New York Times Bestsellers 1.27.07 January 27, 2007
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HARDCOVER FICTION
Top 5
1. PLUM LOVIN’, by Janet Evanovich
2. FOR ONE MORE DAY, by Mitch Albom
3. CROSS, by James Patterson
4. THE HUNTERS, by W. E. B. Griffin
5. EXILE, by Richard North Patterson
HARDCOVER NONFICTION
Top 5
1. THE AUDACITY OF HOPE, by Barack Obama
2. THE INNOCENT MAN, by John Grisham
3. BORN ON A BLUE DAY, by Daniel Tammet
4. MARLEY & ME, by John Grogan
5. I FEEL BAD ABOUT MY NECK, by Nora Ephron
Mutants January 25, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Book Reviews, Nonfiction.Tags: Armand Marie Leroi, Mutants
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—4.5—
Know thyself, pathologically, what a fragile bubble you are, and exposed to a thousand calamities.
If you understand these things, you are man, and a genus very distinct from all the others.
–Linnaeus
Every once in a while you come across a book that seems like it was written just for you. Mutants by Armand Marie Leroi was that book for me. I admit, I was even reading it through classes.
Mutants, as Leroi states in his prologue, is “about the making of the human body”, and how we “need…some direct way into the human genome and into the human body.” In order to do this, Leroi states, we must look at mutants.
Leroi’s mutants include those described throughout history as “monsters” in art, literature, and stories, but were probably just humans born with a outwardly expressing mutation. He also discusses conjoined twins, cyclops, humans covered entirely in thick hair, pygmies, those with albinism, and a great many more. He explains what happens as the embryo and fetus develop in the genes and DNA that ultimately result in these conditions. And from there we can discover what causes and controls normal development in each of these areas. And there are quite a few fascinating pictures as well.
A background in molecular biology was helpful when reading this book. While Leroi does an excellent job simplifying the complicated process of our body, those who don’t already have a footing, or aren’t super interested in that part of the story, may be bogged down a bit, because the book is overall a story of genetics and heredity, and the amazing thing that is the human body.
“Mutation is a game of chance, one we must all play, and at which we all lose. But some of us lose more heavily than others.”
4.5/5
Ordeal By Hunger January 25, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Book Reviews, Nonfiction.Tags: Donner Party, George R. Stewart, Ordeal by Hunger
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—4.5—
Ordeal by Hunger written by George R. Stewart, originally published in 1936, is said to still be the definitive book on the Donner Party’s horrific and deadly trek to California in 1846. And one can see why. Stewart’s story is written from historical documents and survivors diaries, and covers just about every detail one could think to add about the people, events, outcomes, and, refreshingly for a nonfiction book, emotions.
In 1846, eighty-seven people- men, women, and many children- set out to California upon a new route that was promised to be faster than the old. A series of misfortunes plagued the group, and by the time they reached the Sierra Mountains, the company had lost many oxen and not a few people in the desert they had crossed. But the mountains were no refuge. Blizzards left the party trapped in the mountains; many died, and manywho survived were forced to cannibalism to do so.
The book, being written quite a time ago, was almost humorous in parts (can I say that about a book about such a tragedy?) due to the language Stewart uses, particularly in the stereotypes he uses when discussing the ethnicity of the company, particularly the Irish, Russian, and German gentlemen. But it gave the book a little character I suppose. I enjoyed the reprieve from the stress and terror.
4.5/5
New York Times Bestsellers 1.21.07 January 21, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Randomness.add a comment
HARDCOVER FICTION
Top 5
1. PLUM LOVIN’, by Janet Evanovich
2. CROSS, by James Patterson
3. FOR ONE MORE DAY, by Mitch Albom
4. THE HUNTERS, by W. E. B. Griffin
5. SHADOW DANCE, by Julie Garwood
HARDCOVER NONFICTION
Top 5
1. THE AUDACITY OF HOPE, by Barack Obama
2. THE INNOCENT MAN, by John Grisham
3. MARLEY & ME, by John Grogan
4. ABOUT ALICE, by Calvin Trillin
5. PALESTINE PEACE NOT APARTHEID, by Jimmy Carter
Runny Babbit January 12, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Book Reviews, Nonfiction.Tags: Runny Babbit, Shel Silverstein
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—4.5—
Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook by Shel Silverstein, compiled posthumously, is a collection of poems about Runny Babbit, who lives in a woods where the first letters of many words are switched with other words’ (if you don’t get it, the title is Bunny Rabbit: A Silly Book). This book is ADORABLE. I loved it. And as always, Silverstein’s illustrations are delicious icing on the cake. It was just a little hard to read after a little while; my eyes got confused.
Here are my two favorite poems:
Kugs and Hisses
Runny said, “I’m lonesome,
I feel so glad and soomy.
I need some kugs and hisses-
Now, who’s gonna give ‘em to me?”
“I will,” said Polly Dorkupine,
“’Cause you’re cute as a rug in a bug.”
Said Runny, “Well, I’ll kake the tiss,
But never hind the mug.”
Runny’s Rig Romance
Runny had firlfriend,
Her name was Sunny Bue
He called her nots of licklames,
Like “Kitchy-Itchy-Koo.”
Sometimes he called her “Boney-Hun”,
And sometimes “Dovey Lear,”
But he only called her “Peety-Swie”
When no one else could hear.
4.5/5
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter January 12, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Anderson Book Club, Book Reviews, General Fiction.Tags: Kim Edwards, The Memory Keeper's Daughter
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—2.5—
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards begins with a snowstorm, and Dr. David Henry delivering his wife’s twins in his small office with only his faithful nurse. The first born is a healthy baby boy, but the next is a daughter with Down syndrome. It is 1964, and the prospect of raising the baby girl is too much for David to handle. So he tells his wife that their daughter has died, and gives her to the nurse to take to a home.
David’s wife, Norah, spends the rest of her life in a depression, trying to cope with the loss of the daughter she never met, and the ever-increasing gap between her and her husband due to his lie. The nurse, instead of sending the girl away, raises her as her own.
The premise of the story is interesting, and some of the characters, such as the nurse, Caroline, and the son, Paul, are fascinating. However, I often felt that the plot-line dragged on and on, for no important reason, and by the end I wanted to scream “Finish This Up Already!”. Also, I wasn’t very sympathetic towards the wife, Norah, for she seemed too melodramatic; the problem I believe lies in the way the author wrote for her. However, perhaps I’m just missing something without a mother-perspective.
Eitherway, it was just an ok read.
2.5/5
Intro: The Memory Keeper’s Daughter January 8, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Current Read Comments.Tags: Kim Edwards, The Memory Keeper's Daughter
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“The snow started to fall several hours before her labor began. A few flakes first, in the dull gray late-afternoon sky, and then wind-driven swirls and eddies around the edges of their wide front porch. He stood by her side at the window, watching sharp gusts of snow billow, then swirl and drift to the ground. All around the neighborhood, lights came on, and the naked braches of the trees turned white.”
The Memory Keeper’s Daugher by Kim Edwards
Pox Americana January 8, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Book Reviews, Nonfiction.Tags: Elizabeth A. Fenn, Pox Americana, Smallpox
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—1.5—
I read some very positive reviews of Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-82 by Elizabeth A. Fenn before picking this book up at the library. And I’m always fascinated by “disease” books and the impact of disease on society. Therefore, upon discovering this book was nothing but a long list of who got smallpox, when, and where they passed it to, I was midly disappointed. But it was at least quasi-interesting seeing its influence on the Revolutionary War. THEN, after about 100 pages when this listing continued, only now as only conjecture because records do not exist, and this time not in the context of the war, I was extremely disappointed. This book is dull. Very very dull. I finish every book I read, however, I admit, I basically skimmed the last sections.
This book is not a book for those with an outside interest in the subject. Because it is one of the first works that points out the impact of smallpox in the Revolutionary War Pox Americana has significance. But unless you are teaching this or a historian, I advise finding another book.
(1.5/5)
Jurassic Park and The Lost World January 4, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Book Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy.Tags: Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton, The Lost World
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—4———3.5—
Dinosaurs. Roar.
Jurassic Park (4/5)
The Lost World (3.5/5)
By Michael Crichton
I am the Messenger: Intro January 25, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Current Read Comments.Tags: I Am the Messenger, Markus Zusak
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“The gunman is useless.
I know it.
He knows it.
The whole bank knows it.
Even my best mate, Marvin, knows it, and he’s more useless than the gunman.
The worst part about the whole thing is that Marv’s car is standing outside in a fifteen-minute parking zone. We’re all faceddown on the floor, and the car’s only got a few minutes left on it.”
–I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak