Synopsis: A survey of how American spending patterns have spiraled out of control. Review: I am having an enjoyable debate about how fast is too fast when it comes to reading in the comments portion of the Zadie Smith post I linked to earlier, so it’s a tad ironic that I’m going to tell you that I TOTALLY skimmed this book.
Synopsis: When a dead baby is discovered in an Amish barn, a Plain girl finds herself on trial for murder. She says she can’t remember… then all she wants to do is confess. But is she actually guilty–and of what? Review: This is the book I was referring to yesterday when I said I was reading a salty book with no umami. The main reason I don’t like courtroom books is that they’re so formulaic. No matter how intriguing the setup or tantalizing the scenario,…
Synopsis: A Christian how-to book focused on understanding God’s grace & freeing yourself from the tyranny of legalism.
Synopsis: A woman flees from her abusive husband, building a new life while constantly looking over her shoulder. Gee, I wonder what’s going to happen? Review: This book was an Oprah book AND the movie (with Mary Stuart Masterson) was just on Lifetime the other night. I read this while on jury duty this morning. It passed the time. Stephen King’s Rose Madder was better.
Synopsis: First in a crime-solving series starring Harry Dresden, a wizard living in Chicago. He finds lost objects, investigates paranormal activities, and advises the police whenever a crime scene looks like magic was involved.
Synopsis: In a world of Sameness, a young man who can see colors is chosen to be the Receiver and bear all emotion and memory for his community. As he trains, he begins to see the monstrousness of a world without feeling.
Synopsis: A troubled, introspective young woman in college in the early 60s falls out of favor with her sorority sisters and into a troubled relationship with a black PhD candidate in philosophy. Review: Very typical Oates–claustrophobic first-person narrative from the POV of a woman with serious issues. The story is laced with philosophical arguments that are way less interesting than the arcana of sorority life. Once Anellia leaves the Kappa house, the book loses contact with the larger world, narrowing in on Anellia and Vernor’s…
Synopsis: A little girl with the psychic power to start fires is on the run with her father, fleeing an NSA-type government agency wanting to capture her, experiment on her, and kill her. Review: This is not the first time I’ve read this book; that would have been freshman year in college, when I discovered King and blew through him during the boring days before I made friends. I love to reread books, and King is particularly suited for that. I think it’s because of…
Synopsis: An autobiographical collection of irreverant essays about finding Jesus in the most unlikely places, starting with super-pagan Reed College in Portland, Oregon. Review: I kept hearing about this book from various people whose opinion I respected, but I was a little skeptical. I am weary of efforts to make Christianity “cool” or “relevant” or “postmodern” or whatever, and I had a preconception that this book fell into that category.
Synopsis: In a world where magic has been forbidden, an evil rises and threatens total destruction unless one young man can step into his destiny and choose the right path. Review: I hated to do this, but I stopped reading somewhere around page 300 of the third book of this 4-part series. I came to the realization that I would rather be reading anything else but this book, and given that I have a sizable stack on my bedside table, I decided to cut my…