50 Books
When I took up the 50 Book Challenge for 2006 I had my doubts about my ability read that many books in one year. That would mean averaging about one per week. Somehow, I did it! Between my Borders Reward card and Paperbookswap.com, I gathered enough reading material.2007 Challenge
For the upcoming year, Pooky is joining me in the quest to read 50 books. He's already ahead of me with 5 books read. I've yet to start a new book. I want to this year read at least 50% school-related books, which won't be hard to do since I have an almost endless list of therapy books and it keeps growing with each new case that I am assigned.
Last night I read my 29th book in my 50 book challenge. The Devil Wears Prada got bumped up on my To Be Read list since it is on everybody's wishlist at PaperBookSwap.com.
The story has a reputation of being extremely funny. I didn't laugh, even at the running joke about a million girls dying to have An-dre-ah's job. Instead my thoughts turned to something else entirely.
I began to see how renowned author Gregory Maguire could apply his special treatment of poorly understood, maligned, evil, and dislikeable characters to Miranda Priestly. His noted re-imagination of classic stories told from the point of view from the antagonist (because there are after all two sides to every story) would perfectly apply to The Devil Wears Prada.
I could imagine how Miranda would be portrayed: her forgetfulness would be attributed to a long-ago brain injury, which would explain why she kept calling Andrea by the name Emily; her temperament and moods could also be attributed to this brain injury, or perhaps some kind of disease or syndrome which would make Miranda act as she does. This affliction would be milked to have the audience feel sorry for Miranda, to understand that she is a victim caught in her own life.
Also, I can see the treatment applied to Miranda that would shed light in her hectic life of producing a well-respected magazine, plus being a trend-setter in a fast-paced, cut-throat industry. More sympathy and pity would be gained in explaining about Miranda's poverty stricken childhood and how she lives with deep internal conflict and misery for abandoning her Jewish ancestry of favor of fitting in, and that she regrets the path she has taken, etc.
True to the spirit of Maguire's treatment, Andrea would be portrayed as an ungrateful bitch who is really the villain. We would see Andrea in a dim light, revealing her evil side and total bitchiness. Rounding it out, we'd learn that Miranda is not the cold-hearted devil she is perceived to be, but truly hurts inside and longs to be understood.
I've got a stack of books to select from. I can't believe I'll be starting on my 30th book!
I admit I was a bit suspect if I would even like Artemis Fowl, as there is a rash of young adult and children's literature that is taking advantage of the Harry Potter popularity of fantasy, wizardry, and magic.
Artemis is a 12 year old criminal genius, so the back cover says. He tries to steal some gold from fairies to save his family's reputation and power. Don't let the simplicity of the plot summary lead you away from reading the story! It is funny, cleverly written, and incredibly entertaining. I can see this book being adapted into a movie with all kinds of CGI effects.
I can see why kids are snapping up the books. I have already requested the next two in the series from PaperBackSwap.com ad can hardly wait to read them!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Recommendation: 5 out of 5
I decided that I may better understand Wicked by Gregory Maquire if I read some of his other work. I selected Confessions of an Ugly Step-sister during my last shopping excursion to the book store.
This book was easier to read as it was shorter, and it flowed better in my mind. I've picked up on Maguire's writing style and now have a better sense of what he wishes to convey. Like all authors he has pet themes and manners of writing. I construe his retelling or re-imagining of the classic fairy tale stories as if they had met today's favored manner in which to tell stark reality and truths. Even the presence of the mystical or magick are not flights of fantasy, but rather used to focus on the harsh nature of real-life. I can appreciate his perspective, but I don't share it. I need a little bit of whimsy and fantasy because reality is so darn harsh that I like to escape from it, and not have to constantly be reminded of it.
In this book we are retold the story of Cinderella from the view of the maligned ugly step-sisters. He explores like he has done in Wicked the story from the villain or antagonists view, what motivates them, what their thoughts are, why events happened as they did. He attempts to humanize the characters that have for so long been portrayed as evil monsters, and often turns the tables making the good characters appear bad or flawed.
I'm not sure the reason to retell these stories if other than to lessen the cruel image of the villains while simultaneously repainted the good characters as having secret streaks of evil. Granted he writes cleverly and has something to say, but I think that from the two stories I've read of his, he keeps to a set style and pattern of re-imagining the classic tales, and to me that gets old and predictable. Perhaps his sequel to Wicked reads less formulaic being that it is an original work not trying to retale a story?
Rating: 3 out of 5
Recommendation: 3 out of 5
According to my records, I'm only two books off on my 50 Book Challenge! I'm sure if I keep at it I can catch up. Plus I feel good about cracking into my scholastic books on the list.
The second installment of Cornelia Funke's trilogy, Inkspell, has Meggie, Mo, and Resa enter into the Inkworld where the three of them have an adventure like none other. Joining them are Dustfinger, Basta, and The Magpie. The source of conflict comes from a new enemy The Adderhead.
Because Funke has planned for third installment this book leaves the characters lingering at the end. If I say how they are lingering I'll have to write a spoiler and well, I'm just not going to do that!
This book moved much quicker than the first. The story gets underway right at the start, and there was never a dull moment, which was good considering that it is over 600 pages!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Recommendation: 4 out of 5
I read an actual scholarly book for school! You Just Don't Understand by Deborah Tannen is about the conversational style differences between men and women. She explains that women approach conversations to build intimacy, connection, and community. Men approach a conversation through the lens of hierarchy, competition, and independence. This all gives rise to the typical uxorous complaint of "My husband doesn't talk to me!"
While she gives many good examples of the differences between the genders, her ending is weak in how to find a solution or compromise, or even how to learn to modify your gender-specific style. It is one thing to have an understanding or an awareness of how the sexes approach conversations, yet it doesn't help a person unlearn or learn how to break out of their gender molds.
She also says that women are damned no matter what gender style they use. If a woman takes on too much of a masculine way of conversing she is thought of as aggressive and unfeminine. If she uses her own gender's style she is thought of as passive, too feminine, and dependent. You can't win. You can't break even. You can't even quit the game.
The book is written for the layperson and is useful in inciting awareness regarding communication problems in all relationships.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Recommendation: 4.5 out of 5
When the movie adaptation first came out I admit I had no idea that there was a book first. The Never Ending Story by Michael Ende is a fantasy in the spirit of Narnia.
If you've only seen the movie then you are missing quite a bit of the book! The movie only covers about 25% of the actual never-ending story. It's what happens after Bastian enters into Fantastica (not Fantasia as it is called in the screen version) that the rest of the story unfolds. Bastian must discover what he truly wishes for, but every wish he makes comes at the price of losing one of his memories of the human world.
Ideally, I'd like to own a hardcover first edition of this book because each chapter has ornate artwork that I think is in color in the original. Plus, the story contains the original luckdragon. I have my own: Smee!
Rating: 4.8 out of 5
Recommendation: 5 out of 5
I've been in the mood to read current young adult to children's best selling fiction. One of the books on my list that I finished reading is Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.
The idea behind the story, that the story comes to life—literally—reminds me of The Never Ending Story (at least the movie version). The two main characters, Meggie and Mo (a daughter and father team), have the ability to read aloud characters and objects out of the stories they read. Unintentionally, Mo reads out a villain and assorted characters from a book his wife adores. His wife is read into the book in exchange. The villain of the story, Capricorn, seeks Mo to read him back into the story, or at least do his evil bidding.
I did enjoy this story and will read the sequel. I liked the idea of the story and it was nicely written. It was slow to get going with a lot of hinting and luring in the first quarter of the book.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Recommendation: 4 out of 5
On Saturday night I finished Wicked. I can't say that I was really into the story—I appreciated the cleverness of the story, giving the Wicked Witch of the West and East a personal history, but I think I've watched the movie one too many times, played the movie soundtrack too often during my impressionable years, and have tried to impersonate the Witch's voice screeching "Sleep!" and "Poppies!" well beyond the limits of sanity.
It is a good story. I'm sure if I read it again some day in the future I'll connect with it better than I do now. That's happened to me before. I've read a book and mentally went huh?, only to read the book again a decade later and mentally proclaim aha!
I am 4 books behind on the 50 Book Challenge shedule. This is week 12 of the year and I've read 8 books so far. I am disappointed in myself in that I've not yet read the pithy school stuff I have, instead indulging in the bliss of fictional works. Hopefully during the summer I can read with zest as the long summer nights often put me into full night owl mode and I can read until 2 am without suffering for it the next day.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Recommendation: 4 out of 5
In this book Anne goes to Summerside where she is a teacher at a girl's school. The three years covered in this book are the final days before Anne's marriage to Gilbert. She encounters the infamous Pringles and wins them over by proving herself to them all.
The book is written in a different style compared to the previous Anne stories. The plot is conveyed through a series of letters written to Gilbert with regular narration peppered in between. I found this style to be confusing, choppy, and wondered why L. M. Montgomery chose to write the book this way?
Living up to the Anne stories, many new characters are introduced including Rebecca Dew, Dusty Miller, and Elizabeth Grayson who seeks to live in Tomorrow and where she can be away from Grandmother and the Woman.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Recommendation: 2.5 out of 5
Completing the Tarot trilogy are Vision of Tarot and Faith of Tarot, of course still written by Piers Anthony.
I decided to write about both of these books together since they are more cohesive than the first. In Vision of Tarot Brother Paul uses the Tarot Animations to explore the different major religions to see if he can find the one true God of Tarot.
He re-enacts Biblical scenes and creates a scenario in which to explain why Jesus didn't have sex (an accident at his bris). He intimates that there was an ancient race of people who are responsible for life on Earth and other areas of the galaxy, who left behind fragments of their high technology. He has Jesus encounter one of these ancient artifacts which charges his aura, elevating it to a divine status.
By the end of the book Brother Paul realizes that the Christian God isn't going to give answers so instead he seeks Satan who always is willing to help and answer anyone's prayers, wishes, sacrifices, etc. Thus, Brother Paul decides to enter Hell to meet Satan on his own turf.
Faith of Tarot begins with Brother Paul and his companions summoning Satan so that they may enter Hell. The Black Mass may be objectionable to those of delicate constitution, but it is nothing you wouldn't imagine to take place at an evil rite.
Once Brother Paul and friends are in Hell, Satan grants Paul three wishes, and Paul uses them to learn about the history and origin of the true Tarot, and then about the future of the Tarot. Paul discovers that the deck originally contained 100 cards, and that the suit of Aura was lost. In the future the full Tarot is restored and the Tarot Animations are used all around the universe as a healing tool.
I think that the third book is the best in the trilogy as it fully explores the Tarot that Piers Anthony has created. Each book goes have an appendix listing all 100 cards, with some explanations, but here he gives us a nice story about the origins.
This is my second time reading the series; my first reading was in 1991. I still lament that the proposed Tarot deck was not created. Perhaps there wasn't enough interest to commission the deck to be made?
For anyone who enjoys the Tarot, and can stomach Anthony's sexism in the form that women are sex objects, there is a lot of merit to this trilogy.
Rating for both books: 3.5 out of 5
Recommendation: 3.5 out of 5
God of Tarot by Piers Anthony is the first intallment of a three part story set on the planet Tarot. This first book covers the first 8 cards in an imaginary Tarot deck that Anthony creates.
Integrated into this book are bits of historical fact, such as a blurb about Pope Joan, and the history and origins of the Tarot deck. Anthony creates a world in which Tarot cards come to life containing real people and which anyone can interact with. However, there are dangers in interacting with these real scenes!
Sent to investigate the nature of these manifestations is Brother Paul, from the Holy Order of Vision. He is to determine what God is the true God, and who is behind the Tarot animations.
Anthony's usual wit and wittisms are peppered throughout the tale, and his rather sexist portrayal of women is strong. The women physically are a twelve year old boy's fantasy and exist for sexual release and pleasure.
Considering that this book was copyrighted in 1979, it doesn't read terribly dated. It is a fun series for some light-hearted entertainment with just enough fact to make it pithy.
Rating: 3 of out 5
Recommendation: 3 out of 5
Part one of a sci-fi trilogy, Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis, reflects Lewis' signature trait of showcasing Good vs. Evil in a fantastical land.
Copyrighted in 1938, the science is terribly inaccurate from today's perspective (I am a geeky person who cares about such things), and also takes a snapshot of life during that limited time of 'peace' between World Wars.
Lewis' writing style is reminiscent of the long-winded Victorian writers who had the capacity to make a sentence last a paragraph through the abuse of colons and semi-colons, with long narrative descriptions that could have easily been summed up in just a few words. It is occasionally fun to read this kind of style, just to see how it contrasts today's choppy, concise use of language.
But, take away all of the descriptions and narration, the story itself is then condensed down into the last four chapters where the heart of the tale really lives. Here he presents to us a commentary of the moral state of humanity and of how we conquer new lands and peoples to exploit all of the resources from the environment, etc. It is clear that what he feels is missing from our world is our connection to a higher power or entity. Our world, in comparison to Malacandra, is the domain of the Bent One, who has allowed fear and deception to reign over love and acceptance of diversity.
This book is definitely not written for children like the Narnia series, but it would be suitable for young adults. My recommendation score is low because I do not feel that this is a "must read" book; however, it is a "nice to read" book if you find yourself interested in exploring Lewis' books outside of Narnia.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Recommendation: 2.5 out of 5
Ruby by Mary Summer Rain is Mary's second fictional work. Her other works include the No Eye's series of books, multiple reader question and her answer books, two memoirs, and more.
She is one of the greatest spiritual writers of our time. Her influences of Gnosticism, Edgar Cayce, and Native American spirituality, are apparent in her beliefs and wisdom.
Her books have been my mentors as I have travelled my own path of spiritual growth and development. I highly respect her not only as a talented author, but as a person.
Ruby is her newest book, a fictional story that posits reality is unlimited possibilities, one of these possibilities being that an elderly bag lady is really the incarnation of the MotherGod. There are three main characters in this book: Sadie, Savannah, and Ruby. Together Sadie and Savannah cross paths with Ruby and witness the elder women interact with many diverse people and perform seemingly supernatural things.
If you are familiar with Mary's previous works, this book reads like a distillation of her previous messages she has put forth in other books. This would be an excellent book to be introduced to Mary's writing because I think it would pique interest to delve into her more serious works.
The book struck me as being written for someone who is new to the concept of God having a female aspect, and is willing to explore the notion of God being both Father and Mother. Mary doesn't go into depth how Christianity converted the Goddess into the genderless Holy Ghost/Spirit; she glosses over that ancient cultures did worship Goddesses known by various names and images. The entire thrust of this story is that the Goddess is currently living among us cleverly "disguised" as a bag lady.
Since the notion of God being both male and female is something I've explored for almost 20 years, the book read for me like 'preaching to the choir'. Still, I love Mary's writing style and her ability to convey important messages while crafting a darn good story.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Recommendation: 3.5 out of 5