Dress Your Family in Corduroy And Denim

This is another book that I've been meaning to read for a loooooooong time but never have for whatever reason. I actually just picked this book up in Borders when I was there the other night (it was only $4.99!) but I put it down thinking "I'll buy it at Half-Price Books or just borrow it from the library..." HAHA I've turned into such a cheap-o. But, considering I'm on a limited budget and I fly through books in record time, it isn't really smart of me to buy books unless a) I absolutely can't live without them and I already KNOW it's a favorite of mine or b) I find it at a really really good deal. Which I guess doesn't really make sense, because this one WAS a deal....but still... I digress.

ANYWAY, I ended up picking this up from the library this week and am close to finishing it. So far it's pretty good, I would say it would have been worth spending the $4.99 *plus tax on. :)

Running With Scissors

I bought Augusten Burrough's other book, Magical Thinking and thought it was hilarious and I always meant to finish reading Running With Scissors (I had picked it up in Borders one time and read some of it but never ended up buying it...)

I borrowed Running With Scissors on tape from the library and have been listening to it on the way to and from work. Again, this story is hilarious, but after reading all of the uproar surrounding it (mostly from the family he wrote about in the book, the 'Finches'), I can't help but wonder how much of it is real and how much of it is...embellished. The story is both intriguing/entertaining and severely disturbing. It's like something morbid and disgusting that you just can't help but keep watching to see what will happen next. Burroughs definitely writes for a shock value and for a reaction from people (which makes him seem a little desperate sometimes) and it's starting to remind me of James Frey's 'memoir' and how he sold it as being the truth, when it wasn't completely. I'm trying not to let the thought of it ruin the book for me, but I can't help it...That and the fact that the story can really gross you out at times and make you uncomfortable...I'm still undecided about how I feel about this book.

I do like how this book is actually read by the author, though. His voice is amusing.

I would recommend this book, but with a definite warning beforehand.

The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green

I got this book to read last summer and it was....ok. A kinda funny story told from the point of view of a teenage jewish boy growing up.

Compared to what I had been reading at the time though, the writing style of this book was...eh...and I wasn't as impressed as I probably would have been

BEST bookstore EVER

Michele had told me about Half-Price Books and I have never had the chance to get out to one...until this weekend. I felt like Christmas. Not only did I find a TON of books I wanted to buy at, literally, half the price you would find somewhere else, but they had a clearance section full of books for only 1 or 2 dollars that I have been meaning to get my hands on for some time now. I'm so glad I waited. I don't know if I'll ever buy anything from Border's again! :) (unless I can't find it for $1)
Here are some of the books I bought:

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-time

I thought this book was pretty good. I liked the way it was written, from the point of view of a boy with Asperger's syndrome. I had a student when I was doing my methods who had the same syndrome. This book was pretty hyped up and I had been meaning to buy it online for a while, but I'm a little glad I didn't (party because my mom already bought it for Mariah because it was on her summer reading list). It was a pretty good book, but I didn't think it was as amazing as I had hoped/expected. I think I'm being too hard on books I'm reading lately. However, this book was good and I would definitely recommend it to to people.

Nature Girl

This story was pretty funny. I brought it in to work a few times to listen to on the slow days (it was on CD) but it got a little...raunchy...at times. Nothing really bad, but some of the words the characters were using were a little embarassing. The story was pretty cute though, it had a lot of laugh out loud moments.

I'm really surprised that I seem to be getting into some chic-lit lately. I think sometimes my brain just needs a break from reading books that make me cry or depressed.

Shopaholic and Sister

I borrowed an Anne Lamott book on CD from Michele and really enjoyed it, so the other day as we were leaving work she told me she had a few new ones from her mom to loan me, if I wanted. I choose this one and although this is way more chic-lit-ish (something I usually can't STAND) I decided it would make my 1 hour commute more tolerable, so why not?

This story was really cute, but I don't really like the narrator's voice (I don't know why, she just annoyed me). But the story is really light, fresh and cute (especially compared to the deeper things I've been getting my hands onto lately....DEPRESSING, COURTNEY!)

If you're looking for some real laid back reading, this is your book (...or CD) I think it belongs in a series of shopaholic books...at least I know the author has quite a few books out there, if anyone is interested. This is something I can see a person taking on a vacation to read on the beach. I would reccomend it!

The Bright Forever

I borrowed this from the library and haven't started it yet...don't worry, I'll get to it eventually!

hypocrite in a pouffy white dress

This is definitely a book I am going to have to go out and buy. Susan Jane Gilman's writing is so hilarious I was literally laughing out loud countless times while reading this. I love that in a book! Growing up during the 1960's and 70's was certainly strange, and her life was no exception. She writes with absolutely no shame (but full of wit) about her experiences and thoughts growing up. I really really enjoyed this book and as soon as I own it, I'm going to start loaning this one out! :)

The Blind Assassin

I just can't seem to get through this book. I have read all the reviews on this book and everyone seems to like it, but I am only moderately into this book. Maybe I'll come back to it someday. Right now, I'm moving on. I'm reading too many 'deep' books lately. I need something more light and refreshing.

OTHER books part 6

The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne
Geez. Another classic I never read in school. I should write a post of books I DID read in high school, maybe we didn’t have the best curriculum. Anyhow, this was another book I thought I should read as a future history teacher. I already knew what the story was about and how it would end up, so it took away some of the excitement for me. This book was ok. I wasn’t thrilled.

The Sisters Mortland - Sally Beauman
I really enjoyed this book. It has a dark twist to it, and a surprise ending. Three sisters live with their mother and grandfather in an old abbey, partially in ruins. The story is told from different points of view at different times and we see the pull each of the sisters has to various men in their lives. One summer, a young man comes to paint a portrait of the three sisters and his art is hauntingly realistic. A tragedy happens and the later part of the book shows the characters dealing with it. Awesome book.

This Side Of Paradise - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Can’t say it enough. I love him. The character of this book reminded me a little of Holden in The Cather in The Rye. It’s a story of him growing up after WWI. This was Fitzgerald’s first published novel, and I think it’s one of his best.

To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
Now here’s a book we read in high school. I haven’t met anyone who didn’t love this book. Even Mariah read this one (I think…). It definitely has to go down as one of my favorites.

House of Mirth - Edith Wharton
I never would have chosen this book to read. When I was working at JCPenney in the catalog department by myself for 4 hours (literally…sometimes I would have less than 10 customers all night) I would be on the verge of tears, I was so bored. I can’t lie, I considered job abandonment several times…just walking out and going home. I found this book in the lost and found and started reading it. I read it for the 4 hours I worked just about every evening. It was a little difficult to understand sometimes but it actually wasn’t too bad. The only thing I remember from it is a part where the characters were at a party where they dressed up in elaborate costumes and makeup and had props and sets on a stage that were made to look like classical art pieces. They would sit or stand in the poses of whoever they were in the artwork for like 10 minutes or something while an ‘audience’ watched? It was weird, I don’t know what that was all about but I remember looking it up on the internet and it was real (google “tableau vivant”) Weird. The things rich people did to entertain themselves…

OTHER books part 5

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

I think almost everyone has to read this in HS and almost everyone hates it. I, on the other hand, loved it and thus started my love affair with F. Scott Fitzgerald.

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
This was a book I picked up at a 3 for 2 sale at Border’s. Apparently, this is on a lot of reading lists for classes too, but I had never heard of it. It’s another book that could be considered science fiction, but it’s hardly that (in my mind). The story is of a world where everything is controlled and woman are only valued if they can produce babies (used as surrogate mothers, sort of). Interesting look at what life might be like if society was more controlled. I loved this book and have loaned it out many times. (I actually just found out it's a movie too)

The Jungle - Upton Sinclair
In keeping with theme, this is yet another book that it seems everyone else read in high school besides me. Since I plan to be a history teacher one day, I thought it would be shameful if I had not read this (which reminds me, I should really read Uncle Tom’s Cabin some day too…). This book was disgusting and disturbing. It really influenced reforms in the food industry. It told of the horrors of slaughterhouses, the filth and grime and disease that our food was exposed to on a daily basis, not to mention humans exposed to it as well. A disturbing yet enlightening read. This was really hard for me to get into, though.

The Mermaid Chair - Sue Monk Kidd
After I read The Secret Life Of Bees, I was so excited when Sue Monk Kidd put out another book. While I enjoyed this story, I didn’t love it like I loved the Bees. It’s a story of a woman who is forced to find herself, love, and what makes her happy, and leave behind what pains her and drags her down when she has to return home to take care of her mother. Sue Monk Kidd is amazing at writing stories where the characters are so deep and share such deep bonds. I think this is why I enjoy her writing so much. I currently loaned this book to my boss, Michele, but I’m thinking I should have given her the Bees first… A very good book!

The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory

Never finished this one. I see it advertised often which makes me think maybe I should go back and give it another chance. I was eager to find some historical fiction, but I wasn’t interested in it by the time I picked it up. What I had read was good, but I just didn’t have the interest to finish it. I think I just repeated myself here…

OTHER books part 4

The Color Purple - Alice Walker

Another book not part of the NRHS curriculum, but one that I always wanted to read. I carried this book around in my purse last summer and pulled it out whenever I got the chance to read it. No wonder this book has so much acclaim. The pain that Celie has to overcome in her life and how she manages to go on each day in inspirational to me. It's a sort of "in your face" book screaming to you, "life is unfair, life hurts, life is full of struggles, but it is up to you to love yourself and make your life what you want it to be." At least, that's the message I pulled from it. Amazing book.

The Confessions of Max Tivoli - Andrew Sean Greer I wanted to reach through this book and hug Max (the main character) so many times while I was reading this. It's a story of a baby who is born looking like an old man, and physically matures backwards (eventually resembling a baby in his old age.) He knows the exact year he will die and tries to live by his mother's advice of "be what they think you are" but is conflicted by his emotions. It's a heartwarming story of a sweet person who deals with human prejudice the best way he knows how.

The DaVinci Code - Dan Brown

As mentioned above, I was not thoroughly impressed with this book. I didn't even read it all the way through. Eh.

The Dogs Of Babel - Carolyn Parkhurst

Another book I bought at borders for $4 (I have a knack for finding bargain books). A man comes home to find his wife dead in their backyard, her dog the only witness to her death. As he deals with the mysterious surroundings of his wife death, he believes that he can teach her dog to talk and release what it knows to him. It's a painful look at him clingling to his crazy belief and grief over his wife's death. You can't help but keep reading to see what will happen next.

The Giver - Lois Lowry

This is a book I think we read in 5th grade that I have probably read 3 or 4 times since then. I take that back. It was never assigned to me, it was assigned to my brother and my mom ended up picking it up and reading it all in one night. She told me the next morning how amazing it was and how it had made her cry, so I had to read it myself. I think the 2 of us finished it before my brother ever did (that is to say, IF he ever actually read it!) I think this is classified as Science Fiction (which I am NEVER interested in). The story is of a perfect society, where everything is equal, fair, your life is planned for you and you are satisfied with it. The main character, Jonas is chosen to recieve the memories of the community (which they are unaware of) from an elder, The Giver. This is a special job chosen only for him and he has to experience the whole gamet of human emotion, from good to bad. Awesome book. I'm not so sure 5th graders can grasp the deepness of this book though...

OTHER books part 3

Magical Thinking - Augusten Burroughs

Man, Burroughs is MESSED UP! This is another book I bought for $4 from Borders. It had me cracking up non-stop (and I love to laugh, so this book gets a thumbs up from me). Augusten is so strange and he writes with absolutely no shame. Some of the stories were a little disturbing, yet still humorous.

Me & Emma - Elizabeth Flock

Don't read this book. It was another loaned to me by my friend Beth, and it just disturbed me and made me depressed at the end. I can handle reading dark books and can handle the sadness that comes with reading of bad things happening to children, but this one just made me so sad. I can't recommend this one. I cried. Not in a good way. Read this at your own risk! *shudder*

Memiors of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

I really enjoyed reading this book. I usually don't like Asian themed stories (I don't know why...) but this one was amazing. It had me obsessed with reading about geishas for awhile (have I mentioned yet that I'm WEIRD?) I rented the movie right after I finished reading this but ended up falling asleep towards the end. I then forgot to return it for about 2 weeks and ended up with a $19 late fee. Whoops. I might has well have bought the damn movie, considering I didn't even get to finish it. Oh well. I own the book. Books are always better than movies, right?

Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs

Another book by the effed-up Burroughs (no offense, Burroughs). This one was made into a movie, which I have heard mixed reviews on. Again, this book is hilarious and disturbing at the same time. Brace yourself for some...awkward...subject matter.

Tender Is The Night - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Love him! I think part of my fascination with him is my deep love for the 1920s. Or maybe he inspired that love? Either way, I enjoy reading fiction from that period. What I would give to know what it was like to have lived through it. *sigh* I find it hard to recommend Fitzgerald to others, though. This one I have to admit, I picked up and started and stopped several times before actually sitting down to finish it, but I was glad when I did.

The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

Halfway through this book, I became interested in what Plath was all about in real life and researched her on the internet. Reading about her mental illness and pain in real life, the book became even more intriguing for me. I think this book mirrored a lot of what Plath was thinking/dealing with at the time, leading up to her eventual death. It tells of a girl put into an asylum of sorts and she witnesses the ugliness of shock treatments and mental hospitals and patients. I didn't find the story depressing though, as you might expect, and I am interested to read Plath's other works.

OTHER books part 2

Flappers and Philosophers - F. Scott Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of my favorite authors. After reading The Great Gatsby in high school, I was dying to read anything else of his I could get my hands on. This book was a collection of short stories that I read while lying out in the sun last summer. I drove around with it in my car for quite a few months (I'm not even sure why...or how it got in there to begin with) and ended up reading it again. Quick, witty, enjoyable stories.

Flowers For Algernon - Daniel Keyes

This was another book that usually dominates the HS reading assignment list but again, we never read this one (I'm starting to question NRHS's literature curriculum...although, I shouldn't complained, I loved most of what we read...except Grapes Of Wrath...HATE HATE HATE that book....HATE...but I digress.) I loved this story about a sweet, mentally retarded man , Charlie, who has an experiemental surgery done to try to improve his intelligence level. His progress mirrors that of a mouse, Algernon and the story is written through Charlie's eyes, his journal. You can track his progress as his writing and expression skills improve, but as Algernon's intelligence starts to waver and he takes a turn for the worse, Charlie wonders what his own future holds for him. I loved this book. Couldn't pass up the $4 price either. :)

Forever - Pete Hamill

This was a Bargain Book buy at Borders and 50% of the reason I bought it was because of the price ($5) and 45% was because of the cover. The other 5% was because the story line interested me. Luckily this book didn't cost much but still looks cool sitting on my bookshelf because it never really captured my attention enough to finish the whole thing. The story isn't bad, but I have yet to pick it up to finish...

Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

I loved this book and have loaned it out to so many people who also loved it just as much. It's a story told from a girl who has been murdered as she looks down on her family and friends as they deal with her death and try to figure out the mystery surrounding it. Beautiful story. I was inspired to buy it partially because of the charm bracelet picture on the cover of the book. I have a charm bracelet almost identical to the one on the cover and I was inspired to wear it more often after I bought that book. :)

Lucky - Alice Sebold

This is the non-fictional story that Sebold based Lovely Bones from (I believe). She suffered a similar experience in her own life and it was interesting to read the 'true life' version of things and compare the similarities. I have loaned this one out along with Lovely Bones many, many times.

OTHER books part 1

Here is a list of other books I have read since last summer. A few of these I have read before then, but most have been within the past year. I'm trying to remember more. Eventually (probably when I'm bored at work) I'll write a little blurb on each of these.

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn - Betty Smith

This is one of my favorite books of all time. I recommend this one to everyone. I started it on my own when I was about 13 and it was a little hard to get into (I was 13!) but once I started reading more, I instantly fell in love. It's a great story of a young girl growing up in the slums of Brooklyn at the start of the 20th century. I could easily relate to the deepness of her character, her inner dialogue and the way she ponders, disects and reacts to the world around her.

All Souls: A Family Story from Southie - Michael Patrick Macdonald

My friend, Beth loaned me this book. It's a true story of the author's tragic family growing up in Southie during the 1960s and 70s race riots and gang wars. Coming from a large family myself (though not quite as large as his) I related to the closeness he felt with his family, no matter how sick, strange, damaged or hopeless they were. Macdonald is an inspiration for what he has overcome and made of his life.

And Then There Were None - Agatha Christi

This is another book I randomly picked up to read when I was fairly young (um, do you know of any other 12 year olds who choose Agatha Christi for some leisure reading? I AM WEIRD). It's a mystery of 10 strangers who are invited to an island by a mysterious host. Once on the island, there guests are each accused of murder and can not leave the island. As the guests try to solve the murder amongst themselves, each of their ugly secrets are revealed and one by one, the guests begin to disappear. It's also published under the title Ten Little Indians.

Angels and Demons - Dan Brown

I borrowed this from Tim's mom much after the fad had started to sizzle (I am usually turned off by a large following of books like this...don't know why). I read this one before The DaVinci Code like she suggested because she said it would make more sense. Honestly, I thought this book was better than The DaVinci Code. However, I did not like Brown's style of writing. While I thought the subject matter was fascinating, his style seemed...surface level, too 'telly' rather than 'showy' and sort of...juvenile? I wasn't as impressed as I had hoped, considering all of the rave reviews on Brown's books.

Catcher In The Rye - J.D. Salinger

One of my all time favorites, I'm sad that we never had this assigned to read in high school. I loved the main character, Holden, he had me cracking up at his youthful wit and "I've got the world figured out" attitude. I loved his frequent use of the phrase "It killed me..." in such a mocking yet affectionate tone. Love this book. Everyone should read this one.