I just finished reading the Alchemist by Paul Coelho and I can see why it got on the top 100 list of books to read. It is a very spiritual book, I felt. Initially, I was not sure where the book was headed, but I love the concept. Being one with the earth and all the creatures in it. This is so many bible stories wrapped into one. Adam and Eve were one with the earth, one with God and yet they strayed and were cast out. We have Moses in the desert traveling with God's staff to turn back the elements. There is a link to Jesus, when the Alchemist tells the story to the young man. There are also hints of Jane Eyre, when he hears Fatima calling to him across the winds.
I quess is my only critique would be the end, I realized why he did it the way he did but the romantic in me wanted Fatima to be with him in the discovery.
A very enjoyable book of self discovery and realizing your dreams may just take you back to the beginning. It was a book that I needed, I want to listen to my heart and hear what it tells me.
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I also finished a book called Cook Like A Man, A Memoir of Cookbook Obsession, by Daniel Duane. It was not my favorite book, but I guess I should have learned from the title that this was about an obsession. If it were I book my husband was writing it would be "How to play Chess like a Man, a Memoir of a Chess book Obsession."
The book was a litle jumbled at the beginning, I felt like I was going forward with a story and then we went backwards or a felt we went backwards. I could relate to the cookbook obsession, because I have a closet full, some have never had a recipe tried. But I like to collect them and then go through them and mix and match recipes, depending on the ingredients I have handy and flavor profiles that look tasty in the book. I can honestly say that this should be an Obsession with one particular cookbook, that of Alice Waters.
I felt sorry for his wife because of the mess he created and did not clean. My husband cooks but is very fastidious with the cleaning process. He gets up set when he comes in and I have started cooking and there is a mess around me. Now I try to cook before he gets in the door, so that my prep area is clean. But I would never have several days pots and pans in the kitchen not cleaned, that just makes a meal unappetizing. I am not sure many chef's would promote a messy kitchen.
It was an okay book, and there is a transition but I guess having come off of Marcus Samuellsons' and the book above, both were more cleanly written. But I guess if you have a messy kitchen, maybe you have a messy book.**
Friday, November 16, 2012
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Reviewing "The Art of Racing in the Rain." by Garth Stein
The pet story has become a recent genre of books, from cats, dogs, parrots and other animals we have loved and lost, some true and some fictitious. This book is unique in that it is the point of view of an old dog named Enzo. We learn about his condition from the first few paragraphs. Then we are introduced to Denny, his human companion.
This story is full of laughs, hardships, and death told through Enzo. How he feels when Denny first brings Eve into their lives. It is all the emotions of a human, which is what Enzo desperately wants to be. He wants to be rid of his old form to come back as a human. Enzo likes to watch TV and finds that in Mongolia that the next step for a dog is humanity.
Enzo does not believe that we were descended from apes and lists several reasons why this is not even possible.
THough I knew what was going to happen in the end to Enzo, I was surprised by all the sadness and anger I felt for the humans in this story. There were times I wanted Enzo to take revenge on the "Twins" especially the way they treated Denny. I wanted Zoe to demand to go home. But in the end I cried.
It took me three days to read the book. I knew but I cried. The end sequence reminded me so much of my dear departed dog. THe release I had to give her, that I remembered all vividly. My husband said why would you read a book that you know would remind you of that day. I said it was a book club pick. You see I passed it several times in the store, refusing to pick it up. But alas, I read it and my emotions flew out of me.
IT was a good book and I think if a knew 100 books list would come out this one should be on it. It is one of my 100.
This story is full of laughs, hardships, and death told through Enzo. How he feels when Denny first brings Eve into their lives. It is all the emotions of a human, which is what Enzo desperately wants to be. He wants to be rid of his old form to come back as a human. Enzo likes to watch TV and finds that in Mongolia that the next step for a dog is humanity.
Enzo does not believe that we were descended from apes and lists several reasons why this is not even possible.
THough I knew what was going to happen in the end to Enzo, I was surprised by all the sadness and anger I felt for the humans in this story. There were times I wanted Enzo to take revenge on the "Twins" especially the way they treated Denny. I wanted Zoe to demand to go home. But in the end I cried.
It took me three days to read the book. I knew but I cried. The end sequence reminded me so much of my dear departed dog. THe release I had to give her, that I remembered all vividly. My husband said why would you read a book that you know would remind you of that day. I said it was a book club pick. You see I passed it several times in the store, refusing to pick it up. But alas, I read it and my emotions flew out of me.
IT was a good book and I think if a knew 100 books list would come out this one should be on it. It is one of my 100.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
What am I doing?
Okay, so I started out Reading the 100 from the list but have derailed, I am pretty sure I am going to end up reading 100 books but I am not sure if they will be the ones on the list.
Books I have read since starting my journey on the Challenge 100, that are not on the list:
1. The Sugar Queen, by Sarah Addison Allen: ****: I enjoyed this book because it reminded me of things that happened in my life. Okay not the woman in the closet, but the wild hair, the bad temper as a child, the sneeking of candy, etc.
2. Real Murders, by Charlaine Harris. ***: I loved reading the Sookie Stackhouse novels, so I decided to try her Aurora Teagarden series. It is okay but it is another mystery novel, except in this book the deaths that occur are based on real murders, Lizzie Bordon, etc. The detective by default is Aurora Teagarden and a mystery novelist Robin Crusoe, she is also being romanced by Arthur Smith a police officer. I read many mystery novels to take a break from other books. It is also my favorite read on vacations. I liked the book, but did not love the book. However, having said that I did pick up the second in the series just to see how it goes. If I continue with the series I will make one final note at the end.
3.White Elephant Dead: Carolyn Hart, ***1/2: Okay this is another mystery in the series Death on Demand. I like the concept of the woman who solves the mysteries owns her own mystery book store. Makes me want to open one since I like mysteries. Okay why not 4 or 5 stars, mainly because I
read many mysteries and sometimes I get mystery brain jammed. That is why I usually read about three and then start other books.
4. Folded Earth, by Anuradha Roy, ****: This was a really good tale because it brought in the history of India and the remote villages in the Himalayas. Maya is the central character whose husband dies on the mountain. So she moves closer to the mountain and would really like to figure out what happned to her husband but she will not even open the backpack that was sent back to her. In the meantime, she is befriended by Diwan Sahib and his "nephew" seems to be infatuated with Maya. MAya is a school teacher at the catholic church in town, where she finds a friend in Charu. Charu is a young girl with many troubles at home and who does not want to be married off to just anyone her grandmother sees fit.
The problem I had with the book is that I wanted more detail into what happens to Charu, we are kind of left hanging. I wanted to see the meeting of her with her romantic interest. There were several instances where myself and the book club would have liked the writer to delve deeper or finish off the story in a more satisfying way. But it was a good read.
There have been others but, I have a list of books next to read or I am in the middles of reading:
1. Alchemist, by Paul Coehlo
2. Yes Chef, by Marcus Sammuelson
3. The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein
4. How to Cook Like a Man, A Memoir of Cookbook Obsession, by Daniel Duane
5. A Bone to Pick, by Charlaine Harris
6. Sugarplum Dead, by Carolyn Hart
So that should take me through November. I will have finished the Alchemist which is on the 100 list and will be starting another book on that list in December. I should also make a list of books I have already read on that list with a brief commentary.
My reading list versus the 100 challenge books. Hmm
Books I have read since starting my journey on the Challenge 100, that are not on the list:
1. The Sugar Queen, by Sarah Addison Allen: ****: I enjoyed this book because it reminded me of things that happened in my life. Okay not the woman in the closet, but the wild hair, the bad temper as a child, the sneeking of candy, etc.
2. Real Murders, by Charlaine Harris. ***: I loved reading the Sookie Stackhouse novels, so I decided to try her Aurora Teagarden series. It is okay but it is another mystery novel, except in this book the deaths that occur are based on real murders, Lizzie Bordon, etc. The detective by default is Aurora Teagarden and a mystery novelist Robin Crusoe, she is also being romanced by Arthur Smith a police officer. I read many mystery novels to take a break from other books. It is also my favorite read on vacations. I liked the book, but did not love the book. However, having said that I did pick up the second in the series just to see how it goes. If I continue with the series I will make one final note at the end.
3.White Elephant Dead: Carolyn Hart, ***1/2: Okay this is another mystery in the series Death on Demand. I like the concept of the woman who solves the mysteries owns her own mystery book store. Makes me want to open one since I like mysteries. Okay why not 4 or 5 stars, mainly because I
read many mysteries and sometimes I get mystery brain jammed. That is why I usually read about three and then start other books.
4. Folded Earth, by Anuradha Roy, ****: This was a really good tale because it brought in the history of India and the remote villages in the Himalayas. Maya is the central character whose husband dies on the mountain. So she moves closer to the mountain and would really like to figure out what happned to her husband but she will not even open the backpack that was sent back to her. In the meantime, she is befriended by Diwan Sahib and his "nephew" seems to be infatuated with Maya. MAya is a school teacher at the catholic church in town, where she finds a friend in Charu. Charu is a young girl with many troubles at home and who does not want to be married off to just anyone her grandmother sees fit.
The problem I had with the book is that I wanted more detail into what happens to Charu, we are kind of left hanging. I wanted to see the meeting of her with her romantic interest. There were several instances where myself and the book club would have liked the writer to delve deeper or finish off the story in a more satisfying way. But it was a good read.
There have been others but, I have a list of books next to read or I am in the middles of reading:
1. Alchemist, by Paul Coehlo
2. Yes Chef, by Marcus Sammuelson
3. The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein
4. How to Cook Like a Man, A Memoir of Cookbook Obsession, by Daniel Duane
5. A Bone to Pick, by Charlaine Harris
6. Sugarplum Dead, by Carolyn Hart
So that should take me through November. I will have finished the Alchemist which is on the 100 list and will be starting another book on that list in December. I should also make a list of books I have already read on that list with a brief commentary.
My reading list versus the 100 challenge books. Hmm
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