I am behind on my book reviews, but I will review the book I read this month. "The year of living biblically" by A.J.Jacobs is a non fiction account of Mr. Jacobs attempt to follow the Bible literally for a year. He performs sacrifices, stones an adulterer, wears clothing made of non mixed fibers; you get the picture. It started out as an entertaining read. Jacobs has a fun tongue in cheek style of writing, but I must admit that after the first 100 pages or so it just felt too much the same.
My biggest complaint with this book though is that as a reader I felt like the only reason Jacobs was writing this book was to do just that; write a book. Forgive me for wanting the writer of a book about a spiritual journey to have one. Mostly I felt like Jacobs (a professed agnostic) poked fun at those who take their faith in God seriously. He is slightly kinder to members of the Jewish faith (he comes from a Jewish background).
The book may make those who are religious look at their own faith in a new way and for that reason I don't think it is a waste of time to read it.
I give this book 3 out of 5 stars
Showing posts with label book club. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book club. Show all posts
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Book of a Thousand Days
Book review #2
This story is loosely based on the Grimm's Fairytale "Maid Maleen". Hale has chosen to put her tale in a Mongolian setting. I have to give Hale her due the book seems very well researched and Hale uses a consistent voice throughout the novel. Unfortunately, I think that many people find the first person diarist style that is used in the novel less pleasant to read. Couple that with the fact that the main character Dashti's voice is somewhat halting and voila many people say that this is a disappointing work by Ms. Hale.
But I didn't read the book the first time I "read" it; I listened to a audio copy of the book and I have to say that the book is very well designed to be read aloud. I loved the story and thought that it was Hale's best book yet. So this month when I chose it for my bookclub to read and actually "read" the book I didn't enjoy it as much as I had when I had listened to it. The book didn't flow as well when I was reading it as it had when I had listened to it.
I still think that this is one of Shannon's great books and I would recommend it any young female reader. But if the child (or adult) that you are recommending the book for isn't much of a reader then perhaps have them listen to this one instead of reading it. The story is definitely worth it!
I give this book 4 stars out of 5.
This story is loosely based on the Grimm's Fairytale "Maid Maleen". Hale has chosen to put her tale in a Mongolian setting. I have to give Hale her due the book seems very well researched and Hale uses a consistent voice throughout the novel. Unfortunately, I think that many people find the first person diarist style that is used in the novel less pleasant to read. Couple that with the fact that the main character Dashti's voice is somewhat halting and voila many people say that this is a disappointing work by Ms. Hale.
But I didn't read the book the first time I "read" it; I listened to a audio copy of the book and I have to say that the book is very well designed to be read aloud. I loved the story and thought that it was Hale's best book yet. So this month when I chose it for my bookclub to read and actually "read" the book I didn't enjoy it as much as I had when I had listened to it. The book didn't flow as well when I was reading it as it had when I had listened to it.
I still think that this is one of Shannon's great books and I would recommend it any young female reader. But if the child (or adult) that you are recommending the book for isn't much of a reader then perhaps have them listen to this one instead of reading it. The story is definitely worth it!
I give this book 4 stars out of 5.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Making Toast
So, I am in a book club. I love being in a book club; I love reading, I love learning and I love visiting with other women one night a month and hearing about their ideas, joys and struggles. I also love being in a book club because it means I read books that I did not choose and sometimes I really like those books and they open windows to the world for me. So I figured that I would do some book reviews on my blog of the books that I am reading in my book club.
This month we read the book "Making Toast" by Roger Rosenblatt. This book is a memoir written by a father whose daughter unexpectedly dies at the age of 37. He and his wife move in with their son-in-law to help him with their 3 small grandchildren. The book is very touching in some ways. The love that Roger and his wife have for their daughter and son-in-law is very palpable throughout, but I have to say that I found the book somewhat disconcerting. I am almost exactly the same age as Roger's daughter Amy who passed away. It is hard to read about someone your own age in your own situation dying and leaving behind their children. I found it especially difficult to read about Amy's children's experiences after her death and to think what would happen to my own children in the same situation.
I also found the book difficult to read because of the lack of hope in the Author, Roger. I am sure that it is true to his experience because I think that he did and does feel hopeless about the loss of his daughter, but I do not believe that this life is the end of everything so I found Roger's bleak outlook rather depressing. Everyone works through the grieving process differently; I just don't know that I will always benefit from reading about that experience.
I would give this book 2 1/2 stars out of 5.
This month we read the book "Making Toast" by Roger Rosenblatt. This book is a memoir written by a father whose daughter unexpectedly dies at the age of 37. He and his wife move in with their son-in-law to help him with their 3 small grandchildren. The book is very touching in some ways. The love that Roger and his wife have for their daughter and son-in-law is very palpable throughout, but I have to say that I found the book somewhat disconcerting. I am almost exactly the same age as Roger's daughter Amy who passed away. It is hard to read about someone your own age in your own situation dying and leaving behind their children. I found it especially difficult to read about Amy's children's experiences after her death and to think what would happen to my own children in the same situation.
I also found the book difficult to read because of the lack of hope in the Author, Roger. I am sure that it is true to his experience because I think that he did and does feel hopeless about the loss of his daughter, but I do not believe that this life is the end of everything so I found Roger's bleak outlook rather depressing. Everyone works through the grieving process differently; I just don't know that I will always benefit from reading about that experience.
I would give this book 2 1/2 stars out of 5.
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