Sean191's 75 Book Challenge for 2009

I initially was going for 65 books...but in retrospect, that's not much of a "challenge" I suppose since I made it to 62 in 2008 and that's after only having my new job for 6 months (I read on the subway) so, I'd imagine I'll be able to make this. Plus, I'm going to read some of the longer books that have been staring at me for some time. I'm listing the books I''ve read and I'm reading as I go...

1. Lost on Planet China or How I Learned to Love Live Squid- J. Maarten Troost
2. Toward the End of Time - John Updike
3. The Good Thief - Hannah Tinti
4. Of Love and Other Demons - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
5. The Worst Case Scenario Almanac: The Great Outdoors - David Borgenicht
6. Flight - Sherman Alexie
7. The Swarm - Frank Schatzing
8. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Sherman Alexie
9. The Fortune Cookie Chronicles - Jennifer Lee
10. The Painted Word - Tom Wolfe
11. The Dark of the Woods
12. Then We Came to an End - Joshua Ferris
13. Candide Voltaire
14. Thirteen Moons - Charles Frazier
15. A Raisin in the Sun - Lorraine Hansberry
16. Inside Straight - George R.R. Marting (and others)
17. Apathy and Other small Victories - Paul Neilan
18. Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid - Bill Bryson
19. Moo - Jane Smiley
20. In a Sunburned Country - Bill Bryson
21. Beyond the Horizon Colin Angus
22.Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
23. Invisible Man - H.G Wells
24. Wolf Boy - Evan Kulhman
25. Croquet Player - H.G. Wells
26. War of the Worlds - H.G. Wells
27. Mother Tongue - Bill Bryson
28. In Persuasion Nation - George Saunders
29. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man - John Perkins
30. Antipodes - Ignacio Padilla
31. The Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco
32. Turn of the Screw - Henry James
33. Tuesdays with Morrie – Mitch Albom
34. The Fantasies of Robert Heinlein
35. The Right of Thirst - Robert Huyler
36. A Good Man is Hard to Find – Flannery O’Connor
37: Touchy Subjects - Emma Donoghue
38. Spiders of Allah: Travels of an Unbeliever on the Frontline of Holy War - James Hilder
39. For One More Day - Mitch Albom
40. A Very Easy Death by Simone de Beauvoir
41. The Oddysey by Homer
42. The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
43. A River Runs Through It - Norman Maclean
44. House Made of Dawn - N. Scott Momaday
45. Second Nature by Michael Pollan
46: Our Man in Havana - by Graham Greene
47: Treasure Island - by Robert Louis Stevenson
48: Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson
49: The Scarlet Letter - by Nathaniel Hawthorne
50: The Third Man and the Fallen Idol - by Graham Greene
51: Loser Takes All - by Graham Greene
52: The Power and the Glory - by Graham Greene
53: The Bus Driver Who Wanted to Be God - by Etgar Keret
54: Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
55: Mezzanine by Nicholson Baker
56. The Graduate by Charles Webb
57. The Nimrod Flipout by Etgar Keret
58. The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
59. Come on Shore and We Will Kill You and Eat You - by Christina Thompson
60. Garden State by Rick Moody
61. The Trial by Franz Kafka
62. The Lives of Animals by J.M. Coetzee
63. Beg, Borrow, Steal - by Michael Greenberg
64. Bartleby the Scrivener - by Herman Melville
66. A Box of Matches by Nicholson Baker
67: Roverandom by J.R.R. Tolkien
68. The Diary of Adam and Eve by Mark Twain
69. The Black Monk by Anton Chekhov
70. Jitterbug Perfume - by Tom Robbins
71: Houri - Mehrdad Balali
72: Fragile Things - by Neil Gaiman
73: The Island at the End of the World by Sam Taylor
74. The Dark Tower and Other Stories by C.S. Lewis
75. The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes
76. Love in the Time of Cholera - by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
77. On the Road - by Jack Kerouac
78. The Magicians - by Lev Grossman
79. Pudd'nhead Wilson - by Mark Twain
80. The Good, Good Sheriff and Other Voices - by Joe Vernetti.
81. Elementals: Stories of Fire and Ice - by A.S. Byatt
82. The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye by A.S. Byatt
83. The Crying of Lot 49 -Thomas Pynchon
84. To Hellholes and Back - Chuck Thompson
85. A Fine and Private Place - Peter S. Beagle
86. The Myth of Sisyphus - Albert Camus
87. Three Fallen Women - Amy Guth

Welcome, looks like you've started out great this year.

4. Of Love and Other Demons

What did you think of Toward the End of Time?

Aruba - I wasn't a huge fan of it. If I hadn't read The Centaur first, I'd probably move further Updike books to the bottom of the list. It wasn't horrible, but there are so many more books to read! Of course, looking at my library it might be a little misleading. I've read a lot of lite lit, but most of that was from over a decade ago.

I agree with you about Toward the End of Time The Rabbit series are classics though, worth reading if you haven't already done so.

Whoo! Back on track after the serious slow-down that The Swarm caused! I guess business trips can be good for something besides business...

16. Inside Straight (Wild Cards) - this was an Early Review book. It was a light read, but enjoyable. My first Wild Cards book - I'll probably pick up another some time.

17. Apathy and Other Small Victories - Laugh-out-loud funny...and then leaves you feeling guilty for laughing at what you found funny....

I highly recommend it.

My longer review in case anyone ever pops back to this section:

Take the movie "Office Space," add some Max Barry, a dash of cheap beer and a bucket full of salt (there's a reason for that), and you have some great material. Still, you're probably not quite pinpointing Apathy. This book has a number of laugh-out-loud parts. For me, they were tempered by the constant question I had in my head as I read... "Am I too, this much of an ass?"

Not a question I'm willing to delve into deeply. But the book is definitely worth delving into. As another reviewer noted, it destroys "Then We Came to an End." If you liked that book - you are Stink! (sorry, another reference from Apathy!)

18. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid - Bill Bryson
This is my third Bryson book - not as good as my favorite - A Walk in the Woods but I liked it much more than Neither Here Nor There. It was a fun read, definitely laugh out loud moments and sweet nostalgia thrown in as well - even if he was writing from a time about 30 years before I was born.

19. Moo - I thought this was just "ok." I thought there were too many characters to really develop a caring for the majority. I wish there were less characters with more depth. Some characters just seemed to almost drop out and were added at end as almost an afterthought.

>17 alcottacre:: I know exactly what you mean. There were moments of explosive laugh-out-loud mirth followed by the sobering thought of, "I'm going to hell." And then all thoughts of eternal damnation were forgotten in another giggling fit. I love that book.

Yeah - I passed it to my wife when I was done - she felt the same way.

20. in a Sunburned Country - another enjoyable Bryson book. I place this somewhere between Thunderbolt Kid (my second favorite up to this point) and Neither Here Nor There. I liked this actually MUCH better than the latter book - more humor more distance covered I suppose...and I suppose the fact that there were more things around to threaten his life just makes for a funnier book.

#16: I like Bryson as well, with the possible exception of A Short History of Nearly Everything which was too long and did not have as much of his characteristic humor to suit me.

21. Beyond the Horizon by Colin Angus - this was an ERC. I was eager to read this book, but I have to say, although it should have been a favorite, the writing left it flat. After having read Alive by Piers Paul Read a few years ago and some other incredible adventure logs, I feel this could have been handled differently. Maybe if Colin had a co-author it would have been that much better. But, I believe it was probably necessary to be the sole author in order to try to recoup some of the money spent on the ordeal.

#18 Aha! I've also received my ER copy of Beyond the Horizon and I'm finding it very flat--even whiny in tone. I'll finish the book, but thanks for the input. It's nice to know my impressions are shared.

Yes, I saw that it was averaging four stars and I just don't understand why people are being so charitable - but different people have different tastes, so that probably explains it...

I did a review of the book as well - hope it helps!:)

22. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - kind of shocking that I never got around to reading this before...

I'm glad I never did though. I think it would have made The Olive Readers less entertaining since it seems like it borrowed some inspiration from it.

I enjoyed it, but unlike Brave New World or Animal Farm I didn't feel it gained much from me reading it as an older, more knowledgeable reader.

23. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells - sure it wasn't near as good as the Ralph Ellison book that shares the same name, but I did still enjoy it and I thought it had a deeper social commentary than Fahrenheit 451 even though it wasn't quite so blatant. Maybe that's what made it better.

And, the film version of Wells' story starring Claude Rains is still magnificent and worth seeking out to see.

24> I read the intro in the copy I was reading it said Claude became a big star from that movie even though he was only seen for a few moments.

When you watch this film, realizing that Whale directed it in the 1930's, pre-digital and other special effects, it is absolutely amazing. I hope you can see it.

Maybe I'll make it a movie night :)

24. Wolf Boy - I thought this offered a somewhat original idea and without giving away too much, I think the ending was appropriate. Beyond that, I can't figure out if I liked it or not.

25. The Croquet Player - I had just finished reading The Invisible Man so I was eager to dive into this. It really wasn't as deep...but the very last sentence did make me laugh. (I guess my review isn't as deep either!)

26. War of the Worlds - I have to double-check. I believe I read WoTW this year rather than last...if so, I'm in better shape than I had thought!

27. Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson - Bryson shows a different side of his talent to some extent with this offering. A brilliant and humorous travel writer, in Mother Tongue Bryson shows his love of language in an even more apparent way than usual.

Mother Tongue is filled with really interesting information. Sometimes it does stray into a little too dry an area, but overall a worthwhile read for Anglophiles - I'm not even sure if I have that right... *sigh*

28. In Persuasion Nation by George Saunders. Maybe the fact that I had already read three or four of Saunders' other books made the magic wear off. Yes, I know he has characters in crazy situations who help to explore some philosophical views. Yes, I know he mixes reality with an outrageous fantasy...but this time, it didn't do much for me.

I had the same problem with Saunders. I thought it was because I read three of his books in a row. His stories are somewhat repetitive after a while.

29. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins -
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man - what can I say? I think it's a good book for mainstream culture to read. Not that the writing is great, but the message is a good one to hear.

John Perkins comes across as making himself sound like he's really tough without really backing up that posturing with stories that support. Obviously, there's a difference between a "traditional" hit man and an economic one. Yet, Perkins seems to feel he's just as tough. Beyond that, his sacrifices to push aside all the money he was making doesn't seem that severe when he was likely walking away with more money than the average citizen sees in their lifetimes. When you consider the state of the people he writes about, it's more than likely that whole towns don't see that type of money during a generation.

Anyway, even though the writing is a little rough and I thought his personality was a little grating, it could be worth a read to those not already aware of many of the atrocities are country perpetrates on others.

Still, Noam Chomsky or Howard Zinn do a better job of writing and educating. If you sincerely want to open your eyes, pick up something by one of them (I like Zinn better personally).

30. Antipodes: Stories by Ignacio Padilla - This is the first I've read of Ignacio Padilla. This collection of short stories never really misses - because Padilla's writing talent is so great. However, the stories themselves do hit and miss. Still, well-worth the read as it's a quick couple of hours of reading. I believe it's probably worth a re-read as well...

31. The Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco - My first Ionesco book. I am not typically into the "Theater of the Absurd," but it did help greatly to understand some of the context this play was addressing - namely the rise of communism and the assimilation among society to those standards. With that in mind, it may be worth reading again sometime.

Just a note to tell you I'm still slogging through Beyond the Horizon. Things have picked up since he decided to go solo, but I'm still having issues with the writing. On the other hand, I've moved through several other books in the interim!

Oh, and congrats on the Ionesco! I find absurdist plays are far easier to watch than read, and there is a television adaption of this play you may want to find and watch.

Prop - yes, Beyond the Horizon really lacks writing chops. Unlike the book I just finished...

32: Turn of the Screw by Henry James - this book had been staring at me for ages. After reading the intro, I was really excited to get to reading. Besides Gift of the Magi, I don't recall reading any other James. The writing I felt was superb but the story wasn't particularly scary and I actually was kind of annoyed by the protagonist. There was a second story, "Lesson of the Master," I liked this much better...it was a bit predictable, but the final resolution was still interesting.

33. Tuesdays with Morrie - where to start? I know a lot of people love this book...but I hope it's more because of the story of Morrie. I did enjoy the book - because of Morrie's character coming through. Does this make Mitch Albom a great writer? I'd have to question that. I thought he came across as an ok writer who happened to have an excellent subject to write about. Otherwise, I thought he managed to focus a little too much on himself and I thought his writing was a little weak. Still, Morrie seems like he was an incredible human being and I'm glad to have had the opportunity to "meet" him through this book.

#40: I have seen mixed reviews of that book. I guess one of these days I will just have to read it to decide for myself, lol.

34. The Fantasies of Robert Heinlein - this was my introduction to Robert Heinlein. I feel that some of his stories were fantasy, some more sci-fi and others a cross of all three. He might not be as well-known or as good a writer as the great Ray Bradbury, but I do feel there's some similarities and if you like Bradbury, you'll likely enjoy Heinlein.

#41. I think I have the other two books he wrote as well...so we'll see how those go!

35. The Right of Thirst by Robert Huyler - At first, when learning that Frank Huyler is a doctor who decided to weave through the literary world, I thought he'd be doing what John Grisham did for lawyers. But, besides remembering that there are a number of very famous writers who were once doctors, I suspended the preconceived notion and gave the book a read. I really enjoyed it - while not up to the standards of the literary greats, Huyler does craft a novel that gives some depth to the characters and some color to landscape and setting that isn't blatantly named.

#44: That one looks pretty good. Thanks for the recommendation!

#45 It's my pleasure! Please let me know what you think of it!

36. A Good Man is Hard to Find My first book from Flannery O'Connor. When I first began reading these stories, I was worried I had run into another group of characters like the "she'" of Philip Roth's When She Was Good Although I don't believe I ever despised a literary character so much before - I praised Roth's talent for bringing those feelings out. After reading O'Connor, I might have to retract the praise at least slightly. Roth had created a caricature... while O'Connor's characters may not be totally believed, they still have more depth to them. The characters in many of these short stories are unlikeable, yet, they're amusing and the stories are interesting in that they each serve to question some part of mankind, be it faith, prejudices, social roles or acceptance.

37: Touchy Subjects by Emma Donoghue - this collection of short stories had some standouts, and others not so much. I thought it was a fortunate coincidence that I read this directly following Flannery O'Connor as the two seem to have a similar theme to their stories. However, I thought Donoghue wasn't quite as good. I would be interested to read a novel from her to see what she would do with more time to develop a character. Overall, it was worth the read, but it wasn't something to be overly thrilled about.

38. Spiders of Allah: Travels of an Unbeliever on the Frontline of Holy War by James Hilder- Even though the PR for it noted it as "Gonzo" Journalism, don't expect Hunter Thompson. That being said, it's still an amazing account of a professional journalist's time in Iraq. He spent some time in Iraq pre-war as well, which definitely helps round the story out. The writing is topnotch, as would be expected for someone writing for the Times of London and his personal interactions are detailed enough to allow readers to connect to the individuals. Well-worth the read.

Note: I would have rated this 4 1/2 stars but Hilder goes into this philosophical reflection on religion in the next-to-last chapter. It didn't really fit with the rest of the book and seemed preachy (or anti-preachy since he's an atheist...)

39. For One More Day - by Mitch Albom. Ok, I've officially given Mitch Albom a chance - I may read one more book of his simply because I already have it, but beyond that, I don't recommend. His writing isn't horrible, it just seems uninspired, as if he's just waiting to get that next paycheck.

#49: I read We Were One by Patrick O'Donnell recently, so I am interested in Spiders of Allah. Thanks for hte recommendation!

#50: I am sorry you did not enjoy Albom's writing more. I have not read any of his books, so I cannot comment on them, but I have read books where it seemed that the author was just phoning it in. I hope you next read is better for you.

#51: you're welcome - let me know what you think of it!

40. A Very Easy Death by Simone de Beauvoir - I'm not sure of what I think of this work. It felt a bit sterile - like a hospital (until you get a closer look). I believe it's autobiographical, but it just seems like it carried so little emotion for that.

41. The Oddysey by Homer - What can I say? The Oddysey is one of the first thrillers, actions, adventure, love and horror stories all rolled into one. That being said, it's a great work, not just for being an ancestor of modern works, but for being a great work even in comparison.

42. The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. Although depressing (as war stories probably should be) it was an engrossing work. Although it's touted as fiction, I still was left wondering how much was actually fictitious and how much was just a slightly exaggerated truth. But that's the beauty of this work - O'Brien actually TELLS the reader that this isn't a true story, but it's absolutely true. He leaves you wondering and feeling uneasy and feeling a mix of different emotions, but none of those emotions are disappointment in his writing ability or boredom in reading the stories.

43. A River Runs Through It - While these stories were very enjoyable, both from the skillful telling and the subjects, it also left me sad. I was sad to think of all the years lost where Norman Maclean hadn't picked up the author's tools and I was sad for a world that no longer exists and the characters that we're unlikely to ever meet. I guess that means it's a great book.

#56: I have never read A River Runs Through It. I will see if I can find a copy. Nice review!

#57: It's a little salty with the stories, but in an old-fashioned way I guess...so even though there's stories about logging and pimping (I kid you not - hence the title of that particular story, "Logging and Pimping and 'Your Pal, Jim'") they don't come off as too rough.

Hello Sean, Just coming across your thread. A River Runs Through It is maybe my all-time favorite book, glad you enjoyed it.

#59 Hi dchaikin, I really did enjoy it and I think I'll track down his other books at some point.

44. House Made of Dawn - N. Scott Momaday - This is the second book I've read written by Momaday. It's also the last I'll read. I just don't like his writing style. Towards the end of the book it took on a different style, less convoluted, less confusing, but it was too little too late.

#61: I hope your next read is better for you!

45. Second Nature by Michael Pollan - this is a story about one man's adventures in gardening. If you've read Bill Bryson, then this will make sense to you . . . Imagine Bryson's writing (witty, informative, full of mishaps) but instead of travel, it deals with gardening. That's the best I can do to describe. I really did enjoy the book, but towards the end, it became focused too much on history and too little on personal anecdotes. I felt that was a weakness. If the book was 50 pages shorter, it would have been a 4 star for me.

46: Our Man in Havana - by Graham Greene - Take James Bond and mix him with Inspector Clouseau (shaken, not stirred) and you'll have a pretty close estimation of protagonist Jim Wormold. In fact, you'll have a close approximation of the story's feel as well. It takes the danger, some violence and the wit of James Bond and mixes in some lighter almost slapstick humor a la Inspector Clouseau.

This was the first book I've read by Greene and if this is any indication of how enjoyable the rest of his work is, it won't be the last.

47: Treasure Island - by Robert Louis Stevenson - This book is a classic for a reason - filled with great characters and excitement and told by a master at his craft, what's not to like?

48: Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson - I'm glad that I read The Lottery and We Have Always Lived in the Castle prior to this. If I had read this first and knew nothing of Jackson, I don't know if I would have given her a chance. I was bored and couldn't care less about the characters. I only finished because I was hoping for a great ending such as I've known her for - but it fell far short of what would have made the rest of the book worth reading.

#48 Thanks for your honest opinion Sean. I think I'll stay away from that one.

I will pass on that one as well. I hope the next read is better for you.

49: The Scarlet Letter - by Nathaniel Hawthorne - Here's a situation where I was glad I kept reading - Hawthorne's first chapter - the intro of how the story came about was boring and convoluted. I really had trouble following it and I was worried I would be stuck reading much the same for another few hours. Luckily, I plodded on and made it through to a better land. Once the real heart of the story is revealed (yes, pun intended) it's obvious why it's a classic. If you haven't read it before, have patience and you'll enjoy.

50: The Third Man and the Fallen Idol - by Graham Greene - While not as enjoyable as my first adventure with the works of Greene (Our Man in Havana), both stories were still worth the read. I felt The Third Man was better than The Fallen Idol which makes me wonder a bit. Graham's stories are fairly short and so far, my liking for them have run in order of length with the longest being the best and the shortest being my least favorite. His characters are always interesting and fun, but he needs more pages devoted to developing them.

#69: The Scarlet Letter remains one of my all-time favorite books. I am glad to see that you stuck with it and enjoyed it, Sean.

51: Loser Takes All - by Graham Greene. I think this was the shortest Graham Greene work I've read after The Fallen Idol but I did enjoy it more than The Third Man, if only barely. Even though there isn't much depth to the characters, they're still enjoyable to read about.

52: The Power and the Glory - by Graham Greene. This was the longest Greene work I've read to date (still pretty short though) - unfortunately, I didn't like it as much as the others. It had its moments, but even though it was lengthier, I still thought the character development was a little thin. It won't deter me from reading his other works - I still feel it was a better novel than what I read from others, but it wasn't as enjoyable as previous works.

53: The Bus Driver Who Wanted to Be God - by Etgar Keret. According to his bio, Keret is one of the most popular writers among Israeli youth. There's a reason for that - even though his stories are dark and not for those easily offended, they're hilarious. His ideas are out there and bizarre, but they still seem to make sense somehow... definitely worth reading.

#74: Adding that one to Planet TBR!

54: Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. I know it was a couple decades ago when I saw the movie and nostalgia can create a pleasant mist over things, but I think I enjoyed the movie more than I enjoyed the book - of course, I saw the movie when I was five or six, and probably should have read the book around the same time...so not sure what that's worth!

55: Mezzanine by Nicholson Baker. Mezzanine is equal parts, hilarious, neurotic, brilliant and...actually, it may have extra brilliance... In any case, Baker turns thoughts about mundane items encountered throughout his day into something far more entertaining. Highly recommended.

Both numbers 53 & 55 sound great. "Highly recommended" and "hilarious" are enough to get them on my wish list. Thanks.

#77: I have read 2 Nicholson Baker books, Double Fold and Human Smoke, so I will have to add Mezzanine to Planet TBR. Thanks for the recommendation!

I read A Box of Matches by baker earlier this year, and it was also very enjoyable in a quiet kind of way--just one man's early morning musings.

56. The Graduate by Charles Webb. I'm not a fan of this book. Even knowing it was written by an individual who had recently graduated from college and it was supposed to be something fighting against the establishment does little to increase its standing in opnion. Reviewers of the time called it heartbreaking and hilarious. I would lean towards calling it hilarious - hilarious that a novel which is absolutely chauvinistic, misanthropic, lacks plot, character development or witty dialog, could have received this much recognition.

57. The Nimrod Flipout by Etgar Keret. Maybe it was a Keret overdose, but I just wasn't as mesmerized by these stories. I feel if you're set on reading both books, read this one first since the other will be a step up. On the other hand, if you read only one, read The Bus Driver Who Wanted to be God.

58. The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. I'm not a huge science fiction fan and I've definitely moved away from fantasy to a large degree. Yet, all those disclaimers go out the door (or airlock?) when it comes to Bradbury. His stories always go well beyond the typical sci-fi/fantasy. They're darkly humorous and sometimes, just outright hilarious, while being brilliant at all times. This is no exception.

#83: Which version of The Martian Chronicles did you read, Sean? Carolyn and I read it together earlier this year, but I had the older, unrevised version and she had the newer one. Parts of the book I really liked, parts of it read to me like old Twilight Zone episodes.

#84: I believe it was an older version - checked it out from the pubic library. The correct cover art is listed in my library.

OK, thanks, I will take a look.

59. Come on Shore and We Will Kill You and Eat You - by Christina Thompson. I have mixed emotions with this book. I think it was interesting - but I think it was too scholarly and there wasn't as much personal emotion invested in it. That's disappointing considering it could have been so much more. I feel the author's husband is someone I would have enjoyed reading more about - even the children. But, maybe there was too much trying to be squeezed into the book - crossing back and forth between historical anecdotes and familial (much like the crossing back and forth between new and old homes) left too much ground to cover and not enough time to do it.

#87: I think I will give that one a pass. I hope your next read is a better one, Sean!

60. Garden State by Rick Moody. I didn't dislike this book, but I think it was brought down a little by having seen the movie based on the book. The movie is quite different and I was continually expecting the storyline to gravitate towards the movie - it didn't really. I loved the movie, just liked the book.

>89 Sean191:: I didn't know the movie was based on a book. Another of Moody's novels, The Ice Storm, has also been made into a great movie, but I've been afraid to read it for the same reasons that you didn't love the novel version of Garden State.

#90: I'm pretty sure I bought a signed first of The Ice Storm a few years ago, but I have yet to read it....maybe I'll work in reverse on that! Read and then watch the movie.

61. The Trial by Franz Kafka. This is the third work I've read from Kafka (after The Metamorphosis and The Hunger Artist). I enjoyed the other two more, but I think The Trial had some things stacked against it. First, it was uncompleted, or maybe just the revisions Kafka might have undertaken had been left undone. Second, I feel it was a much more intricate work than the prior two.

Parts of this novel seem to hint at religion. Especially the parable about the man and the guard at the door. Can it be that K is in purgatory? It seems like that answer would fit so nicely into the story. I haven't read the reviews of others on this yet, but I'm sure someone else has advanced that idea. If that's the case, you have my total endorsement!

In my copy of the book, I have a pro and con. The con is the preface - I have a big problem with prefaces going into plot details of the book. Chances are, the author provides those plot details better than the individual introducing - let the author do his or her job! I don't want a spoiler at the beginning of a book. Discuss plots and so forth at the end of the book to avoid creating a bias or stunting critical thinking. I usually read EVERYTHING in a book - fly leaf, about the author, even the paragraph about the typeset - but I skipped the preface when I started picking up on some spoiler info and I decided not to return to it because I was annoyed.

That being said, I did read the notes after the story ended and I read sections that had been deleted by Kafka or portions that had been taken out following his death because a chapter was unfinished. This was great to read - for the deleted materials, I saw a glimpse of an even better novel had he time to polish the final work. For the additional information about Kafka from his friend, it's always interesting to me to read about how close to oblivion particular great works were at one time or other. Kafka's works apparently were close - or in some cases, they were destroyed. That puts them up there with the near demise of Bram Stoker's Dracula and (ok maybe this is a stretch, but it's near and dear to my heart) Wilson Rawl's Where the Red Fern Grows.

62. The Lives of Animals by J.M. Coetzee. Really a short story with some commentary on the short story, Coetzee's work is still interesting and thought-provoking. The story is about a fictitious author asked to give a speech to a college audience on any subject she chooses to focus on. Naturally, it's assumed she would discuss her work. Instead, she discusses animal cruelty and issues. Complicating the matter, her adult son and daughter-in-law are members of the faculty for the host college and they don't agree with the stance.

It's worth a read if you're interested in questions regarding treatment of animals, or even just philosophical arguments.

Book #62 does sound interesting. I'll have to look it up!

#94 - certainly if you're into that. I am to some extent, not as much as I used to be... but I feel people who have no interest in how animals are treated are unlikely to enjoy reading the book. If a person has no interest in animal rights AND very little interest in philosophical arguments, they're probably going to hurl the book across the room. ;P

63. Beg, Borrow, Steal - by Michael Greenberg.

This collection of short stories, actually written for the most part as short newspaper columns isn't really a hit-or-miss. Rather, it's a gradual build-up. To explain, when I first began reading, I wasn't enjoying the stories too much. They weren't horrible, they weren't great. But, they were short...so I felt that was a plus.

As they went on and I received a more filled-out picture of Greenberg, his work became more enjoyable to read. I don't know if the later stories were better than the first. Rather, I think it was the build-up of background making the read better. Even though he comes off as someone I feel I'd either get along with really well, or totally hate, by the end of the book, I felt like he'd be interesting to know regardless of what the outcome turns out to be.

I guess, reading these mini clips of his life, in a way, you do get to know him. And, I think that's a good thing. I feel like a biography about Greenberg could be a worthwhile read. Maybe he'll move to that someday.

64. Bartleby the Scrivener - by Herman Melville. It's shocking, but I don't remember reading any other Herman Melville (no, not even Moby Dick - although it is on my shelf waiting to be read). I've heard while Moby Dick was a worthy read, during his life Melville's other works weren't well received. That's unfortunate, because I did enjoy Bartleby. It's a short story, but it reminded me a bit of The Hunger Artist by Kafka.

#97: I read Bartleby the Scrivener for the first time 20+ years ago and still have not gotten to Moby Dick! I keep telling myself one of these days . . .

#98 I'll probably read Moby Dick just out of necessity...small books are easier to jam into my bag for the subway and bus ride.

It's like that famous saying: "Necessity is the mother of not wanting to carry too much." I may be off on a word or two, so you may not want to quote me...

We could do a group read of Moby Dick in 2010??
It might be the only way I ever get that monster read. I've heard a lot of negative things about it, but I really want to try it. I read an abridged version in middle school but don't remember much about it. I feel like I 'should' make the attempt...

#100: That's one way to do it - by force! :)

I am in if we do it! I am already planning on doing Anna Karenina. What is one more huge book? lol

My sentiments exactly, lol...

65. Germs, Guns and Steel by Jared Diamond. I know it won't be very helpful if I just use "Bleh!" as my review, so I'll make an effort to be more descriptive.

I had high expectations for this book. So many people have had good things to say about it AND it won a Pulitzer. After reading it, I have low expectations for future books with "Pulitzer Prize Winner" in a sunburst on the cover.

I have to wonder, is this a book people feel they need to know about and even though they haven't read it, they rave about it? Kind of like Finnegans Wake which seems to always make the top of "Best of" lists even though few people make the effort to wade through it - I'm included there for the moment.

Anyway, GGS - it's essentially a history book. It has very little anecdotal instances in it and what little there is seems forced. I feel Diamond should have had the strength to either go with it being a purely historical book or gone into way more anecdotal wanderings. Instead, it's like the anecdotes actually get in the way - which is saying a lot considering how dry the book is.

The book details why some cultures thrived while others died out. I'm very interested to know that, but while Diamond knows his history, he doesn't know how to keep the history moving. Every few paragraphs it seems there'll be a statement like "as I discussed earlier in this chapter," or "As I stated in chapter 5," and on and on.

I didn't feel this book added a lot of info to things I already knew...I'm reading so many reviews from people saying how illuminating the story was...was I the only one that stayed awake in history class?

It wasn't horrible as far as a history book goes, but it really could have covered everything it did in a much shorter book. If you're looking for an engrossing story, you won't find it here. You'll find a dry, analytical look at why societies prospered or failed.

Spoiler alert:

There's a lot more to the book, but basically, here it is in a nutshell once...keep in mind, knowing this will negate the need to read about 350 pages of the 440 or so...

Diseases helped conquerers conquer. Food production and the availability of animals to domesticate were huge factors in the rise of civilizations. In most cases, populations succeeded or failed because of their geographical locations - those populations on continents running east to west were more successful than the north to south. Diamond explains it's because domesticated plants and animals were able to be shared more readily among cultures.

If you've read this far, I just spared you hours of your life, you can thank me with money, a song dedicated to me or free books (not this one!)

#104 ... :) I read this several years ago. I wasn't crazy about the writing and I remember being annoyed by the repetitiveness in the writing. But, it is an important book. Not everyone buys your last paragraph. Diamond lines up the facts to support this view, giving racial-superiority advocates some fits.

#105: Do you feel the main reason this book has been held in such high esteem is due to it being able to discredit racial superiority advocates? I'm not asking this to be confrontational, I'm really curious. I guess I've discarded the racial superiority idea so thoroughly that it's just silly to me.

On the other hand, I feel there's going to be a time of cultural superiority - nothing really to do with race since a culture can be made up of many different races. Anyway, I feel America (I'm American) is unfortunately going to lose out in that case. But, my reasoning behind that has nothing to do with geographic locations.

Well, I think so. But, since that is politically incorrect, discussions tend to tiptoe around it, so it's never clear. I've noticed that the loud critics are almost universally very conservative politically. (That's not to say that all conservatives are critics.) It's not view I really think about much, either.

>106 Sean191:: Do you feel the main reason this book has been held in such high esteem is due to it being able to discredit racial superiority advocates?

No, not particularly.

I think it is held in high esteem because quite a few people think it's actually a good book, drawing together a lot of stuff that isn't particularly addressed in history classes.

While things like the effects of smallpox on the Native American population are probably covered in most high school and intro college history courses, discussions of energy content in grains, the presence of or lack of animals that can be domesticated, the effects of mountain range orientation, et al. typically don't form parts of those curricula. The fact that a lot of it seems obvious in retrospect doesn't negate the fact that he's one of the first to articulate these things in a popular forum and, therefore, is many people's first introduction to some of these ideas.

Diamond is not the best writer on the planet, tending to ramble on at times; the second half of the book particularly showed that. However, I certainly found him readable and it's a book I recommend to those who I think have a bend for this kind of non-fiction.

Obviously, my reactions to the book differ from yours.

108: I agree with you there are a few points he brings up that were new - like the example you mentioned of the energy content of grains. But, my main problem was ther ambling. If he had covered that information in even half the length, it would have been a good book to me. But when there's nothing new being introduced for the last 200 pages and it's not incredibly talented writing . . . well, it just soured me to the earlier parts.

66. A Box of Matches by Nicholson Baker. I know he's widely known for his racier books (which I haven't read yet) but I hope people read his others as well. They're really like sitting in a warm blanket in front of a fire - yes, a reference to this book in fact.

They deal with minutia but in an enjoyable artistic way that makes you wish you could comprehend all the little things in life as clearly. This and Mezzanine are "Stop and smell the roses," books.

I wish I thought of it before....it'd be worth reading a chapter each morning when you wake up, if for nothing else than to have someone say "good morning."

67: Roverandom by J.R.R. Tolkien. I happened across this book when I was at the library. Being a big fan of the Middle Earth works of Tolkien, I picked it up. The plus of the book - it has Tolkien's comfortable way of telling a story. His pacing just makes you feel like you should settle in somewhere comfortable with a cup of hot tea and relax.

This story was written for his children and while I think it's a wonderful piece to be read if you're writing it for your own children, I felt it fell a little short as a story that should have been published. But, others have a different opinion. It's a very quick read, so I guess it doesn't hurt to pick it up.

I really liked A Box of Matches when I read it too. It's such a quiet book.

#112 - I think that's a good way to describe it. Baker really manages to catch the essence of mornings before the rest of the world wakes up.

68. The Diary of Adam and Eve by Mark Twain. I'm just a fan of Mark Twain. As a "real" person (real is in quotes because I feel like it was a bit of a public persona...) Anyway, this book, which is a fairly short story, is good for a few laugh out loud spots and general amusement throughout. At first, it makes Adam seem a bit dumb and later,Eve seems brilliant. In the end, both come off looking pretty dumb. Which in Twain's mind, probably sums up humanity. Here's the part where I keep my opinion on the matter to myself...

69. The Black Monk by Anton Chekhov. I enjoyed these two stories even though the backdrop is depressing. Both are philosophical and I believe they would be made better if read for a book club or class and discussed. In The Black Monk, my question is, is he crazy?

In Peasants, the question is, do situations people are placed in cause them to be unhappy with their lives or is it the individual who ultimately has control of their happiness with outside forces being minimal in that respect.

#111: I read some Tolkien folk tales earlier this year (Smith of Wotton Major and Farmer Giles of Ham) and enjoyed them, so I am very interested in reading Roverandom. Thanks for the recommendation, Sean.

#116. I would recommend with reservations - I had read Smith of Wootton Major & Farmer Giles of Ham a few years ago and enjoyed them. This tale was for a younger audience than the Hobbit, LoTR or Smith and Farmer. Still, you may find it enjoyable.

#117: Thanks for the heads up, Sean. I read quite a bit of juvenile and young adult literature, so Roverandom will fit right in.

70. Jitterbug Perfume - by Tom Robbins. This is my third Tom Robbins book. I liked it, but I'm starting to get the feeling that if you've read one Tom Robbins book, you've read them all. He even repeats phrases from book to book.

After I read Another Roadside Attraction (my first book of his) I remember wishing it was longer because it was so enjoyable. Then I read Villa Incognito and again, wished it was just a little longer....

With this, I think I've been sated for a while. Maybe it was the way Robbins used a letter written by one of his characters right at the end of the book to seemingly break character a bit and throw a heavy dose of his (Robbins') personal philosophy on the reader. Up until that point, I believe I could have been looking for another of his books. But for now, I'll wait a bit before I take another trip with Robbins.

The Diary of Adam and Eve is just fun--sometimes laugh out loud, sometimes groan, but glad you enjoyed it.

#121: I totally agree!

71: Houri At first, I hated this book and was dreading the slog through it. Of course, as a ER book, I wanted to give it a fair shake, especially because the publisher and LT went through the trouble of getting me a copy. Fortunately, it got better.

Initially, I felt the writing style was a little stiff and I also thought there were - and this is maybe a strange criticism - too many adjectives. Either Balali backed off them after a while, or I became accustomed to their excessiveness.

Anyway, on to the story - the tale is told in the present and through flashbacks to the narrator's childhood and relationship with a girl in America. Mostly, the past deals with his father and the way his father lives life at the detriment to his family.

The present deals with the narrator returning to Iran to see his mother after his father's funeral. He visits people from his past and tries to make sense of his father and the mystery of a large sum of money stolen from him as a child.

The recent past deals with his relationship with a girl in America and how his past helped to cloud his present/future.

So...even though the flashbacks make sense and are handled well, I couldn't rate this book to highly. Here's why: I don't believe there's one character that I liked. In fact, I feel I may actively have disliked all of them. But, Balali did give his characters some depth and a reader will receive plenty of reason to understand why they dislike the characters.

The dislike of the characters, at least for me, ultimately weighs down the book. There are some writers who create despicable or pathetic characters, but their writing is so incredible, that you'll happily give audience to their cast of misfits and rogues. Unfortunately, Balali isn't at that level of skill.

Still, it's not a horrible book and I'd lean towards recommending it to people who read books about dysfunctional families, foreign cultures or those trying to get their lives on track after having a rough go at childhood.

#122: I think I will give that one a pass. I hope your next read is better for you, Sean!

72: Fragile Things - by Neil Gaiman. How to describe this collection of short stories by Neil Gaiman? Here's the thing - this is a really odd collection because it's contrary to how collections normally go. There weren't any stories that left me totally mesmerized, but there weren't really any that were total slouches either. Here's the strange part - the stories each separately would probably rate as 3 stars - but since they were all 3 stars I feel it brings the collection up a 1/2 star. Overall, Gaiman has a real storyteller talent - like I could picture him many lifetimes ago being a bard traveling the lands or a tribe's shaman keeping stories alive.

73: The Island at the End of the World by Sam Taylor. The book uses three different narrators to tell the tale of a family stranded on an island after the great flood. It's a little annoying at first - the youngest narrator Finn uses spelling and syntax that makes Huck Finn look like a college graduate.

Eventually the story moves past his narrative when a stranger comes to the island. That's when it gets a bit better. It's still a little too heavy-handed and implausible - I feel like the author didn't double-check his work. There are a few too many plot holes to be able to comfortably fall into a willing suspension of disbelief without having to really work at doing so.

#125: I think I will give that one a pass. I hope your next read is better for you, Sean.

74. The Dark Tower and Other Stories by C.S. Lewis. This collection of mostly unfinished tales was an interesting read. First, the preface by Lewis' former secretary Walter Hooper was worth a read. Hooper explained that much of Lewis' work was disposed of in a bonfire by Lewis' older brother. What we're presented with here is what he was able to save from incineration and Hooper as the executor of Lewis' literary estate held onto.

Questions have been presented as to whether Lewis actually wrote all these stories or if Hooper embellished or outright wrote some.

Regardless, most of the stories weren't reaching the heights of Lewis' works that I'm familiar with- (Screwtape Letters and Chronicles of Narnia). They were just OK. Maybe that's why he had put them aside long ago and just never finished them. Fortunately, the last few stories were really enjoyable. Unfortunately, what may have been my favorite, "After Ten Years," was another among the unfinished.

"After Ten Years" tells the story of what happened AFTER Troy was defeated and Helen was taken back. It's upsetting and yet in a way, wonderful that Lewis didn't finish it. It lets the reader fill-in his or her own blanks in a tale begun by a master.

#127: As I am a fan of Lewis' work, I will give that one a look. I have read Hooper's biography of Lewis and it is worth a read if you are interested, Sean.

#128: I'm working through a bunch of books I took out of the library right now - although it may be worth reading the bio early into next year - after I've read some of Lewis' other books. I'm thinking The Great Divorce and The Pelandria series would be good ones to look into. What's your opinion?

My favorite of Lewis' books is Surprised by Joy, but honestly, I do not think you can go wrong with any of his. The Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity are also excellent and I would recommend you read those along with The Great Divorce.

I have read The Screwtape Letters and I very much enjoyed it. That was my first step beyond Narnia. I'm sure I'll continue to pick up more of his work - Mere Christianity is up on the list, but the Great Divorce is at top of mind because my friends had a band they named by that title a few years back. :)

My official goal of the thread - although I believe I may hit 85 for the year...so this will continue, but it feels pretty good to read more books this year than I may ever have in one year before. Hopefully, I'll continue to top year after year.

Anyway...

75. The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes. I read some other reviews where people complained that the ending was too far out in fantasy land...but I have to disagree. Actually, I can't disagree with that precisely, instead it's more about highlighting the ending as too fantastic. The whole novel was way out there. But that's not a bad thing. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and maybe it's just the fact that I read The Good Thief and Fragile Things recently, but I felt there were close similarities with those works. For the first, Gibson's and Tinti's character choices and development were both well-done, but oddly similar. Gibson also echoes Gaiman's dark gothic atmosphere well in this novel.

In all, if you've read and enjoyed Tinti or Gaiman, you'll probably enjoy this book.

Congrats! And a good book for hitting the goal!! I really like the ending of The Somnambulist too. The Domino Men is Barnes' follow-on set now in the same world as The Somnambulist. It's pretty good too!

I've got The DOmino Men on my wishlist, and I'm going to track down a first print of The Somnambulist for my library :)

#132: I am a bit confused - are the two The Somnambulist books one and the same? You mention the one by Raph Gibson, but your review shows up on the page for the one by Jonathan Barnes and Domino Men is by Barnes as well.

#136: This would be the spot that I make a correction....

76. Love in the Time of Cholera - by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It took a little time to get into this book. In fact, I found it a little boring to start, but as it gained momentum, it was an enjoyable ride. Strangely, the most accurate way I can explain it is that the beginning was too long and the ending was too short.

This was only my second book by Marquez - I'll probably pick another one up sometime in the future, but I don't believe he's the type of writer that I would enjoy reading works from back-to-back.

77. On the Road - by Jack Kerouac. I read this book a little too late in life probably. Maybe if I read it about 15 years ago fresh out of high school, I would have been struck with wonder - and wanderlust. But, I found my own road with that over time anyway. Not as extreme as Sal and Dean, but I'm still happy with the choices and where things delivered me.

Anyway, on with the book - I think that this would be worth a read again because I came across a lot of symbolism and it didn't seem to be hidden - so an easy read you can feel smart about...

78. The Magicians - by Lev Grossman. The Magicians . . . it started off a little slow - which seems to be the norm for stories where someone discovers they have a hidden talent and they're whisked to another world to learn more about it. But, it stayed slow for a loooong time. Also, too often there seemed to be very little sense of wonder at the new abilities (understandable later in the book but not so much in the earlier parts). The characters were by and far, spoiled rich kids, really shallow and they didn't grow throughout the book even though there was a strong effort by the author to try to say otherwise. Still, I did enjoy parts of it - I'm just not sure if it was enough to want to revisit the settings and find out where the characters end up years down the line. At the end of the day, The Magicians decidedly was lacking in magic.

79. Pudd'nhead Wilson - by Mark Twain. As I read more Mark Twain, I become a bigger fan. Sure, this book is not among his best works, but even mediocre Twain is above so much out there. Unlike Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, in my mind, this book was a little confusing with what the message was regarding Twain's feelings on slavery. Whereas the other books had Jim as an uneducated, yet intelligent, honorable and very likeable character, the main black character in Pudd'nhead Wilson was detestable and even the secondary black character only allowed for partial sympathy regarding her actions. The plot outcome was very predictable, but it was still fun reading on as Twain took me there. The most enjoyable part of the book for me was the preface where Twain explained what the book had started as and who the main characters had been before the story ran in a different direction and the way he came up with disposing of the then-useless characters was a moment for actual laughter. That alone is worth giving the book a chance, if for nothing else than to read the preface.

80. The Good, Good Sheriff and Other Voices - by Joe Vernetti. So, the disclaimer is that I know the author of this collection of poems and short stories personally. That made me a little reluctant to read the work - what if it was horrible? What if it was so horrible it was unreadable? I had put off reading it for a little bit after it was sent my way, but finally settled in and gave it a read. I'm glad to say my fears went unrealized. The short stories were enjoyable and as I spoke with Joe later, I found that I need to be reading deeper into them because I had missed a lot of obvious symbolism - not due to poor writing, but because I was underestimating. The poetry didn't hit the mark for me and I feel it could have been left out or developed into another prose story. Some stories on their own were possibly four star, the poetry was more a two star for me at least and some of the other stories were more a three star, so it sits as an average of three star. I wouldn't be reluctant to read another collection from Vernetti.

#140: I agree with you about The Magicians. I was terribly disappointed in that one.

#141: I read Pudd'nhead Wilson several years ago. I may have to re-visit that one.

81. Elementals: Stories of Fire and Ice - by A.S. Byatt. This is the third or fourth book I've read by Byatt. I think it's my least favorite. As short story collections go, there were some good stories and some lacking a little. But, in this case, the stories that were good weren't great, so overall, I can't rate this collection very high. I had read Little Black Book a few years back and either I remember it more fondly than I should, or it was just outright better. I think it's the latter. Regardless, I just finished this book and immediately (on the same commute to work) began The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye. So I'll see if this was indicative of Byatt's short stories or a fluke.

82. The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye by A.S. Byatt. This is the third collection of short stories I've read from Byatt (along with some novels). It falls in between the two others (Little Black Book being the high point). I enjoyed the first few stories in this collection and was happily moving through the book when I got to the last story, which shares the name of the book title. I thought it was going to be a mundane piece about a relationship falling apart (as many of Byatt's stories seem to be), but it went into a bit a fairy tale midway through (as many of her other stories tend to do). So, it was saved and to me, saved my enjoyment of the book.

I have not read any of Byatt's short stories, but I loved her Possession so I will have to look for the stories. Thanks for the recommendations, Sean.

83. The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon. This is the first book I've read by Pynchon. I felt...underwhelmed. I'm still going to go on and read Gravity's Rainbow to make sure I'm not missing something, but overall, I felt like this was similar to a Tom Robbin's novel - which I'm also mostly over after reading a few of his. Hopefully, I just missed a lot in this novel since I was reading it on my usual work commute (bus, subway, office, reverse).

Sean, are you joining us in the 2010 group? It is up and running!

84. To Hellholes and Back: Bribes, Lies and the Art of Extreme Tourism by Chuck Thompson. Chuck Thompson shares more than just a surname with the late great Doctor. Chuck throws himself into the midst of things and takes people along for the ride. He's not spaced-out like HST, but he is a bit a curmudgeon and seems to dislike a lot of things and gets himself into some touchy situations. In fact, I don't believe he or HST ended up in as much danger as they claim in their stories, but that's part of the art of being a good story teller.

Chuck heads to Africa, India, Mexico City and horror of all horrors, Disney World, in this installment of his travels. Each has its dangers - Disney being the most hazardous with the possible brainwashing and Miley Cyrus zombiefication of all visitors.

The bright spot of this work - Chuck seems to be grumpier than I am about the world in general. That makes me feel better about myself on some deep level. Plus, he's entertaining with his writing. He's a competent traveler and a good story teller. He's grumpier than Bill Bryson but not as funny. More competent than Troost, but not as funny, and not as competent as some of the major adventurers from the past, but I'm guessing much funnier.

From time to time his language is a little rough around the edges, but it's not constant (although he does drop the big ones now and then).

Long story short - I recommend if you like travel/humor writing and adventure and picking up some information on different places/cultures.

85. A Fine and Private Place by Peter S. Beagle. I enjoyed this book. Like the title, it was just a calming, relaxing story. Sure, it has a few ghosts, untimeley deaths, some other things that would typically seem a little morbid (I won't go into spoilers) but it still manages to be a calm, comfortable read. It's a fine and private book?

Additional kudos goes to the awesome picture of author Peter S. Beagle on the back fly leaf smoking a cigarette with the errol Flynn mustache.

#150: Looks pretty good! Into the BlackHole it goes . . .

86. The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus. This was probably a waste of my time - I think this book consisting of a handful of essays by Camus should only be read when you're well-rested (which I haven't been with my work schedule for about two months). It probably would be better to read in a college classroom setting where you can bounce thoughts off peers (haven't been in that setting for over 9 years..) So, there may be good things going on here, but my head is too muddled for this level of philosophy at the moment.

87. Three Fallen Women by Amy Guth. Librarything clued me into this book when I saw Amy's profile as a librarything author. I'm glad it did.

Three Fallen Women - one blurb on the book jacket reads: "If Tom Robbins and Exene Cervenka had hot, filthy sex in some dank back alley, their illegitimate lovechild might look something like Amy Guth."

I think that's a good summary except to possibly add Chuck Palahniuk as an uncle.. Anyway, to add a little of my own flavor, I enjoyed the book and recommend it with some reservations - language is R-rated, situations are too, but a good read.

Alright - 87 for 2009....maybe I'll hit 90 for 2010, although I'm halfway through the first week and just halfway through my first book...I'll have to pick things up!