jenp27

Apr 23

1001 Book Review: Two Novels by Rebecca West

I had never read any books by noted author Rebecca West. Then in the last month I read two of her books almost back to back for a reading challenge. Rather than post them as two separate reviews, I have decided to combine them here along with a brief blurb about the author.

Dame Rebecca West was a renowned British author, journalist, literary critic, and travel writer. She was born in 1892 and died in 1983. She was incredibly prolific as a writer and her works span many genres. Her books are notable for their feminist leanings and critique of social and political issues. I can also say that the two books I have read are fairly remarkable in their treatment of psychological issues and themes — being ahead of her time in her treatment of these issues.
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Apr 22

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Kid’s Corner: Me… Jane

Many of you know that my daughter’s obsession with princesses, fairies, mermaids, and all things frilly drives me crazy. And while I desperately hope that it’s a phase that will end soon, I’m also constantly on the lookout for books that will expose her to the idea that girls don’t have to be princesses. But, head to the library or bookstore and you’ll find the shelves packed with books that reinforce either the princess craze or gender stereotypes (Pinkalicious, Fancy Nancy, Disney princess books, fairy tales). Try to sort through the books where the girl protagonist isn’t a princess, dancer, fairy, mermaid and you end up with a lot of books about animals.

So, I was thrilled when E’s grandparents sent her the book we are reviewing this month….

Apr 20

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3 Books about Running for Marathon Monday

Boston Marathon 2014

I’m not a runner and never have been. I don’t think I have the discipline and while I enjoy cycling, swimming, sports, dancing and many other athletic activities, running makes me feel like I’m dying. But, I LOVE marathon monday. We live in the Massachusetts and every year we head to the sidelines to cheer on the runners. It’s a wonderful and festive event with people from all over the country cheering on the best runners from all over the world. This year we’ll be cheering on several friends as well as lots of strangers!

In honor of one of my favorite holidays, I’ve posted a list of 3 books (below) for the runner (or want to be runner).

Apr 19

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
Published in: 2011
Awards: Pulitzer Prize Nominee for Fiction (2013)
Format: audio book narrated by Debra Monk
Reviewed by: Jen
Rating: 3.5 stars
Find/Buy it here:The Snow Child: A Novel

Eowyn Ivey’s debut novel, The Snow Child, is a retelling of a classic Russian fairy tale updated and set in the context of harsh wintery Alpine Alaska. The novel follows Jack and Mabel, a middle-aged childless couple, who have relocated to Alaska several years after losing their only child. Jack and Mabel struggle to survive in the harsh conditions of the Alaskan Alpine. Just when it looks like they won’t make it through the winter, torn apart by hunger and loneliness, they share a moment of playfulness in the snow and create a child out of snow that ultimately changes their lives forever. Read more

Apr 15

Featured Author: Italo Calvino

Italo Calvino was born on October 15, 1923 in Cuba to academic parents. His father was an agronomist who spent many years working in Latin America and his mother was a botanist. Shortly after Italo’s birth, the family moved back to Italy where they lived for the rest of his life. Italo studied in the agriculture department of the University of Turin until the German occupation of Northern Italy during WWII. He dropped out of school to join the partisans and his first publications were stories that centered primarily on his war experience

After the war, he re-enrolled in University and transferred from Agriculture to Literature. His first novel, The Path to the Nest of Spiders was initially submitted to a contest sponsored by the Mondadori publishing company and later released in 1947 after not placing in the competition.
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Apr 12

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Terry Pratchett Tribute: Part II

A few weeks ago Book Worm posted her review of Nation in honor of esteemed author Terry Pratchett, who passed away in March 2015. Today it is my turn to pay tribute to Sir Pratchett.

Until recently, I hadn’t read any of Pratchett’s books — with the exception of Good Omens, a book he co-wrote with Neil Gaiman. Why? To say I read a lot is an understatement. And because I read a lot, I have a large TBR shelf and I’m constantly trying to decide which book to read next in my seemingly never-ending pile. I’m always hesitant to begin new series because: a) I have a compulsive need to finish what I start (even if the series is terrible — case in point, I read all of the Twilight books despite loathing every minute of them), b) I’m impatient and don’t like waiting for the next book to come out, and c) Unless I read a series of books back to back, I forget about what happened in the previous books.

So, knowing that there already are 41 Discworld books was pretty daunting. Friends have been telling me for years that I should read Pratchett’s books because I would love them. Deep down, part of me was also concerned that if I loved them, I’d be heartbroken by the fact that Pratchett would never finish the series in his lifetime.
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Apr 10

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1001 Book Review: Anagrams by Lorrie Moore

Anagrams by Lorrie Moore
First Published: 1985
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by: Jen
Find it/Buy it here:Anagrams (Vintage Contemporaries)

Do you ever wonder how your life and all your relationships could be different by shifting small details around? If so, you might just enjoy Lorrie Moore’s Anagrams.

Until this book, I had never read anything by Moore. Perhaps this is because I generally don’t like short stories. I often feel unsatisfied by short stories. As I have mentioned before, I like to get to know my characters and spend time with them before they disappear and new ones take their place. I guess this was a good book for me since it is a short story collection that follows the same characters throughout the course of the whole book. It has much less of a short story feel than do traditional collections.
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Apr 9

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The 100 Best books of the Decade so far?

Am I an overly harsh critic? I have admitted in the past that I can be somewhat of a book snob, but I do often agree with several top ten lists. Then I read the list of 100 best books of the past decade that was just released by Osyter.com, and either, i’ve become crankier with I age, or the literature has gotten worse. Granted we’re only in 2015, so such a list is premature, but I cringe at some of the books that made it on to this list.
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Apr 4

7 Comments

Spring Cleaning Challenge Update: Reviews

Only two weeks in and readers are really cleaning up their TBR shelves! Below, I’ve posted a few updates with information about prizes, scoreboard, and reviews. Please take the time to read all the reviews — one participant even included a photo. You may find a book that is perfect for you!

Apr 3

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1001 Book Review: Los Jefes/Los Cachorros by Mario Vargas Llosa

Los Jefes/Los Cachorros by Mario Vargas Llosa
English Title: The Cubs and Other Stories
Originally published in: Spanish
Reviewed by: Jen
Rating: 3.5 stars
Find it here: The Cubs and Other Stories

Synopsis: The Cubs and Other Stories is a collection of six short fictions about young men in Peru. It is Llosa’s only volume of short stories available in English. The stories all center on issues of masculinity, machismo, and manhood. Protagonists are mostly boys and young men who play out their masculinity in everyday places: a soccer field, school, with friends, etc. The title story, and the most interesting in the collection, is the tale of a young man named Cuéllar who is partially castrated in a childhood accident. The story focuses on his life after the incident and highlights his struggles to define himself after losing what he perceives to be the thing that defines his masculinity.