Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Tuesday's Book Review

"Over the Moon at the Big Lizard Diner" takes place between Killeen and Menard, Texas! I loved it because I could visualize that part of the Hill Country as I read the book. I loved it and highly recommend it - especially if you need a Texas fix - like I do, periodically. Plus it had a great story line about a woman that had to be in control of her life. It is the sequel to "The Lone Star Cafe" that I read last week.
"A Year on Ladybug Farm" is a book that I would obviously choose (for anyone that knows me). This is written by one of the women that writes in the "Mossy Creek" and "Sweet Tea" books, Donna Ball. It was a beautiful story of 3 women about my age that decide to buy into an old farm in Virginia and their adventures the first year after they make their decision. It is a wonderful book and I highly recommend it. I love it because I never worried about situations or language. If there was any language at all - it was a one time occurrence. I just found out there is a sequel to the book called "At Home on Ladybug Farm". I will be reading that too. I like the way Donna Ball writes anyway, so why not. I highly recommend this book

"Miss Invisible" is by Laura Jensen Walker. I am such a fan of her books as you can tell from my blogs about them. This is about a young woman that thinks she is obese and spends her life blending into the woodwork. Then one day she meets her fairy god mother - a big, black beautiful woman named Deborah. This book is a book that anyone that ever doubts herself would appreciate as they read the metamorphosis of this young woman. It will actually help you see yourself as a beautiful daughter of God. I highly recommend it.

Someone at sometime recommended Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Wood" at some point. They told me it was hilariously funny and that I would love it. I didn't find it even laugh out loud funny though it is humorous. I got tired of the language but it did make me think about how our National Parks are deteriorating. He and a friend walked a portion of the Appalachian Trail and this book is about that. I am still torn about recommending it. I must say I learned a lot but like I said - I got tired of the language - though it was nothing compared to "Julie and Julia"!

"Einstein - His life and His Universe" by Walter Isaacson was a book on CD that Clyde and I started listening last month when we went to Virginia. It is 18 CD's over an hour long. We enjoyed it but it was a lot of listening. I am glad I listened to it rather than read it because I would have quit reading it in the first chapter! There were parts that were very technical and way over my head but I am still glad that this was what we selected. I probably only listened to about 50% of it in truth. My mind would wander and Clyde listened to it when he was in the car (and he is in the car much more than I am). But I got the gist of the story. If you really love Einstein - I recommend the book - otherwise I would pass on it.

I found this book for free, laying on a table at the library. Just before Mom passed away, she was telling me the books she loved. One of the books she mentioned was "Forever Amber". I could never find it. I was quite tickled when I found the book laying on the table, so I picked it up. I don't understand why my mother liked this book. It is about a woman that chooses not to marry. She becomes a prostitute, knowing full well what that means in 17th century Britain (you can be flogged to death) and yet she continues to lie and cheat until she finally becomes a somewhat respectable wife and mother. I saw the movie that was made in the 1940's, and it obviously did not follow this story line - it was more like Camille. I can see Mom liking that because one of her favorite Opera's was La Bo heme. I think she got the movie confused with the book. If you even run across the book - don't waste your time. Besides it was written in the time when they were paid by the word - it is very wordy and gets no where very slowly!

"The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle" came along with "Dr Dolittle" when I downloaded the book. I was really quite astonished how close the actual story line was of the 2 books to the original movie with Rex Harrison. There was no beautiful woman, however and Matthew didn't go on the voyage with Dr Dolittle and Stubbins, but otherwise the stories were quite close - or at least you could tell where the inspiration came from. It was quite fun to read these books.

"Dr. Dolittle" by Hugh Lofting was a very inexpensive download on my Kindle. I needed a silly book because the last 3 books I had read were tear jerkers. This was a really fun read. If you haven't read the original and the "Voyages of Dr. Dolittle" lately - pick them up. You will probably be pleasantly surprised.

There was a picture here but it disappeared over the weekend! Oh Well

"Reconstructing Natalie" by Laura Jensen Walker, was a wonderful book. It took you through every emotion you can imagine! The story is about a 27 year old woman that faces breast cancer and ends up having a double mastectomy. To her horror, her well meaning mother told everyone at the Church she grew up in - why she was on their prayer list. There are other twists and turns in the book but it is interesting that as she is trying to find a church that doesn't know the intimate details of her life - she finds a support group that does fill her spiritual needs - in a round about way. I can't quit thinking about this book. It does end quite predictably but you want something to be happily ever after. The sad parts are so sad that the happy parts are made even happier because of them. I highly recommend this book.

3 comments:

Katherine said...

My dad made me read the North & South series by John Jakes. He said that Grandma read them out loud to him on car trips. I kept protesting because the books not only have a lot of language, there is a lot of other VERY graphic intimacy. I figured Grandma must have skipped those parts, but he insisted she never skipped anything. I tried reading them to be obedient, but I eventually had to stop because I could feel them dragging me down and away from the Spirit. My dad must have been confused or something. I've been wondering.

Grandma Bailey said...

Your dad loved the television mini-series (which was made for TV and very safe) and yes Grandma had the abridged version of North and South. She had no idea what she was missing. I tried to read the un-abridged and like you had to quit - it was just too awful. Grandma loved the Reader's Digest abridged books and read them periodically - she also quite frequently - (especially when she was really sick) would only read the first sentence of paragraph for chapters at a time in book. That was how she got through books so quickly.

Katherine said...

Aha! We had the min-series and would watch it a lot. I didn't know there was an abridged version. That makes so much sense.