Reading List for 2010

A list of the books I read in 2010. Not super impressive, but for a slow reader like myself I'm okay with it.
So glad I started the year with a classic. I loved Little Women and also loved that my own little women read it with me.
Favorite fun fiction was Tea House on Mulberry Street. I loved how it all wrapped up in the end. Bite-sized chapters always left me wanting more. Memorable.
Favorite Dramatic Fiction was These Is My Words. Good old romantic western. Made me want to be a pioneer. No, actually, it made we want to be romanced by a certain Capt. Jack. (swoon) I can do without the snakes and indian attacks and stuff. I should mention The Poisonwood Bible also as a good read, notwithstanding the political and religious propoganda.
Favorite non-fiction. Can't decide between In the Presence of My Enemies and Columbine. Both amazingly sad stories that provided a lot of insight as to what would make humans do unthinkable, horrific things to other humans. While Gracia Burnham's book was autobiographical, which left her able to write based on her own memories of conversations and experiences, Dave Cullen had to do a ton of research for his account of the Columbine tragedy. It was very well written and I was impressed with his ability to keep it so objective. Certainly worth the read.
Check out my Goodreads account for starred ratings on all.
Happy New Reading to you!


2010 Reading List

• Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins
• Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
• Columbine - Dave Cullen
• Illustrated Children's Bible - Grosset and Dunlap
• The Christmas Box - Richard Paul Evans
• Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
• The Color Purple - Alice Walker
• A Girl Named Zippy - Haven Kimmel
• The Thirteenth Tale - Dianne Setterfield
• Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
• The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
• These Is My Words - Nancy E. Turner
• The Walk - Richard Paul Evans
• More Than You Know - Beth Gutcheon
• Atonement - Ian McEwan
• The Continuous Atonement - Brad Wilcox
• The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver
• Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
• In The Presence of My Enemies - Gracia Burnham
• Better - Atul Gawande
• Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh - Robert C. O'Brian
• Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - Jamie Ford
• Girl With A Pearl Earring - Tracy Chevalier
• Cherry Cheesecake Murder - Joanne Fluke
• The Tea House on Mulberry Street - Sharon Owens
• A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle
• Masquerading As Angels - Lance Richardson & Bruce Miller
• The Christmas Sweater - Glenn Beck
• Little Women - Louisa May Alcott

The Tea House on Mulberry Street

Loved this book. Reads like a blog list. Quick and easy brain candy if that's what you're in the mood for. Set in Belfast, Ireland. Great development of a bunch of characters. I don't usually like books with a lot of characters, but this had me. I could barely get all my party prep done.

Little Women

Maddie had a great idea a couple months ago to start a family book club (well, it's really just Maddie, Emma and me) and she created the book list from a list that she found at school. It's basically classics, which I thought was great, because there are many that I've never read. So, we started and I have just finished Little Women. I thought it started out slow, but I absolutely loved it by the end. There were so many times when I thought Louisa May Alcott's wording was just so simply clever. It made me kinda long for that distant time when people were more refined and romantic, courtesy and respect were commonplace, and prudence was always important. Of course, I probably loved it all the more because I couldn't help comparing the characters to my own set of little women. Ellie has been fascinated with the idea that there is a story about another family like ours and took to calling herself Amy for awhile.

There were many times when I wanted to frame a quote from the book, but this one just made me laugh every time I read it. (I really don't know why ;) )

"Amy's lecture did Laurie good, though, of course, he did not own it till long afterward; men seldom do, for when women are the advisers, the lords of creation don't take the advice till they have persuaded themselves that it is just what they intended to do; then they act upon it, and, if it succceeds, they give the weaker vessel half the credit; if it fails, they generously give her the whole."

A women who clearly sees life the same way I do will certainly write a very enjoyable book. I'm so glad I read it. Thanks Maddie.

Movie Review

So, Richard and I were in need of some "time out" tonight and decided to see a movie. We haven't done that in a while and really didn't even know what was out there. We ended up seeing Dan in Real Life.
This movie had the whole theater laughing and cringing and anxiously anticipating every scene. It far exceeded my expectations (since I really didn't have any to begin with). Steve Carell has found a character that fit him perfectly. I can't tell any of the story or it would ruin it. But do see it.
People who would enjoy this the most would be single adults (past or present), parents of girls, parents of teenagers, people from large families, okay, just about anyone even if you don't fit into any of those categories. Enjoy.

Away, Away

We will be gone for a few days. Check in again in early October for exciting details of our trip to the east coast. We have many adventures planned. We've been reading "Make Way for Ducklings" "Blueberries for Sal" "All about Minutemen" etc. Can you guess where we're going? I'll leave you with that cliffhanger.