a doctor de-registered because of his morphine addiction, cast out by his wife, and on the run from the law, checks into a dingy motel on the fringe of the city." Aah, a great start to the story!
  
  
• THE MYSTERY OF THE BLUE TRAIN, by Agatha Christie - Mysteries in Paradise says "There are plenty of red herrings, a further fleshing out of the character of Poirot as a person that young women find attractive, and puzzles to keep the brain engaged." Ah, Poirot, you gotta love him.

• THE SKY TOOK HIM, by Donis Casey - My Random Acts of Reading says this book "is the fourth book in Donis Casey's historical mystery series" set in early 20th century Oklahoma.
  
• THE THREE MISTAKES OF MY LIFE, by Cheten Bhagat - Book Reviews says this book is almost identical to the author's other books. He goes on to say "If I don't compare this novel with [his] earlier works. Then I am really impressed with this book. It has friendship, love, business, cricket, religion, riots, and ya happy ending, everything a bollywood movie demands."
  
  
• THE UNEARTHED, by Brian O'Rourke - About this paranormal thriller Books Books and More Books says "I'd really hate to post any spoilers ... but let me tell you, this book is spectacularly written."
  

*** Sci-Fi & Fantasy ***

• ANIMAL FARM, by George Orwell - Ms. Smarty Pants Know It All says "
  Even though Orwell was commenting specifically on socialism-communisim within the Soviet Union and on their influences on the West, my modern mindset allows me to apply the events of the book to a number of contemporary issues" which she goes on to do.
  
  
• HOPE'S FOLLY, by Linnea Sinclair - Book Calendar says "This book is what Star Trek might be if it included hot sex, and more violent political intrigue. Including this adds spice where most space operas don't have it. This is the major reason I like her stories so much." Woohoo! Sounds like fun.
  
  
• LOOK TO WINDWARD, by Iain M. Banks - True Science Fiction says "add in some awesome AIs, a variety of interesting alien species and world settings, and a load of metaphysics (Sublimed beings - they sound a lot like ascended beings from Stargate, but without all the rules), and you have the makings of a killer sci fi story." Unfortunately True Science Fiction goes on to say that the author "isn't jumping to the top of my book pile."
  
  
• OLD MAN'S WAR, by John Scalzi - Things Mean A Lot says it "is a funny and action-filled military sci-fi story. But it’s really just as funny as it is serious and sad. It's about fighting, yes, but doesn’t glorify war. Nor does it do the opposite ..." I've been hearing lots about this book lately, and it has all been good.
  
  
• THE ABRAXAS, by Cinsearae Santiago - Books Books and More Books says this is "more interesting than just a typical vampire story ... The plot ... kept getting thicker and thicker, when you thought they were through with the fighting - you turned the page and you were wrong!"
  
  
• THE AMULET OF SAMARKAND, by Jonathan Stroud - Gabriel Gadfly says that this young adult book is "action-packed book, and one that will keep you on the edge of your seat. [...] The ending is satisfying but leaves plenty of loose ends unresolved. As it is, I'm dying to read the second book in the trilogy."

*** Poetry ***

• POETRY AS INSURGENT ART, by Lawrence Ferlinghetti - Livin' the Dream (One Loser at a Time) says "It's simple. It's stunning. It's truth. It makes you think in short sentences, too."

*** Memoir ***

• HONEYMOON IN TEHRAN, by Azadeh Moaveni - The 3 R's: Reading, 'Riting, and Randomness says "not long after I began reading Honeymoon in Tehran, I ran across a copy of Azadeh Moaveni's earlier memoir, Lipstick Jihad, in a bookstore, and bought it with no hesitation - I already knew I was going to want more of her story."
  
  
• ROAD TO QUOZ: AN AMERICAN MOSEY, by William Least Heat Moon - I'll Never Forget the Day I Read the Book calls this "the millennial era's answer to Charles Kuralt." He goes to add "Suffice it to say that he likes odd and interesting stuff, especially if it's old. He is able to tease a story out of each discovery." Plus there is some sort of fascination with the letter Q ...
  

*** Non-Fiction ***

• ACCELERATED DISTANCE LEARNING, by Brad Voeller - Debt Free College says this is "is an excellent road map, helping you to your degree."
  
• AFRICAN DIARIES: SKETCHES & OBSERVATIONS, by David G. Derrick, Jr. - Grrl Scientist says "This slim paperback is an unusual travel diary because it is comprised of more than 140 of hand-drawn pictures of people and animals, along with accompanying photographs and hand0written notes, all created while the author was traveling through Kenya, Africa. ... Even though this is a paperback, it is printed on heavy paper and the images are of high enough quality that you can actually see the grain of the paper upon which the sketches and paintings were originally created." She posts samples of the artwork in her review as well.
  
• BEYOND HEAVING BOSOMS: THE SMART BITCHES GUIDE TO ROMANCE NOVELS, by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan - Love, Romance, Passion says that this book is "the ultimate end all be all guide for romances. You won’t be able to talk about romance again without using this book because they’ve covered it all: lead types, plot tropes, standard clichés, wtf moments, sex, and HEAs." And what's more, this guide "will definitely bring tears of laughter to your eyes as well as enlighten readers to why women love to read romances." After that review I really want to read this book ... and I'm not even romance reader! (And now I'm curious as to what an HEA is - can anybody help?)
  
  
• EXTRAORDINARY KNOWING, by Elizabeth Lloyd Mayer - Science on Tap says "This is a book about ... knowing things without understanding how we know them. ... [The author collected] stories/anecdotes from her medical colleagues of odd, inexplicable experiences of 'knowing' things at a distance or ahead of time." The book also covers the "strange history of paranormal research." Even though I'm not into paranormal anything, I found this review fascinating and will definitely consider reading this book.
  
  
• GORGEOUSLY GREEN: 8 SIMPLE STEPS TO AN EARTH-FRIENDLY LIFE, by Sophie Uliano - Less is More says "If you are looking for ways to become greener, the book is worth looking throuh, however think of the products it suggests as future alternatives rather than immediate needs."
  
  
• HUNGER: AN UNNATURAL HISTORY, by Sharman Apt Russell - Rebecca Reads says the author "details what it means, physiologically, to be hungry. Then she goes beyond the science of hunger and into social aspects by reviewing the history of how we learned to help starving people recover and the various current worldwide issues surrounding hunger." This book sounds horrifying. Fascinating, but horrifying.
  
  
• MARTHA STEWART'S COOKIES, cookbook - Less is More says "I haven't baked anything out of this book yet but if it's half as good as EVERDAY FOOD: GREAT FOOD FAST then it'll be a hit." Is it odd that a cookbook follows a book on hunger when I alphabetized this list?
  
  
• PRAIRIE SPRING: JOURNEY INTO THE HEART OF A SEASON, by Peter Dunne - The Birder's Library says the author "chronicles a spring that he and his wife spent on America's grasslands. ... Birds, of course, figure prominently into the account ... however ... it does not focus exclusively on birds. It encompasses the entire ecology, and even history, of the American prairie." An amazing place, to be sure, and one I've always wanted to visit.
  
  
• THE EMPEROR'S EMBRACE: REFLECTIONS ON ANIMAL FAMILIES AND FATHERHOOD, by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson - Book Dads says "is quite simply the seminal and definitive guide to animal fatherhood. ... [It] puts the lie to the idea that mothers are inherently more suited to care for children than fathers due to some kind of biological destiny, and will make any man proud to count himself part of a fraternity of fatherhood that extends not only to other humans but to our animals cousins as well." This book sounds fascinating to me. It may end up on my TBR list soon.
  
  
• THE LOST CITY OF Z: A TALE OF DEADLY OBSESSION IN THE AMAZON, by David Grann - At Home With Books says it "is such a riveting story, that it is easy at first to mistake this nonfiction book for a novel. In the preface you are thrust right into the action as the author reveals that he is lost in the Amazon, giving you a taste of what is to come." This reminds me of that Discovery Channel Show "I Shouldn't Be Alive" ... the same show that almost gives me nightmares but that I continue watching anyway.
  
  
• THE SCIENCE OF PARENTING, by Margot Sunderland - Babylicious says "For any person who truly desires to raise their child in a manner that will offer that child the best skills for happiness, emotional well-being and success in life, this is the book for you."
  
• SOUIXSIE AND THE BANSHEES: THE AUTHORISED BIOGRAPHY, by Shirley Manson - Quillotine says "if perhaps you prefer salacious rumour peppered with hideous cliches of the rock and roll trade please leave this book on the shelf. if so stay at home. this is one for the scholars of rock. open your moleskin. reach for your quill. take notes."
  

*** Business & Finance ***

• BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY, by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mouborgne - Smarter Wallet says this book shows "an approach designed to tackle a market where you have absolutely no competition, where you can become a pioneer in the industry."
  
  
• CAREER RENEGADE: HOW TO MAKE A GREAT LIVING DOING WHAT YOU LOVE, by Jonathan Fields - Bargaineering says "The introduction is eleven pages. The next time you're in a bookstore, look for the book and read those eleven pages. ... It explains exactly what the book is about, without and salesmanship or BS. ... After you're done reading the introduction you will know whether or not this book is for you."
  
  
• MADE TO STICK, by Chip & Dan Heath - Learn This says "while the book might seem from the topic to fit only the presenting, marketing or sales type of roles and personalities, it is certainly not limited to those groups of people. It is an entertaining book that will enable anyone to share their ideas more effectively."
  
  
• PLUNDER: INVESTIGATING OUR ECONOMIC CALAMITY AND THE SUBPRIME SCANDAL, by Danny Schechter - Blog Business World says if you read this book "you will gain a greater understanding of the origins of the subprime meltdown that led to the current finanical crisis. This economic knowledge could very well save your bank account, your investments, and your home." Very strong words, and a ringing endorsement of this book.
  
  
• POOR CHARLIE'S ALMANAC, by Peter D. Kaufman - GeekMBA360 says "I think it is one of the greatest investment books of our time."
  
  
• THE FRUGAL MILLIONAIRES, by Jeff Lehman - Bargaineering says "What I expected to find were some tips that would help me save tens or hundreds of dollars ... which would be well worth my time to read!" Did the book live up to those expectations? Read the review to find out.
  
  
• WORDPRESS FOR BUSINESS BLOGGING, by Paul Thewlis - Search for Blogging says "Whether you already have a blog, or are still in the planning stages, this book can show you how to use WordPress to create a highly successful blog for your business."

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If you made it all the way through the list, congratulations! I hope you found something to interest you in the myriad titles above. Post a comment and let me know if any of the books made it on to your TBR list. You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine ...