What'cha Reading?

[Colors]

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig: awful. Manages to insult two genres at once- historical fiction and chick lit. Contains two female protagonists so we can hate no their faux feminism from two different centuries. Spies so insipid they get caught on a recon mission cause they're too busy groping each other. Completely ignores the chance to teach real history or compare/constrast the social values (attitudes towards "birthright" and monarchy, gender roles, patriotism, etc) in favor of poorly executed romantic tropes. I should've read a Harlequin instead.

The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon: Author chronicles his one year of recovery after he sets himself on fire in a suicide attempt in the eighth grade. What makes it work is that Runyon chooses to write it in the present tense- moment to moment- we seeing portraits of initial reactions, not the retconned "message" or rationalization we humans are so prone to adding. In some ways, this sort of cut close for me.

Monster by Walter Dean Myers and Christopher Myers: Is written as a 16 yr old's account of his trial for felony murder... who decides to generally write it as a movie adaptation (complete with shots and cuts). An interesting conceit which allows you to both see the protagonist from a personal perspective and a more detached 3rd person perspective. Pretty good.

[Sniffles]

The Vision of Christopher Dawson - Araceli Duque


This excerpt particularly interested me:

"Despite his brilliance and insight, Dawson has been surprisingly ignored in academia and beyond. One of the reasons for this neglect is perhaps his vast erudition, which makes any study of his daunting, if not intimidating."

Trust me Mr. Dawson, I know the feeling.

[Nihilen]

Catcher in the rye; YA BIG FAT PHONIES!

[bronte]

Martin Rowson The Dog Allusion. Gods, pets and how to be human.

A book about being an atheist written by a humanist instead of a scientist - brilliant insight, subtle, generous (to those with relgious beliefs) and often laugh aloud funny - really recommend it.

[Ardea]

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris

I love him.

[SillySapienne]

New Moon by Stephanie Meyer, and proud of it, sort of...

[Varelse]

New Moon by Stephanie Meyer, and proud of it, sort of...

ENFPs can get away with that. Didn't you know?

I'm reading...The Gap into Madness: Chaos and Order, and A Storm of Swords.

[matmos]

Engleby, by Sebastian Faulks

Engleby, by Sebastian Faulks - Reviews, Books - The Independent

[ZiL]

I was TRYING to read Anna Karenina, but school has started again and I've got a lot of reading for that to do...

I've also got the last Harry Potter book on loan from a friend.

But right now I have to go read How to Read an Oral Poem by John Miles Foley. Hmmm, what does my new buddy J.M.F. (aka John, M'Fer!) have in store for me?

[SillySapienne]

I am almost done with the second book of the Twilight series and I am scared, this series is like a drug, what will I do once I finished my stash?!?!?

I need more romance, GIVE IT TO ME, NOW!!!