= Excellent
= Good/Very Good
= Okay read
= Not recommended
= Ugh! Don't waste your time.
Sunday Salon
« Previous Entries Sunday, October 12th, 2008Sunday Salon - October 12, 2008
October 12, 2008
It is a cold, bright morning here and a fire burns in the woodstove - a wonderful day to curl up with a good book. And so I have…
The Secret River, by Kate Grenville was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2006 and it has been languishing on my stacks for quite some time now. But the other day, I cracked it open and began reading and have not been able to put it down. Set in New South Wales - Australia’s oldest state - during the early part of the 19th century, The Secret River is the story of the fictional William Thornhill, a Londoner convicted of stealing and exiled to a New South Wales penal colony along with his wife and two children. Grenville writes beautifully…her descriptions are lush and vivid which makes me feel like I am there among the sea breezes and dense forests. The first part of the book takes place in London and is rather bleak, but once Will and his family arrive in Australia the novel takes a turn toward the hopeful. I should finish this book by tonight or tomorrow and will post my review then. I have no idea what I’ll read next - but it will most likely be one of my review books (which are beginning to take over my bedside table).
The novel Music and Silence, by Rose Tremain consumed my time for the first part of the month. This is a magnificent piece of historical fiction (read my review) set in 1630 during the reign of King Christian IV of Denmark. Tremain is a relatively new to me author and I have nothing but praise for her writing.
Dewey’s 24 Hour Read-A-Thon is coming up this Saturday and I’ve decided to participate as a reader again. As you may know, this event is not just about reading and blogging, but is also a charity event. I’ve decided to raise funds for Triple Creek Ranch Inc, a program for which I have volunteered since 2003. I hope you’ll take the time to read my post about this fundraiser, as well as my post about the horses of the ranch. I’ve also decided to give away my hard cover edition of The Emperor’s Children, by Claire Messud (read my review). There are three options to enter for the giveaway, so check out my post about it. The giveaway is open internationally, and I will draw a winner on October 19th.
What are you reading today? Whatever it is, I hope it transports you to another place or time and introduces you to an amazing character.
Sunday, October 5th, 2008Sunday Salon - October 5, 2008
October 5, 2008
9:00AM
Northern California has been blasted by cold air and drenching rain the last 48 hours - and I am loving it! After a summer of triple digit temperatures and smoky skies, the arrival of rain is a huge relief. I built a fire in the woodstove last night, much to the cats’ delight, and curled up beneath a blanket to read. Looks like I am not the only one enjoying the change in seasons - Jill is happy about it too!
Yesterday I went to the Redding Library book sale and came home with the following books:
Hardcovers ($0.50 per book)
- Fortune’s Rocks, by Anita Shreve
- The Clock Winder, by Anne Tyler
- Abide By Me, by Elizabeth Strout
- The Mammoth Cheese, by Sheri Holman
- The Whole World Over, by Julia Glass
- The Most Wanted, by Jacquelyn Mitchard
- A Son of the Circus, by John Irving
- Predator, by Patricia Cornwell
Trade Paperback ($0.25 per book)
- Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger
- A Thousanad Acres, by Jane Smiley
- Snow Mountain Passage, by James D. Houston
Since last week, I’ve finished reading The Triumph of Deborah (read my review) which was a mix of romance and biblical fiction. It has gotten a lot of great reviews, but wasn’t really the type of book I normally enjoy. But, I was glad to have read it, and I did learn a lot about that time in history.
I also blew through Let The Northern Lights Erase Your Name, by Vendela Vida (read my review) and loved it. It is set in the stark winter environment of Finland (Lapland) and tells the story of a young woman who is searching for her identity. Vida’s writing is wonderful and spare.
My current read is Rose Tremain’s Music and Silence for which she won the 1999 Costa Award. I cannot believe it has taken me so long to discover this amazing writer. You might remember I read The Colour in August and loved it. Music and Silence is a much different novel - set in the 1630s in Denmark and centering around King Christian IV and his spirited wife Kirsten. The novel is told from several viewpoints. Tremain’s use of language is just stunning - and I am thoroughly enjoying the book having reached approximately the half way point.
Are any of you looking forward to the announcement of the Nobel Prize for Literature? I’m curious, and today I read this interesting article about how Horace Engdahl the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy (the organization that awards the prize) feels about American writers. He made the bold statement that Europe is really the ‘center of the literary world‘ and American writers are ‘too sensitive to trends in their own mass culture‘ among other things. So what do you think? Are American writers too insular? Are European writers more in touch with the literary world? Any thoughts on who will be awarded this year’s Nobel Prize for Literature?
I’ve bought tickets and booked a hotel room for the Book Group Expo in San Jose at the end of the month. It was a bit of a splurge, but I could not resist! The list of authors is impressive and the literary salons look interesting. I’ve convinced Kip to go with me (although he may opt to go antiquing part of the time!). Have any of you gone to events like this before?
So that’s all for literary thoughts this Sunday. I hope you are curled up with a good book and enjoying the fall weather. Have a great week ahead!
Sunday, September 28th, 2008Sunday Salon - September 28, 2008
September 28, 2008
12:30PM
I am so behind this morning! This has so far been a hectic weekend for me. Yesterday Triple Creek Ranch held its annual fundraiser and I was tasked with being the MC for our class demonstrations. It was actually quite a bit of fun (despite the extra work) and the kids who participated in the demonstrations had a wonderful time…and Triple Creek raised some money to continue its programs.
This morning I caught up on emails and posts and now I’m ready to talk books.
I finished reading A Garden of Earthly Delights, by Joyce Carol Oates (read my review) and although it was not an uplifting book, it was incredibly well written. For those of you who are Oates fans, you will probably enjoy this early novel.
I also finally completed reading The View From Castle Rock, by Alice Munro (read my review). I started this collection in July with a Yahoo book group, and took my time reading through the stories. This book is classfied as fiction - but in truth it is a blend of Munro’s family history (truth) with her imagination. Although I had read a short story by Munro earlier this year, this was my first book by her and I enjoyed it.
I’ve now picked up The Triumph of Deborah, by Eva Etzion-Halvey. The book is set in ancient Israel and based on he biblical account of Deborah as described in the book of Judges. I’m only 70 pages into the book so far and although the language can be a bit flowery, the story itself is interesting. I’ll be posting a review of this book by early in the week.
Did you know that this is banned books week? I’ve posted a couple of articles on my Women Writers blog about Women Writers in Peril and selected banned/censored books written by women. I hope you’ll check them out. If you’ve written a review of any of the books listed in this article, please leave me a comment over there and I’ll make sure to post a link to your review.
I hope you all have a wonderful week which allows you some reading time!
Sunday, September 21st, 2008Sunday Salon - September 21, 2008
September 21, 2008
11:15AM
Good morning! I’m a little behind today in my Sunday Salon post - I’ve been spending the morning catching up on emails, updating A Novel Challenge, and browsing my Google Reader. But it’s time now to talk books.
This was an incredibly busy week for me in more ways than one. My Friend Amy hosted Book Bloggers Appreciation Week and it was filled with author interviews, daily blog posts, giveaways, and awards. I am still working my way through the huge list of participating blogs and am adding many to my Google Reader. I was thrilled to win the award for Best Literary Fiction blog - thank you to those readers who voted for me! And congratulations to Amy for a job well done.
Aside from blogging, my work schedule was packed this week, and I am also getting ready for Triple Creek Ranch’s annual fund raising event to help individuals with disability. But despite all these commitments, I did find some time to creep away into a corner and read.
I finished reading Guernica (read my review) and loved it. If you are a fan of historical fiction, you will not want to miss this one. Dave Boling is a talented writer and I’ll be looking forward to more from him in the future.
I also breezed through a non fiction book called Ships Without A Shore (read my review) which was quite interesting. I didn’t always agree with the author, but the book was well written and provocative.
I’ve been immersing myself in my first Joyce Carol Oate’s novel: A Garden of Earthly Delights. This was one of Oates’ first novels (written in the 1960s) and it was nominated for the National Book Award. She wrote three other novels connected to this one and all four books comprise the Wonderland Quartet. I’m about half way through A Garden of Earthly Delights. It is an intense book - very dark and somewhat depressing. The dialogue is harsh and realistic. Oates is clearly a gifted writer, but I’m not sure how I feel about the story itself. So far I am not liking any of the characters … but, I am also oddly compelled to keep reading. I’ll be posting a review of this book mid-week.
Finally, I continue to read from The View from Castle Rock. I’ve really been enjoying these stories which are part fiction and part autobiographical. I’m expecting to finish this book by the end of the week and will be posting a review at that time.
This week I’m going to do some re-organizing of my TBR mountain and re-assessment of my reading challenges. Fall always seems like the perfect time to take stock of where I’m at…how about you? Do you find yourself compelled to organize when the temperatures drop and the days get shorter?
Sunday, September 14th, 2008Sunday Salon - September 14, 2008
September 14, 2008
8:00AM
There is a decided nip in the air this morning - a sure sign that Fall is fast approaching. Ann from Table Talk (all the way across the pond in England) wrote about her love of cold days and reading in front of the fire. I love that too - and I have to admit, I’m looking forward to sparking up the woodstove soon.
Since my last Sunday Salon posting, I finished reading The Heretic’s Daughter (read my review) - an historical novel set in Massachusetts during the Salem witch trials. The book was wonderfully written…very atmospheric and historically accurate. I’m giving away a hard cover edition of The Heretic’s Daughter on September 17th. If you decide to enter, make sure you follow the directions to leave me a fact you’ve discovered on the author’s website.
I’m currently absorbed in Dave Boling’s debut novel Guernica - set in the Basque region of Spain before and during WWII. Boling has created an historical novel which is also a family saga and love story. I was drawn into the novel within a few pages and have grown to care about the characters. I’ve talked about this before on my blog, but I’ll mention it again - journalists seem to make the most engaging novelists. Boling is a journalist out of the Seattle area. Every time I choose a novel written by a journalist, I am not disappointed. Have you found this to be true? I’ll be finishing this novel today, so watch for my review. And I’m giving away an Advance Reader’s Edition (ARE) of Guernica on September 19th - all you have to do is leave me a comment with a link to your favorite blog.
I’m also reading a non fiction book which came to me from Amy at Jane Wesman Public Relations a couple of months ago. It has been on my shelf far too long and I picked it up yesterday and blew through 70 pages in no time. Ships Without a Shore: America’s Undernurtured Children, by Anne Pierce is a riveting expose on childrearing in the United States. Pierce sites numerous studies and inserts her conclusions about the role of Day Care and media in how America’s children are growing up. I’m not sure I agree with all her conclusions, but it is hard to argue with her research on the subject. Some of you may wonder why I was interested to read a book on childrearing since I have no children of my own. I believe children represent our future and to ignore the social issues surrounding children is to ignore our future. Although I have not birthed a child, I work with children in my PT practice, and I am an aunt to my sisters’ kids, and a psuedo-aunt to the children of my friends. So there you go… Anyway, I hope to finish this book by this evening.
I have so many books waiting to be read - and choosing the “next” book is always a little difficult. But today I read Jill’s fine post about Joyce Carol Oates and decided my next read must be A Garden of Earthly Delights by this author (this book is the first in the Wonderland Quartet and was a finalist for the National Book Award). It will be my first novel by Oates - have any of you read it?
I would be seriously remiss in not mentioning that this week is Book Blogger Appreciation Week and there are tons of giveaways and events going on over at My Friend Amy’s blog. I’ve posted the massive list of prizes here, and the schedule for announcement of awards here, and highlights of the bloggers nominated in three different categories here. If you haven’t done so yet, you ought to check out the festivities and visit the blogs participating. There are also bloggers giving away a plethora of books in honor of the event and Amy has provided a Mr. Linky here.
Finally, look for a guest post by Kathleen McCleary (author of House and Home) on September 17th here on Caribousmom. I’ll also be posting a review of her book on that day - all part of a TLC Book Tour for Kathleen! To see the schedule for this book tour check out this post.
That’s all the bookish news from me today. Hope this Sunday finds you surrounded by wonderful books. For those Saloners living in Texas, my thoughts are with you!
Sunday, September 7th, 2008Sunday Salon - September 7, 2008
September 7, 2008
8:30AM
I woke up very early this morning and lay in bed listening to the birds while a cool breeze blew in through the windows. I love that time of day, before the sun is fully up and before there is any pressure to get things done.
Since my last Salon posting, I posted my review of Maus I and Maus II and then read Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay which was an Advance Reader’s Edition I got from the Library Thing Early Reviewers program (read my review). I liked this novel, but thought it lacked a little something which would have made it great.
Yesterday I finished reading House and Home, by Kathleen McCleary. I’m waiting to post a review of that book until September 17th which is the day I will be hosting the blog tour through TLC Book Tours. Ms. McCleary will be featured that day here on Caribousmom and will be providing a guest post. I hope you’ll all come back then to read my thoughts on this warm novel and read thoughts from the author.
After I fed the animals and checked my email, I climbed back into bed with my coffee and read some more from The View From Castle Rock, by Alice Munro. I’ve been enjoying this collection of short stories which mine the real life of Munro while exploring such themes as wealth vs. poverty and the connections between families. This morning I read the story titled Home - which is full of rich descriptions of a family farm and the people who populate a small town in Ontario.
I’ve also started reading The Heretic’s Daughter, by Kathleen Kent. This novel is set in Salem, Massachusetts during the time of the Salem witch trials. I’m only 25 pages into the book but am already hooked. Kent has a compelling “voice” which draws the reader immediately into her story. I received a hard cover first edition of this book from the publisher which I will be giving away here on my blog during Book Blogger Appreciation Week (September 15 -19). Come back then to learn how you can win this book. Speaking of Book Blogger Appreciation Week…
I was thrilled to be not only nominated, but to be named as a finalist in the category of Best Literary Fiction Blog. To see the list of all finalists in all categories, visit this post on My Friend Amy’s blog. To vote for your favorites, visit the Voting Booth by September 12th. The week of this event should be really fun with give-aways planned and a variety of other blogging events taking place. Be sure to check My Friend Amy’s blog frequently to get the most updated information!
In other news, I have been honored over the last two weeks on 3 different blogs! Both Twiga at Journey to the End of the TBR Pile and Aloi Reads bestowed the honor of the Brilliante Award on me. I love reading both of their blogs too! Thank you ladies!
Then Teddy from So Many Precious Books, So Little Time awarded me a Super Commenter. Really, I should have given Teddy the award - she is one of my most loyal commenters. Thanks, Teddy!
Now the rules are that I am supposed to nominate other bloggers for these awards - I’ve played along in the past. But I have to be honest - I find it very stressful just picking a few of the almost 300 blogs I read and enjoy on a daily basis. Most of you know who you are - I love you all! So I’m copping out this time.
I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday filled with fabulous books!
Sunday, August 31st, 2008Sunday Salon - August 31, 2008
August 31, 2008
11:00AM
Good morning, Saloners and all my other faithful readers! I have some business to take care of first, then on to the real reason for this post - thoughts on reading.
Business #1: Book Blogger Appreciation Week is September 15th through 19th (I blogged about this here). My Friend Amy is currently accepting nominations in a number of categories - have you nominated your favorite blogs yet? If you want to see all the blogs which are currently registered, check out Ocelott’s Journal where they are all listed alphabetically.
Business #2: My Sweetsmoke Giveaway closes on September 3rd. I’ll take entries until 5:00pm PCT and then I’ll draw a winner. Don’t miss out on a chance (or five) to win a signed, hardcover, first edition copy of this terrific book!
Business #3: TLC Book Tours is spotlighting Kathleen McLeary and her book House and Home beginning September 3rd. To get the schedule, visit the Authors On Tour page of TLC Book Tours. Caribousmom will be the site of this tour on September 17th and will feature a guest post by the author. Also watch my blog for a review of McLeary’s book!
Now onto reading thoughts…
I finished reading Rose Tremain’s The Colour this week (read my review). She has a tremendous gift of creating characters and immersing the reader in setting. I think I’ve found myself a new favorite author. I’m looking forward to readingl her novel Music and Silence for the CafeDeiLetterati Yahoo group in October; and Miriam from Little, Brown and Company (Hachette Book Group) has been gracious enough to offer me a review copy of Tremain’s Orange Prize winning book The Road Home. I can’t wait to sink into it (it arrived Friday!).
I zipped through Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos (read my review) - much lighter fare than Tremain, but thoroughly enjoyable. You might remember my rave review of her sequel to this book (read my review of Belong To Me) earlier in the year. Even though I read these in reverse, it didn’t matter much. If you enjoy well-written Chick Lit (also known as Women’s Fiction or Summer Reading), I can recommend de los Santos.
I read Maus I: My Father Bleeds History, by Art Spiegelman yesterday in one big gulp and today will finish Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began by the same author. This is my first foray into graphic novels (although these are actually memoirs, not novels) and I was not sure I’d enjoy them. But, I could have saved my doubts. These are powerful books which examine how people survived the Holocaust, and how that survival not only impacted their futures, but the lives of their children as well. I would highly recommend both of these books. I’ll be posting a review of both of Spiegelman’s books later today.
So what’s on your reading pile today? Whatever it is, I hope you will enjoy it!
Sunday, August 24th, 2008Sunday Salon - August 24, 2008
August 24, 2008
12:30 PM
Another gorgeous Sunday in Northern California finds me reading some wonderful literature.
Yesterday my husband and I took advantage of the warm weather and went for a five mile hike in Lassen National Volcanic Park. The views were magnificent and the peace we found walking among the scrub pines and around crystalline lakes was a blessing. Sometimes the fast pace of life makes me forget to slow down and enjoy the beauty around me.
Since the last Sunday Salon I finished Sweetsmoke by David Fuller (read my review). This is a rich historical novel which I greatly enjoyed. Thanks to Hyperion Books and the author, I am hosting a give-away of the book - you can win a signed, first edition, hard cover copy of the novel. Go here to read more and to sign up to win!
I am currently swept up in The Colour by Rose Tremain. Tremain’s novel is set in the vast beauty of New Zealand. A young married couple - Joseph and Harriet Blackstone - along with Joseph’s demanding mother Lillian have arrived from England to establish their home and chase their dreams. For Joseph, it is also a place where he has come to flee his past.
Because what he felt as he surveyed the flats or turned and looked up towards the distant mountains was a sudden surge of hope. He was here. He was in the South Island of New Zealand, the place they called Aotearoa - Land of the Long White Cloud. Though he had done a terrible thing in England, he had survived. The future lay around him, in the stones, in the restless water of the creek, in the distant forest. -From The Colour, page 7-
The characters are beautifully written and Tremain’s prose is gorgeous. I am so thoroughly enjoying this book that I have slowed down in my reading to savor it. Have any of you read Tremain’s work before? She won the 2008 Orange Prize for Fiction for her novel The Road Home; and my reading friends have gushed over her novel Music and Silence (which I have on my TBR mountain thanks to a book buddy).
This morning I spent some time reading short stories. I read An Ex-Mas Feast by Uwem Akpan (read my review) which was powerful and stark. Bookmarks Magazine (which just arrived in my mailbox yesterday!) has a fabulous review of Say You’re One of Them by this author. It is a collection of short stories which includes An Ex-Mas Feast. I’ve added it to my wish list.
I also continue to read from Alice Munro’s collection entitled The View from Castle Rock. This morning I read Hired Girl from this collection. Set on an island, it tells the story of a young girl who has come to work as hired help for the wealthy Montjoy family. The story explores the definition of place - the idea of actual physical place (the island) and place meaning one’s place in society. it is also the story of a young girl on the cusp of adulthood and sexual awakening. Munro’s prose is accessible and rich. I plan on reading the next story - The Ticket - later this afternoon.
The afternoon is wide open today and the porch beckons. Our resident redtail hawks have been circling and crying overhead and there is a light breeze which keeps the temperatures comfortable. I’m planning on immersing myself back in Tremain’s New Zealand world for a time. What will you be doing today? Whatever it is, I hope it is relaxing.
Sunday, August 17th, 2008Sunday Salon - August 17, 2008
August 17, 2008
10:00AM
Another Sunday, another week. My days have been very hectic of late with lots of work, a search and rescue call-out on Wednesday, and the Olympics (I was so thrilled last night to see Michael Phelps win his 8th Gold Medal of the games, AND Dara Torres astonishing come-back with two more Silver Medals to make it three for these games). But despite all the excitement and busy days, I still have found time to read.
I finished reading On Chesil Beach, by Ian McEwan (read my review) and found it to be a gem. McEwan writes succinct prose better than anyone out there and this book is a real discussion generator. I’d recommend it for a book club read.
Then I picked up The Reader, by Bernhard Schlink and struggled over four days to finish it (read my review). What a disappointing read. I know quite a few people who liked this book, but it did absolutely nothing for me.
My current read is Sweetsmoke, by David Fuller which I got as an early review book though Library Thing. So far it is pulling me in and the pages are turning quickly (a sure sign of a good book). I’ve been talking to the author and publisher to set up a giveaway for a signed, hardcover edition of this novel which is due to be released on August 27th. Watch my blog around the 20th when I post the details of the giveaway along with a review of the book.
I am happy to report that I remain on target for 100 books read in 2008. Last year I just missed the mark, but I’m determined to hit it this year. Sweetsmoke is book number 65. How about you? Do you have a goal for reading a certain number of books a year? Do you keep a reading journal? I got really organized in 2007 with my reading goals and journal keeping (thanks in large part to this blog) and found my reading increased from 4 books a month, to an average of 8-9.
Hope you are all having a wonderful day of relaxation and reading. See you next week!
Sunday, August 10th, 2008Sunday Salon - August 10, 2008
August 10, 2008
4:30 PM
I’m finally getting a moment to sit down and craft my Sunday Salon for today. It’s been a busy morning here in Northern California with a necessary trip into town to do some grocery shopping and errands. I’ve spent a little time watching some Olympic coverage taped earlier on my DVR (how did I exist without a DVR before?). Are any of you finding time to catch the Olympics? I love the swimming, gymnastics, biking, and track/field events.
So - on to bookish news. This week I finished reading Rules for Saying Goodbye by Katherine Taylor (read my review) and quite enjoyed it for its wonderful humor. I was surprised to see this novel had garnered some luke-warm reviews on Library Thing; maybe my sense of humor is not like everyone else … but whenever I find myself laughing until I cry, I figure I’m reading a good book.
I raced through Crossing the River by Caryl Phillips for a reading group read. It is an extremely well-written and thought-provoking book (read my review) which is perfect for discussion. The novel finds its power largely in symbolism and therefore is not an easy book to understand. Phillips is a new to me author. Have any of you read other books by him? If so, what did you think?
Finally, I finished an historical suspense-thriller by Heather Terrell who debuted with The Chrysalis in 2007. Her second novel - The Map Thief - was fast paced and fascinating (read my review). If you’re into thrillers with an historial flavor, you might want to check out Terrell’s work.
I’m currently reading On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan and nearly done with it. Have any of you read this one? It is an interesting read about a newly married couple in the early 1960s in England. The tension in the novel comes from the relationship between these two characters on the eve of their wedding. It is a bit like being a voyeur to read this book and it creates some discomfort for the reader. I hope to post a review by tomorrow.
I hope you are all having an enjoyable Sunday. I’m heading back to McEwan’s dysfunctional couple and then hope to watch more Olympic coverage this evening!
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