Announcing the "Children of God" Read-a-long

Have you read THE SPARROW, by Mary Doria Russell?  If not you are missing out on a fabulous book, one of those books that really makes you think about the "big questions" in life.  A few months ago I co-hosted a read-a-long of that book in the hopes that I could introduce it to more readers.  It was a great success, and now I want to read the follow-up book with you as well.

CHILDREN OF GOD continues the story that began in THE SPARROW.  For me, it is an even better book than the first one, but not everyone agrees.  Are you ready to give it a try?  Plan to read along with me in August and see where you stand.

Details and the sign-up post will come at the start of August - look for a copy of the book now and be ready to join in!

I'm back ...

I know you've missed me, right?! I've been out of town for the past few weeks and am finally back home again.  I've got lots of books to review and some fun stuff to share about my vacation but it will probably take a few days before I am back into the swing of things at home.  I've been keeping up on all your blog posts through my phone but it was difficult to comment so I've been rather lax about that.

Just a reminder that I'm co-hosting a read-a-long of THE COLOR PURPLE by Alice Walker this month.  I read the book over three days, finishing it today on the plane home.  It was fantastic and I can't wait to talk about it with all the read-a-long participants.  There's still plenty of time to join so pick up a copy and start reading.

I'm hoping to get some short reviews up within the next few days ... we'll see how well that plan works out!

The Color Purple (summer read-a-long)

Hello and welcome to a read-a-long of THE COLOR PURPLE, by Alice Walker, hosted by myself and Nicole at Linus's Blanket.  The rules for the read-a-long are simple: comment on this post letting us know you're joingin us, read the book this month, post a review, and add your link to Nicole's recap at the end of the month.  To make things a bit more interesting I'll post discussion questions in the middle of the month.  You can answer them on your own blog, you can answer them in the comment section, or you can ignore them completely - it's up to you.


This is really one of the simplest read-a-longs ever - are you in?
 

PS. Get bonus points from me if you watch the movie and review it as well!

The Lost City of Z

My reviews this week will be REALLY short as I work furiously to get caught up on everything I’ve read and listened to recently …

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon

written by David Grann

audiobook: 10 hours

narrated by Mark Deakins

This is a fascinating look at the world's obsession with lost cities and amazing treasures in the Amazon.  Tracing the exploits of one particular explorer, the author himself treks through the jungle in search of any trace of the man who disappeared over 80 years before.

I very much enjoyed listening to this book though I've realized that I don't have the same attachment to jungle expeditions as I do to polar expeditions.  The horrible things that can happen to your body in the jungle totally creep me out, unlike the horrible things that happen to your body in extreme cold.

Mom & Son Book Club #16: The Battle of the Labyrinth

My reviews this week will be REALLY short as I work furiously to get caught up on everything I’ve read and listened to recently …

The Battle of the Labyrinth

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Book 4

by Rick Riordan

384 pages

Kiddo and I have been working on this book for months, reading just a few chapters each week. We both really enjoyed the continuing saga of Percy Jackson and his friends. I love how Riordan includes the Greek myths that I grew up loving and yet presents them in an entirely new way. But it is the fact that Kiddo is so into this series that makes me enjoy it as much as I do.

For me, the best part about this book was the character development. Up until now most of the characters have been pretty static but in this installment several of them change in rather significant ways. My favorite character is Nico, a boy that I didn’t like at all in the previous books. He began as a seemingly minor character but he’s now a major part of the story and I love that.

Normally I'd have Kiddo chime in here with his impressions for our Mom & Son Book Club but he's away at camp right now so you'll have to take my word for it that he really like this book.

Kiddo is really excited to get to the last book in the series but I think we’re going to take a break from Percy while so we can read some other books while we’re on vacation …

...

PS. As a side note, my mood really affects my reading ability. I read the last few chapters of this book to Kiddo late one night while I was dealing with my normal monthly mood swings (oh how I love PMS … not). We were at a part where there was a battle and several characters do some heroic things. I had to keep stopping my reading to take deep breaths so that I wouldn’t cry. I covered it up by coughing quite often. :) Yeah, I can see me trying to explain to Kiddo why a heroic battle scene is making Mama cry … ~LOL~

The Basque History of the World, by Mark Kurlansky

My reviews this week will be REALLY short as I work furiously to get caught up on everything I’ve read and listened to recently …

The Basque History of the World

by Mark Kurlansky

audiobook: 12 hours

narrated by George Guidall

I listened to this because … 1) Kurlansky’s other books, SALT and COD, are both on my TBR list and I have some interested in the Basque part of the world, and 2) it was immediately available to download from my library and my previous audiobook had just ended.

This book is a political, military and cultural history of the Basque people of Spain and France. I now know more than I ever expected to about their history and worldview.

Guidall is an excellent narrator (I’ve enjoyed his work in the past) and it was easy to keep listening to him even when the actual content of the book dragged a bit.

I can’t say that I truly enjoyed this book (honestly, it was rather boring in parts) but I am glad I listened to it as I did learn a lot.

Audiobook Week: Indian Heroes and Great Chieftains, by Charles Eastman

Indian Heroes and Great Chieftains

by Charles Eastman
first published in 1918

audiobook: 2.5 hours

narrated by Lorenzo Baca

*** About the Book ***


This is an excerpt from Eastman’s longer book by the same title. It contains profiles of five famous Native Americans who Eastman either knew first hand or had second-hand knowledge of. The profiles were written during their lifetime or shortly after their deaths. Profiles include Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Chief Joseph, Spotted Tail, and Red Cloud.

Each of the profiles in this audiobook was about 30 minutes in length and began with basic details of the person's early life and stories that illuminated his character.  Eastman then showed the way that each man led his people, be it in battle, by the council fires, or by inspiring them.


*** Why I Listened To It ***

A while back I watched the TV version of the book BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE. At the end of the film I realized that it was based on a true story. The main character, Charles Eastman, was a Santee Sioux who attended a mission school at the request of his father. He eventually graduated from college with a medical degree. His work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs brought him face to face with the degradation of his people and he began to write about his experiences and to lobby for Indian Rights.

Once I learned all this I immediately began searching out Eastman’s books; I had to see how his experiences affected his writing. I have several of his – and his wife’s – books on my shelf waiting to be read, but I always seem to get to my audiobooks before I get to my paper books.


*** My Thoughts ***

I found it fascinating to hear Eastman's first-hand impressions of these great Native American leaders.  It is obvious that he was writing in part to counteract the then-commonly-held opinion that Indians were violent, unpredictable, and not to be trusted.  And in fact his writing matches very closely the revisionist history that is popular today. 

Listening to this excerpt made me want to get a copy of the complete book so I could learn about even more great Native American leaders of this era.  And I'm also excited to read the Eastman books that are patiently waiting on my shelf.


*** About the Narrator ***

Here is a case where the narrator almost ruined the book for me. Baca’s narration was choppy, halting, and almost painful to listen to. It sounded to me like he maybe spoke English as a second language, so I did a bit of research to see if that was true. I found out that Baca is of Isleta Pueblo/Mescalero Apache descent, that he is a poet and musician, and that he has narrated many other books. That didn’t answer my language question but it did make it clear to me that perhaps I’m in the minority in not liking his narration … Still, this was a fascinating book despite the odd narration style.

This book also included some traditional Native American music and some of Baca's original music.  I loved the traditional music and felt that it added a great deal to the audiobook but Baca's music was odd and really pulled me out of the story.


*** Your Thoughts ***

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that most of you have not read anything by Charles Eastman - am I right? But had you at least heard of him before?  Are you interested in reading/listening to any of his books? 

Here's a question for you: Have you ever read a contemporary first-hand account of a historical figure written by someone whose opinion went against commonly held beliefs?  If so, I'd love to hear about it!






Note: This review is part of Audiobook Week. Today I’m reviewing a Non-Fiction book; other genres will be featured throughout the week.

Audiobook Week: Suite Scarlett, by Maureen Johnson

Suite Scarlett

by Maureen Johnson

audiobook: 9 hours

narrated by Jennie Stith

*** About the Book ***

Scarlett and her family live in an old art deco style hotel in New York City. The hotel isn’t exactly thriving and this means that the family has to run the hotel all on their own. When a new guest checks in, Scarlett is assigned to be her “assistant” for the entire summer. The guest, Mrs. Amberson, is rather eccentric and Scarlett soon gets pulled into a variety of schemes and adventures that soon involve her siblings, her parents, and even the boy she has a crush on.


*** Why I Listened To It ***

This audiobook was in the swag bag I received at the Book Blogger Convention in New York in May. As an audiobook fan I was THRILLED to see this, even though Young Adult (YA) is not a genre I generally read. The author, Maureen Johnson, was the keynote speaker at the Convention and she was hilarious. After hearing her speak I knew I had to check out this audiobook as soon as possible.


*** My Thoughts ***

This book is completely outside my normal reading/listening comfort zone. That said, it was a lot of fun to listen to. The characters were interesting and unique and the plot was zany and fun. It wasn’t exactly believable (Is it supposed to be? Probably not, but I like my stories more on the realistic side …) but it was very entertaining. I listened to it at various times of the day and always wanted to get back to the story to see what was going to happen next.

This book was a great break from my normal reading routine. It was light and entertaining and didn’t require much effort on my part to enjoy it. I probably won’t read/listen to Maureen’s other books (not due to any fault with the books but simply because they are not “my thing”) but I’m glad that I listened to this one.


*** About the Narrator ***

Jennie Stith did a fantastic job with this book. She conveyed the voice of a young girl perfectly and did pretty well with boys voices too.

I do have to say that I think Maureen Johnson could narrate her own books though; she was so much fun to listen to at BBC and she has a very expressive voice.


*** Your Thoughts ***

Since it was part of the goody bag at the Book Blogger Convention I expect that there will be reviews of this audiobook popping up pretty regularly. Here are a few I’ve seen so far:

Have you read any of Maureen’s books? What do you like about them? Have you listened to any of them on audio? Please share your thoughts in the comments.


*** Giveaway Details ***

I have two copies of this audiobook to give away to anyone with a US or Canadian mailing address. Please follow the instructions below to enter.

NOTE: This audiobook uses MP3 files. That means that it likely won’t play in your car or on your older CD players. It will play on your computer though, and you can also transfer the files to your iPod or other digital device.

To enter:

• Leave a comment answering at least one of the following: Have you read any of Maureen’s books? What do you like about them? Have you listened to any of them on audio?
• If your email address is not easily accessible through your profile or blog please include it in your comment.
• I’ll use random.org to choose the winners on July 8. Winners will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to reply with their mailing address. If I don’t hear from some of the winners in that time period I will draw new winners.

Note: This review is part of Audiobook Week. Today I’m reviewing a Young Adult book; other genres will be featured throughout the week.

Audiobook Week: a short meme

We've hit the midpoint of audiobook week - yay!

To take part in today's short meme, fill in the answers on your blog add your post to the Mr. Linky at Devourer of Books.




Audiobook are you currently reading/you read most recently: THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS, by Kenneth Grahame, and also THE THINGS THEY CARRIED, by Tim O'Brien

Impressions?: WILLOWS is ok - I'm listening to it because I never read it as a child and wanted to know what it is all about.  I can't say anything about THINGS yet because I've only just started listening.

How long you’ve been listening to audiobooks: For as long as I can remember, probably since I was a child.

First audiobook you ever listened to: I have no idea ... I've been listening for longer than I can remember!

Favorite audiobook title: I can't pick just one ... I love the audio of the Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cornwell (I reviewed one of them today).  THE HORSE BOY by Rupert Isaacson was very powerful to experience as an audiobook, and I definitely got more out of it than I would had I read it.  I could go on and on ...

Favorite narrator: I don't have a favorite but there are a few who I seem to listen to more than any others, George Guidall being the most common. Lisette Lecat did a wonderful job with the Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency.  And I love the work that Michael Kramer and Kate Redding do on Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series; with 14 books at approximately 30 hours each, I've spend a long, LONG time with their voices.

How do you choose what to listen to versus read? I go with whatever is available at my library, unless there is a strong reason to choose the print version over the audio version.  Also, there is one particular narrator who I dislike so much that I won't listen to any books he works on, so that influences my decision as well.

Audiobook Week: The Burning Land, by Bernard Cornwell

The Burning Land

Book 5 of the The Saxon Stories

written by Bernard Cornwell

audiobook: 11.25 hours

narrated by: Stephen Perring

*** About the Book ***

This book is part of the continuing saga of Uhtred, a 9th century Saxon warrior who was raised by the Danes (aka Vikings). He has sworn allegiance to the Saxon ruler, Alfred, King of Wessex, despite his hatred of the King and the King’s Christianity.

In this 5th entry in the series, Uhtred and the King have a severe disagreement that leads Uhtred to break his oath and flee to the Danes. There he rejoins his foster brother, a Danish jarl named Ragnar, and helps to plan the Danish invasion of Wessex. But when Alfred’s daughter sends Uhtred word that she is in trouble, he is forced to abandon his Danish family yet again and ride to her aid, thereby ensnarling himself in another of Alfred’s wars …


*** Why I Read It ***

A few years ago I randomly picked up the first audiobook in this series at the library and completely fell in love with Cornwell’s characters and their stories. I’ve written before about his skill in writing battle scenes and the fact that Uhtred is something of an unhero (not exactly, but he’s not exactly a hero either). I was surprised to find that there was a new book in the series as I thought it had ended, but it was a good surprise!

As as aside, my review of book 3 was one of the first on my blog and it is ridiculously short.  My thoughts on book 4 are quite a bit more thorough.


*** The Real History ***

Although Uhtred himself is a creation of the author, Alfred and many of the other characters are based on actual historical figures. The major battles in this book are all taken directly from history and are part of the story that explains how England became a single, united kingdom. The author provides a historical note at the end of the book that clarifies which characters he’s taken liberties with and where you can find more information on them. He also translates some of the ancient city names to modern ones so the reader/listener can associate them with today’s English cities. I just LOVE it when authors give me info like this!


*** My Thoughts ***

I’m already of fan of this series so I had high expectations for this latest installment. I was NOT disappointed. Cornwell carries on Uhtred’s tale as he has in the past; he makes it appear that Uhtred will finally get what he wants (to regain control of his family’s land), and then, like a child putting a stick through a spinning bicycle wheel, Cornwell throws something in Uhtred’s path that completely derails all his plans. The story moves quickly, the battles are vivid, the characters are compelling (though not all are fully developed) and it is a pleasure to listen to.

I really enjoy learning about English history through Cornwell’s books. Through this series I’ve gained a clearer understanding of the Saxon-Danish conflict during this 9th century, and also the way that Alfred’s kingship let to the development of an English-speaking nation.

My only complaint is that I waited too long between books so I’ve forgotten some of the character details. This doesn’t make the book harder to understand – each book could be a stand-alone novel – but I like recalling all the events that led each character to be who he or she is.


*** About the Narrator ***

The first four books in the series were narrated by Jaime Glover.  He did an amazing job creating voices for the characters and he has wonderful skills with accents.  After hearing his name pronunciations and particular voices for the entirety of the series it was difficult to get used to a new narrator.

Stephen Perring did a great job narrating this book, and I had I not gotten used to Glover I'd likely have had no complaints.  However, Perring's Norse accent - which is a huge part of the book - was simply not as good as Glover's version and this did bother me at times.  In all other areas Perring did a fantastic job; I'd definitely listen to his work again.


*** Your Thoughts ***

When I think of the term “historical fiction” my mind usually goes straight to the Tudor era, or to books with a romantic storyline. I feel like this genre is considered to be "girly".  I don't know why I think that, especially since that is not the type of historical fiction I usually read, but that is the simple truth. So books like this one are excellent reminders for me that all historical fiction isn't "girly".  When you hear "historical fiction" what do you automatically think of?  Have you read/listened to this series?  What historical fiction audiobooks would you highly recommend?   





Note: This review is part of Audiobook Week. Today I’m reviewing a Historical Fiction book; other genres will be featured throughout the week.