| The Stranger by Albert Camus, 154 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, December 01, 2003 This is a book designed for a class discussion. I know it's supposed to be chock full of extistential meaning, but it eludes me. Something about the nature of life, our inevitable death, fate, and hope. Dude kills an Arab just to watch him die. | Savage Girl by Alex Shakar, 275 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, October 27, 2003 I've sadly slipped out of the Gadd-o-sphere. Must read faster. It would help if I didn't choose books that are a slog to get through. This one wants to say some profound things about consumerism and advertising and a post-irony age. And I was ready to listen. Sadly, the writing lacked style, zip, and was full of pretention. Except for one line which I liked: "James Couch and James Couch's irony sat down at the barstool beside me." |
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing, 280 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, February 21, 2002 Shackleton, Shackleton he's our man! |
House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus, III, 365 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, February 10, 2005 Mike Gadd's review prepared me, so I was able to enjoy how the tragedy unfolds--and if you're a literature geek, like me, you get excited about such things. The characters had clear choices--but the ending had a sense of inevitability about it--which is masterful. Good stuff. Bonus points for a shout-out to Law & Order and the ending which was an homage to Othello. Excellent read. |
Close Range: Wyoming Stories by Annie Proulx, 283 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, August 28, 2002 Proulx's stories are always dark. These are dark, hard, unforgiving stories about cowboys and ranches. It's all about being maimed, dead, or lonely. My favorite kind of stories. |
That Old Ace in the Hole by Annie Proulx, 359 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, September 06, 2004 Annie Proulx, for me, ranks right up there with Maggie Atwood. But, I suppose to write beautifully you have to write a clunker every once in awhile. This one was it. Only through sheer force of will did I finish this one. Recommended Vocabulary: pabulum, strabismus, porsiflage, tapirs, rachitic, niobium, adit, caliche (which was used nearly every chapter), blinko. |
Nickel and Dimed: on (Not) getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich, 221 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, June 02, 2004 Writer goes undercover as a low-wage worker to discover that (surprise!) you can't really live on $7/hour. Tell me something I don't know. Although there's not much new here (I've worked as a waittress and in retail), it was interesting to read about her experience working for the evil, evil Wal-Mart. Also, as I was writing this, when I wrote "evil, evil Wal-Mart" the first time, the site suddenly closed down. Be gone ghost of Sam Walton! |
In Country by Bobbie Ann Mason, 245 pages Kristin Schrock Saturday, June 15, 2002 This is the second book in a row to feature an egret. This one takes place in 1984 and Sam, our spunky heroine, is trying to find out what Vietnam was like. But when she finds out, she realizes she didn't really want to know. Isn't that always the way? It begins with dialogue, and I'm just never going to be a fan of that. |
If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor by Bruce Campbell, 302 pages Kristin Schrock Friday, January 04, 2002 The writing isn't great, but the stories of the beginnings of Evil Dead are very funny. Plus, pictures! |
Make Love! the Bruce Campbell Way (a novel) by Bruce Campbell, 306 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, February 27, 2006 Bruce Campbell goes on a series of adventures after being cast in a "A" list movie. He amusingly references his "B" movie filmography throughout--including Tornado! (which was totally awesome) and Terminal Invasion (Classic Bad Book of TiVO movie). |
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, 186 pages Kristin Schrock Sunday, December 11, 2005 I actually don't remember what I thought about this book when I first read it as a young lass. I do remember, though, that our class project was the Trials of Narnia wherein I was the defense attorney for the White Witch. I fear I have become a crotchety adult with a cold black heart because I found nothing magical or special about this book. In fact, I found it to be a little annoying (especially when reminded that the girls are not to fight in the battle "because battles are ugly when women fight.") I just kept wondering why more people don't know about the Lloyd Alexander Prydain books which I like to read every few years or so because they are just that good. |
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers, 359 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, February 11, 2002 Lonely characters mill around a small, lonely southern town being all lonely. But in a good way. |
A Married Man by Catherine Alliott, 407 pages Kristin Schrock Tuesday, May 20, 2003 A romantic novel in which the heroine tries unsuccessfully to have an affair with a married man (only to find true love with a man who has been her friend forever, naturally) in which we learn that dead husbands, funny, dead children, not funny. |
Eleventh Hour by Catherine Coulter, 337 pages Kristin Schrock Tuesday, August 03, 2004 The second in my series of books bought at the grocery store. This one featured a sunset picture of the Golden Gate Bridge on the cover. This sub-par thriller featured a serial killer who begins the book by killing a priest. Then he's after a "homeless" woman who has her own dark secrets. I didn't guess the twists, but they weren't terribly interesting either. If I could just get through the "real" book I'm reading, I could quit torturing myself with books like this. |
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, 356 pages Kristin Schrock Sunday, January 16, 2005 It took awhile to get in the groove of the language which seemed old fashioned in its imagery and pace. And then I had to get over my annoyance at the character of Inman--he's a bit flat. His part in the novel is to journey back to Cold Mountain. But he does not change as a character, or really learn anything that he doesn't know at the start of the book. Ada's storyline interested me, as she must learn to live off the land. It didn't even bother me that Nicole Kidman played her in the movie. |
Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, 569 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, December 26, 2005 This was recommended by a friend of mine. I loaned her Slaughterhouse Five and I got this one--not a fair trade. Clunky writing and an abundance of ellipses. Like this sentence: "The killer still remembered every word of that call..." which led directly to a flashback. Bleh. |
Ride With the Devil by Daniel Woodrell, 242 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, January 23, 2003 I enjoyed the movie so much (even with Jewel--I know!), that I had hoped that the novel would elaborate on some of the gaps. But, no, trust Ang Lee to be very faithful. The back of the book said this is a coming of age story--so the story ends when Jake learns some stuff, but I didn't read the back until I was finished with it, so I'm still left wanting. I'm not sure how much I would've enjoyed this book if I hadn't had Tobey McGuire narrating with a guest appearance by Simon Baker, but still an interesting perspective on the Civil War (not so much from the viewpoint of the South, but from the middle west states like Kansas and Missouri.) What Jake does learn is how far men will go for loyalty--even when losing sight of the Cause. This books get props for this sentence: "Oh, everything happens." |
Tomato Red by Daniel Woodrell, 225 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, December 15, 2004 From the author of Ride with the Devil--also it was $1-- the story of a family from the wrong side of town--they sort of adopt the unreliable narrator, Sammy, a petty thief and thug. It was an interesting read (I think), because I had no idea where the plot was going, but the end really seemed inevitable. Not an easy trick to pull off. |
Naked by David Sedaris, 291 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, April 24, 2003 I thought this was going to be a LAFF RIOT, something I could breeze through as I make my way up the booklist. A million years later, I'm finally done. Maybe it's because these are essays instead of stories. Or maybe they just didn't grab me. I'm just glad to put this one back on the shelf. |
Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson, 160 pages Kristin Schrock Saturday, March 08, 2003 A series of non-sequitir stories. But in a groovy kind of way. Parts actually made me laugh out loud. Like this one: "Are you hearing unusual sounds or voices?" the doctor asked. "Help us, oh God, it hurts," the boxes of cotton screamed. "Not exactly," I said. |
White Noise by Don DeLillo, 326 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, October 20, 2005 The third National Book Award Winner in a row, and I must say I haven't been all that impressed. This one was recommended by a co-worker. We're not speaking anymore. It's sort of like a contemporary Plague--without, you know, being good. Props for using the word "Ufologist". I did like this sentence: "In situations like this, you want to stick close to people in right-wing fringe groups." |
The Big Bad Wolf Tells All by Donna Kauffman, 329 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, November 25, 2004 I thought this was going to be a fun re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood. Instead, fluffy and predictable. Bleh. |
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, 215 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, May 19, 2005 A refresher read in preparation for the movie. It was not as enjoyable the second time around--probably because I'm older now. But the charactars are still enjoyable, even in my crotchety old age. |
Microserfs by Douglas Coupland, 371 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, February 18, 2002 The journals of a Microsoft coding geek. Part of the "work sucks" genre that I'm particularly fond of. Some parts very funny, some parts way too existential. |
Generation X by Douglas Coupland, 183 pages Kristin Schrock Sunday, June 09, 2002 Acts as sort of a primer for Generation X with the definition of terms such as, "ultra short term nostalgia", "terminal wanderlust", and chapter titles such as "Why I am So Poor". But the narrative lacked bite and in the end nothing really happens. Maybe that's the point. |
Hey, Nostradamus! by Douglas Coupland, 244 pages Kristin Schrock Saturday, November 06, 2004 Clearly inspired by the Columbine shootings and the martyrdom of the one student--I can't remember her name, but her parents wrote a book called, "She Said Yes"--, Coupland tells the story of the aftermath of a school shootings. It's told by the point of view of the girl who is killed, her high school boyfriend, the woman he falls in love years later, and his father. Not the stinging bite that I'd come to expect from Coupland, but interesting enough. Plus, bonus points for putting an exclamation point in the title. |
Shampoo Planet by Douglas Coupland, 299 pages Kristin Schrock Sunday, May 15, 2005 The guy at the bookstore was very excited that I was buying this book. After reading it, I'm not sure why. It had moments where I thought--this guy is really good--but overall the book was unsatisfying. |
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton, 181 pages Kristin Schrock Sunday, May 30, 2004 I was warned about this book, about how I might spiral into depression after reading it. But I have to say, it didn't seem all that depressing. Ethan pines for the woman who cares for his hypochondriacal wife, but honor forbids him from leaving the wife. Angst and tragedy ensue. The end. |
Getting Over Jack Wagner by Elise Juska, 286 pages Kristin Schrock Tuesday, November 18, 2003 All I need is just a little more time, to be sure, what I feel, isn't all in my mind, because it seems so hard to believe, that you're all I need. |
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, 279 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, December 30, 2002 I read about this book in an article about Harry Potter: if you liked Harry Potter, you'll like this. Plus, it has darkness. I am all about the darkness. Artemis is a 12 year old criminal mastermind who is scheming to get his family fortune back. The scheme involves stealing some fairy gold. Artemis is a cool character, but we spend too much time with other annoying characters--which is probably so that at least one character will appeal to the young kids reading it. I don't think I won the race for fifth. Next year, Steves, next year. And, Juliette Binoche was in the movie Chocolat--which I didn't see but was innondated with previews. |
The Virgin by ErikBarmack, 244 pages Kristin Schrock Saturday, April 02, 2005 I was swayed by the cover blurbs which proclaimed this to be like Nick Hornsby and Bret Ellison. Pshaw! The story of a reality show contestant on a show called "the virgin". Pedestrian and predictable--although there's a shout-out to TWoP. Blah. |
Tender Is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 315 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, September 19, 2002 The story of the disintegrating marriage of Dr. Dick Diver and his crazy wife Nicole (read: Fitzgerald and his crazy wife Zelda). It captures the poignancy, but the novel lacks structure and meanders. |
The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 449 pages Kristin Schrock Tuesday, January 06, 2004 Finally. The story of an idle, affluent couple who find that they are living outside of their means. They were beautiful and apparently damned. There's some drinking and lamenting of one's fate. Recommended vocabulary: raillery, bilphism, retogravure, maxixe, brummagem, pusillanimous, sempiternal, umbrageousness (side note: don't think I didn't notice, Ms. Gephart, how you sidled in and took fourth place. I thought I was firmly entrenched. I'll be watching you.) |
Dear Gangster: Advice for the Lonelyhearted From the Gangster of Love by Gangster of Love, 164 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, March 12, 2003 Now that I have slipped into fifth place (d*mn you, Julie and your fast reading of monstrous books), I needed some light fare. This is a very funny compilation of an advice column for the lovelorn. Includes the following passage: "I have this dream that someday I will do something so outstanding that it will culminate with four triple back flips and a tearful hug from Bela Barolyi" |
Middlemarch by George Eliot, 952 pages Kristin Schrock Sunday, March 07, 2004 At last! "A woman dictates before marriage in order that she may have an appetite for submission afterwards." Thank you, George Eliot. Also, for Abennett, Effigy Count=1. |
Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene, 306 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, February 17, 2003 It took me about 100 pages to figure out exactly what the heart of the matter was. Basically, Scobie, the most honest police officer in British run Africa, is slowly corrupted by his intense desire not to be the cause of unhappiness to those he loves. Something like that. Okay, I still don't know what it was about. But it had this wonderful sentence in it: "He watched her go out of the dark office like fifteen wasted years." |
The End of the Affair by Graham Greene, 240 pages Kristin Schrock Friday, January 20, 2006 The narrator and God are rivals for the love and devotion of Sarah. God wins. This is a beautiful and poignant exploration of love and hatred and jealousy and a reminder that the House always wins. |
Ghost Soldiers (Audio) by Hampton Sides, 0 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, January 14, 2002 The dramatic story of the rescue of the Bataan POWs with lots of heroic derring-do. |
After the Quake: Stories (Translated from Japanese) by Haruki Murakami, 181 pages Kristin Schrock Sunday, January 22, 2006 Read aloud during the car ride back from Goshen, Indiana. These stories all feature the 1995 Kobe earthquake at some point, and it works as a metaphor for vulnerability. I wasn't jazzed about the writing (that could be the translation), but some of the images were lovely. Besides, winter cornfields do get a bit monotonous after awhile. |
Atonement by Ian McEwan, 351 pages Kristin Schrock Friday, December 02, 2005 Jim was right. The novel is told in multi-p.o.v. and shockingly I didn't mind because I liked all the characters except one, and that was the shortest part. I thought the ending particularly enjoyable as it rivals The French Lieutenant's Woman for cool commentary on storytelling. Chesterfields abound, but McEwan pretty much had me at the Northanger Abbey epigraph. Amazon.com Stats: 7.8 grade level with 9% of the words being complex. |
Amsterdam by Ian McEwan, 178 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, February 02, 2006 Not quite as poignant as Atonement, but still enjoyable examination of chance and choice and misinterpretations leading to tragedy. Although the final action that leads to the tragedy didn't quite track for me, his characters are vivid and his use of language masterful. |
A Severed Head by Iris Murdoch, 205 pages Kristin Schrock Saturday, November 20, 2004 A bizarre love hexagon: Martin, who is married to Antonia, is having an affair with Georgie. Antonia confesses an affair with Palmer. Martin subsequently falls in love with Honor, Palmer's sister. Georgie has an affair with Martin's brother, Alexander (who may or may not be having an affair with Antonia). The novel opened with dialogue (so I didn't have high expectations) and even with all the Melrosian affairs, it was a bit dull until it took a much needed twisted turn towards the end. Recommended vocabulary: pusillanimity, sybarite, insuperably. |
Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger, 202 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, October 09, 2002 Holden Caulfield, I mean, Franny has a nervous breakdown and goes home. The Glass family resembles Wes Anderson's Tenenbaums (or the other way around)--they're all disaffected geniuses. Zooey tells Franny to "Snap out of it!" There's some talk about God and Jesus and shining your shoes for Jesus. The beginning is compelling, but the end just devolves into speechifying. |
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Audio) by J.K. Rowling, 0 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, February 14, 2002 Harry should cry more. Terrible things happen to him and nary a tear. I wonder if that's because he's British. A little sobbing would do him good. This is the best of the bunch. |
Miss Shumway Waves a Wand by James Hadley Chase, 169 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, March 25, 2002 I've been looking for this book for a long time. It's out of print in the U.S, but thanks to a interlibrary loan (hooray for the public library!) I got an ancient copy of it. It's a sort of magical realism noir. Bizarre and funny up until the third act which sort of goes astray. |
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, 376 pages Kristin Schrock Friday, September 19, 2003 A criminal mastermind is kidnapping characters from novels and holding them for ransom--and now he's after Jane Eyre! The middle and ending aren't as groovy as the beginning, but there's a scene wherein Richard III is performed like Rocky Horror Picture show. It would probably only appeal to lit geeks, but fun enough that I might check out the second in the series. |
Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde, 399 pages Kristin Schrock Sunday, June 05, 2005 The second in the Tuesday Next, literary detective series. Quick and entertaining, but a little too pleased with itself in places. But I'm too much of a literary geek to resist the literature in-jokes, so I'll probably read the next one, too. |
Good Morning, Midnight by Jean Rhys, 190 pages Kristin Schrock Friday, June 25, 2004 I was bookless for a couple days post move because I had tucked this in a box somewhere knowing that I would find it at the new place. Of course, I had no idea where I had put and I couldn't start another book when so close to the end on this one. That being said, this seems to be the counterpart to the Sun Also Rises. A "wounded" woman wanders around Paris in a drunken haze. Amazing in that it's melodramatic, but does not feel forced. Like this: "...because it hurts, when you have been dead, to come alive." |
Sexing the Cherry by Jeannette Winterson, 167 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, May 07, 2003 Essentially, there are three different stories masquerading as a novel. The last two "stories" are interesting, but the first part was a bear to muddle through. The second one tells the story of the "Twelve Dancing Princesses" and I'm a sucker for the retelling of fairy tales. As I read more Winterson (this is my least favorite other than the one that I could never finish) I realize how in love she is with her writing and her tendency towards the precious gets on my nerves. |
Reinventing Mona by Jennifer Coburn, 314 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, February 23, 2005 Light trash. A nice diversion from the tragedy of The House of Sand and Fog. |
In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner, 421 pages Kristin Schrock Friday, July 15, 2005 Enjoyable summer beach book. It even has discussion questions at the back, one of which claims that a multi-character point of view story is an "unusual technique." Yes, this author is totally breaking new ground. Also, Amazon.com revealed the following stastitics--it's a 6 grade reading level book, the author uses "again" 167 times, and I got 12,540 words per dollar--which seems like a good deal. |
Dalva by Jim Harrison, 324 pages Kristin Schrock Saturday, July 13, 2002 This guy is really good. An epic tale about coming home and unearthing bodies in the cellar--literally. Unfortunately, it's a dual p.o.v and the second isn't as compelling as it throws in some journal entries about the last of the Sioux, Crazy Horse, and the Ghost Dance movement. Also, an egret shows up on page 103 (the fourth book in a row if you're keeping track). Recommended vocabulary: tendentious, pule |
The Road Home by Jim Harrison, 446 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, July 06, 2005 Jim Harrison can tell a story. This one continues the story from his previous novel, Dalva. Epic and wonderful. Excellent read. |
Winner of the National Book Award: A Novel of Fame, Honor, and Really Bad Weather by Jincy Willett, 323 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, March 09, 2006 I was trapped on an airplane (at the gate) for 6 hours. So I was very thankful that I always overpack my carry-on with books. This one was a very good read--Dorcas tells what really happened to her twin sister, Abigail. |
Chocolat by Joanne Harris, 320 pages Kristin Schrock Friday, December 06, 2002 I did not see the movie, but from the previews it seemed like "Juliette Binoche turns everyone into sex crazed chocolate fiends". Not that that's a bad thing. But the book isn't like that at all. In fact, hardly anyone gets some. Here's the gist: the Church is bad. Chocolate is good. Thus endeth the lesson. |
The Water-Method Man by John Irving, 272 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, April 15, 2002 Midway through the novel, the main character becomes the subject of a documentary called F***ing Up. In ways that I don't want to think about too long, I could really identify with him. |
The World According to Garp by John Irving, 609 pages Kristin Schrock Sunday, June 15, 2003 Thanks to U.S. Airways and their faulty airplanes, I was able to finish this very entertaining, often poignant novel (despite Robin Williams on the cover). The more I read of Irving, the more I like him (his earlier stuff doesn't deal so much with incest). He's somehow able to combine humor and sadness in a way that makes me envy him. This one probably could've been cut back at least fifty pages, but he's a wonderful storyteller, so I'll let it slide this time. |
East of Eden by John Steinbeck, 601 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, August 12, 2002 Alternative title: Sympathy for Cain. I was expecting to have to slog through this, but it was surprisingly good. There are essentially two women characters: one is an evil whore (literally) and the other a good virgin. I think the evil whore is supposed to be Eve. Also, Steinbeck wrote his own house in Salinas, CA into the story. As in, 'Past the Steinbeck house.' |
America (the book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction by Jon Stewart, Ben Karlin, David Javerbaum, 227 pages Kristin Schrock Sunday, January 23, 2005 Astute and funny primer on the U.S. Government. It successfully combines the respect for the system in place and the frustration of the system gone awry. I laughed and I learned some stuff--which, really, is not a bad way to spend your time. |
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen, 568 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, August 24, 2005 Boo, Jonathan Franzen for your bloated novel and for your pretentious back flap photo. It's a multi-P.O.V. novel--but only two of the four are interesting--and even then we're distracted by seemingly non-sequitir plot interruptions (Lithuania and stocks?). And doesn't help that the book is riddled with sentences like this: "....did the extent of the correction she was undergoing reveal itself."--we have a title! Amazon.com Stats: 8th grade reading level, the word "corrections" is used 293 times (that's about once every two pages)! Back to the shelf, Franzen! |
Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem, 311 pages Kristin Schrock Tuesday, July 29, 2003 From the title, I was expecting a very heartfelt, deeply pretentious book. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was a sort of noir detective story. With a twist. The main character has Tourrette's. A compelling story that only fell apart towards the end when we sort of lose touch with the main character and the story is chiefly driven by tying up loose ends. Maybe that's the problem with detective stories in general. But here's a line I dug: "Guilt never tires, learns nothing." |
See Jane Run by Joy Fielding, 404 pages Kristin Schrock Saturday, November 30, 2002 This book asks the question: What if Notorious were a lifetime original movie? We've got a wife with amnesia, a Bad Husband who drugs her, and a terrible, terrible secret that threatens everyone (I said, Everyone)! Mindless and a quick read, and for some reason I'm a big fan of the amnesia plot (except on 24, that was no good). |
Sense of Evil by Kay Hooper, 357 pages Kristin Schrock Saturday, July 31, 2004 A serial killer is after the women of a quaint little town. It'll take a psychic FBI agent to catch the killer. This is a sub-par thriller. The twists were obvious and it was heavy in exposition. But the cover was bright yellow, which is why I picked it up off the shelf. |
Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, 287 pages Kristin Schrock Tuesday, December 17, 2002 I love Kurt Vonnegut, and it's not just because he's from Indianapolis. This is an absurdist doomsday book. It's funny and quick without the poignance of Breakfast of Champions (my favorite) or Slaughterhouse-5. Vonnegut is amazing because he has written a great deal using himself as the narrator--what's even more amazing is that I don't mind. |
Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut, 341 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, March 24, 2003 I love Kurt Vonnegut, but this one doesn't have the zip of his other works. He creates a dystopia in which the world is run by managers and engineers and machines replace the workforce (so, really, it's a sort of "work sucks" book). The dramatic oomph of the book rests with our hero who is continually faced with choices but through circumstances is never allowed to make them. Also, he may or may not hate his father (which may be buried in most of Vonnegut's books). |
Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut, 318 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, September 25, 2003 I loved Breakfast of Champions and Slaughterhouse 5, so everytime I crack open another Vonnegut book I keep hoping to experience the same joy. Alas, this was not it. A pleasant enough read about Abstract Painting, World War 2, and, because this is Kurt Vonnegut, disappointed fathers. |
Jane Austen in Hollywood by Linda Troost & Sayre Greenfield, Editors, 186 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, April 24, 2002 Essays critiquing the Austen film adaptations (there were six just in '95 and '96 alone). Mostly, these essays discuss what was altered and why. On the portrayal of Darcy: in virtually every scene before the Pemberly scenes, he is situated by or walking towards a window or mirror. Also, he's usually in profile. Necessary Vocabulary: intradiegetic, harlequization, romantification |
Self-Help (short stories) by Lorrie Moore, 163 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, March 27, 2002 All hail the brilliance of Lorrie Moore! Her stories are funny with a sharpness that hurts. She exalts puns (in the best possible way). So begins one story: "Understand that your cat is a whore and can't help you." |
Birds of America: Short Stories by Lorrie Moore, 291 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, July 25, 2002 Wonderfully sad, depressing stories. Not quite as many puns, but still very good. Interesting factoid: the city of Vicksburg, which surrendered to Grant on the 4th of July, refused to celebrate Independence Day until 1971. |
Samuel Johnson is Indignant: Stories by Lydia Davis, 301 pages Kristin Schrock Tuesday, May 11, 2004 Lydia Davis is this generation's Gertrude Stein. And I mean that in a good way. So, what you get are stories that are one sentence long, and other bizarre stories that examine language and storytelling in that groovy post-modern way. Also, another egret appears. |
Wilderness Tips (short stories) by Margaret Atwood, 284 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, April 08, 2002 One of the great things about reading Maggie Atwood (or Mags as I like to call her) is that invariably the Mounties show up. And, usually, there's some mention of the war of 1812. I love Canada. |
The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood, 312 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, June 09, 2003 All the Atwoodisms are here: intelligent woman, satirical socio-economic observations, profound metaphors. The problem? It's incredibly, incredibly boring. I kept thinking, Mags, what's the haps? I was relieved to discover that this was her first novel. So she got better. Maybe I'll bring it up when I SEE her in Canada: So, Mags, your first book, not so hot. What happened? |
Oryx & Crake by Margaret Atwood, 374 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, July 21, 2003 This is Atwood in sci-fi mode. It's the end of the world, as we know it (and I feel fine). Snowman (our main character) thinks he's the last human on earth. Oryx and Crake (the love of his life and his best friend, respectively) are dead. He's the caretaker of Crake's newly created humanoid beings. He spends a lot of time lost in the past before and after things went terribly, terribly wrong. This one may go to the top of the list of books with frustrating (dare I say, infuriating) endings. What am I supposed to make of the last line: "Zero hour. Time to go." Go where? Do what? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? Is this hopeful? Is Snowman about to talk a walk out into the ocean? I have no idea. So, although the writing is quite good (Mags never lets me down, there), I can't really recommend this one. |
Dancing Girls and Other Stories by Margaret Atwood, 240 pages Kristin Schrock Saturday, March 27, 2004 Oh, Mags, how I love thee. This is a solid collection of short stories with a prevalence of dead babies and crazy women. Also contained this helpful sentence, "It is easier to love a daemon than a man, though less heroic." |
Lady Oracle by Margaret Atwood, 346 pages Kristin Schrock Tuesday, November 08, 2005 An early novel from one of my favorite authors. A woman tries to start a new life but she can't quite escape the ghosts of her past--isn't that always the way. Atwood revisits similar themes in Cat's Eye with greater success. But it's Margaret Atwood, so it's still pretty good. Also, the Mounties show up and characters sit on chesterfields. |
London Fields by Martin Amis, 407 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, January 16, 2002 A strange story of a murder with a twist: the murder is orchestrated by the murderee. |
Jennifer Government by Max Barry, 320 pages Kristin Schrock Friday, October 01, 2004 In a not too distant future, the world is composed of corporation nations--even the Government is a corporation. And one enterprising executive decides to wage war (literally) against his competitors. A breezy satire that hit the spot. |
Syrup by Maxx Barry, 294 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, December 15, 2004 Not as biting as Jennifer Government, but still a sharp look at corporate politics. His observations of marketing techniques are eerily accurate. |
Unknown Destination by Maya Rasker, 214 pages Kristin Schrock Friday, June 13, 2003 A woman goes out to buy cigarrettes never to be seen again. Her husband tries to assemble the memories of his life and his marriage that lead up to her disapperance, touching on ideas of memory and truth. There's a creepy distance to the voice of the husband which is compelling, even though I was able to predict the ending. |
The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Banks, 274 pages Kristin Schrock Saturday, November 08, 2003 A surprisingly solid collection of stories with the exception of the title story. This one was a take on the "Rules" on how to get a man. And, what do you know, the main character realizes that the "Rules" don't work, and to land a man she should just really be herself. Quel Surprise! But, of course, she didn't get the ring, so maybe that's not the lesson that we were supposed to learn. |
Pride, Prejudice and Jasmin Field by Melissa Nathan, 279 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, July 15, 2002 Recommended to me by someone at the library when I said that I loved Pride and Prejudice. That, of course, didn't mean that I needed to read the same book by a different author. It's about a bunch of people putting on Pride and Prejudice as a play and what do you know! People start acting like their characters! Quel Surprise! Fun with typos: at the beginning of the book it says that Elizabeth and Darcy will share a song at the end. So I'm expecting them to bust out with, 'Look at us, aren't we a pair!' . No song. They share a SNOG. 'cuz it's British and all. Egret count=0 |
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon, 636 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, September 03, 2003 I picked this one up mainly because of the pretty-pretty cover. The fact that it was a pulitzer winner was secondary. I was pleasantly surprised. The tale of two cousin comic book creators during the Golden Age of Comic Books. Featured World War 2, Antarctica, super heroes, and a whole bunch of angst. What's not to love. Recommended Vocabulary: acromegaly, gelid, chorine, faience, paturition, aetataureate, tergiversations, opprobrium. |
Things My Girlfriend and I Argue About by Mil Millington, 373 pages Kristin Schrock Saturday, April 24, 2004 A groovy title that, unfortunately, did not make for a groovy novel. In fact, the arguing is secondary with the plot mostly concerned with an absurd (in sort of a good way) "work sucks" mystery. |
Cowboys are My Weakness: short stories by Pam Houston, 171 pages Kristin Schrock Friday, August 16, 2002 Pinched Patty hated this title because she said it gave too much away. Obviously PP never read it. Houston is a poor woman's Lorrie Moore, and, although almost all the stories deal with a woman involved with the 'wrong' man, they are an entertaining read. |
Waltzing the Cat (short stories) by Pam Houston, 288 pages Kristin Schrock Friday, January 31, 2003 Houston is the poor man's Lorrie Moore. Which I thought was going to be enough with an excellent first story. But it went down hill from there, and I became increasingly annoyed with the stories, especially when the title would work its way into the text. So I'd be, "Ladies and Gentleman, we have a title!" The collection ends with an epilogue (I HATE those) that completely unravels any complexity that the previous stories had tried (and for the most part failed) to achieve. Blah. |
The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, 290 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, October 02, 2002 Alicia and I tried to slog through the movie. We were both saved due to a broken DVD. The book, thankfully, is much more interesting with a very compelling, unreliable Mr. Ripley. |
The Deep Blue Alibi by Paul Levine, 467 pages Kristin Schrock Tuesday, March 07, 2006 Enjoyable airplane book--he's a semi-sleazy lawyer, she's a blue-blood. Can they join forces to solve a murder? Well, of course. |
At Play in Fields of the Lord by Peter Matthiessen, 373 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, June 24, 2002 Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! The missionary from the west meets the mercenary from the east in a battle to the death in the jungles of Africa. Another book to feature an egret. |
The Associate (Audio) by Philip Margolin, 0 pages Kristin Schrock Sunday, January 20, 2002 It starts off well, but then it just spirals into a mediocre (and predictable) thriller. Still not a bad way to pass the commute. |
After Dark (audio) by Phillip Margolin, 0 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, March 20, 2002 Dating Tip for Ugly Lawyers: Frame the object of your affection--who is, of course, beautiful--for murder. Defend that person. Fabricate evidence. It's okay, as long as it's all for love. |
The Manchurian Candidate by Richard Condon, 358 pages Kristin Schrock Sunday, October 24, 2004 The distant narrator--presented like a history--elevate the suspense and creepiness of this 1960's thriller. An enjoyable read that often led to scary dreams--which is a good, I think. Recommended vocabulary: caparisoned, luctic, lyssophobia, lanugo. |
Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo, 549 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, June 30, 2003 My second omniscient narrator in a row. And I thought that had gone out of style. Our main character, however, is Sully and it's not quite as interesting when Russo decides to roam into the mind's of other characters. It's especially entertaining when you hear the gruff voice of Paul Newman talking to you (he played Sully in the movie). It was a good movie; it's an even better book. |
Shackleton (a biography) by Roland Huntford, 697 pages Kristin Schrock Tuesday, March 19, 2002 He was loved because he was a bohemian, fond of the ladies, and extravagant with taxis. He may have been a bit of a bungler, but no one died on his watch. |
Blood and Milk: short stories by Sharon Solwitz, 236 pages Kristin Schrock Saturday, March 01, 2003 Alas, this book will not secure my place in the Gadd-o-sphere. It was nice, even for a short time. For the most part, these stories are unremarkable. Women with husbands and children, usually feeling out of place, unhappy. And I don't think that just because the author once stole my pen. |
Red, White, and Blue (Audio) by Susan Isaacs, 0 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, March 07, 2002 He's a cowboy disguised as an undercover F.B.I agent. She's a reporter on a big story. Together they stop the bad guys. Not complete dren. Read by the former Lex Luthor, John Shea. |
Funnymen by Ted Heller, 410 pages Kristin Schrock Wednesday, April 19, 2006 The story of a comic pair (think Dean and Lewis) told like a documentary with interviews. I didn't think I would like the style, but I found it surprisingly engaging. |
The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon, 138 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, July 18, 2002 Yeah, I have no idea. I understand the basic plot--but then there's all this MEANINGFUL stuff that just goes way over my head. Something about conspiracies and revelations and the post office. Oh, and, of course, the legacy of America. Anybody read this one? Want to give me a few hints? Lots of big words, too: hierophany, nerdigrised, stelliferous, harquebus, philatelist |
You Can't Go Home Again by Thomas Wolfe, 704 pages Kristin Schrock Sunday, June 02, 2002 This book nearly killed me. I hate this book with the passion of a thousand suns. But somehow I managed to finish it. At page 150, the hero realizes, "You can't go home again." Then he goes on other adventures for the next 450 pages or so, to come to the same conclusion at page 700. And there's something in there about America dying but there still being hope. So, in short, you can't go home again. We. Get. It. |
Going After Cacciato by Tim O'Brien, 301 pages Kristin Schrock Sunday, September 18, 2005 Second National Book Award winner in a row. This one takes it cue from Catch-22 and Slaughterhouse Five--emphasizing the absurdity of war. Here, a Vietnam soldier tries to make sense of war when his company takes off after an AWOL soldier. O'Brien touches on a familiar theme for him--trying to tell a true war story. One of my favorite sentences: "Why, out of all that might have happened, did it lead to a beheading in Tehran? Why not pretty things? Why not a smooth, orderly arc from war to peace?" Why not pretty things, indeed. |
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier, 233 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, November 04, 2002 This was recommended to me by a co-worker (and I think someone on the list read it as well). It is the fictionalized story of the aforementioned girl. It's a quick and enjoyable read. Sometimes I was annoyed by the simple sentences--she is, after all, a maid--and all of the similes: like bees, like dice, like snow. It's not like, it IS. |
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, 309 pages Kristin Schrock Tuesday, October 29, 2002 This, as you can imagine, is a difficult book to read. Humbert is both repulsive and sympathetic which makes for an interesting, complex, unreliable narrator. On the cover, Vanity Fair proclaims that this is the most believable love story of the 20th century? That can't possibly be true, right? What does that say about the 20th century? |
The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham, 314 pages Kristin Schrock Tuesday, November 19, 2002 Part of my "It's Good to Read Good Books" Program. I'm not sure how good it is. This one involves a lot of speechifying about how to live a fulfilling life: being a part of society, marrying well, or dedicating your life to enlightenment. Remarkable for one paragraph in which the author says, "You can skip this next part if you want. It has nothing to with the plot, but is the reason I wrote the book." (or something like that). He was right. That part was very long and very dull. |
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather, 309 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, May 19, 2003 My favorite book with an exclamation point in the title. What I learned: visionary people live lonely lives; and the combination of passionate love and youth=violent death. |
Sophie's Choice by William Styron, 562 pages Kristin Schrock Thursday, January 16, 2003 Near the end of the novel the narrator (who, let's face it, is just William Styron) relates a sentence from his journal during the summer he knew Sophie: "Someday I will understand Auschwitz". But, of course, the narrator (and everyone else) will never understand Auschwitz. Instead, we get a compelling, haunting, story, with the right amount of distance and history to make it bearable. Styron is often pretentious (I hate him for my suffering during Lie Down in Darkness), and oddly chooses to dramatize a, what's the word, sex marathon after Sophie reveals her choice. And, as a book to read before going to bed, it doesn't make for good dreams, but it is a gripping novel. Recommended Vocabulary: pettifoggery (that's a made up word, I'm sure of it), scupperning, lacunae, satraps, adumbrated, mucilaginous, avoirdupois |
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, 193 pages Kristin Schrock Monday, March 04, 2002 The dialect is hard to plow through, but the prose is lovely and powerful. |