Wow...Long time

Soooo, its been an embarrassingly long time since I have updated this blog, but I hope to get back into regular posting here again soon. Sadly, my "Classic a Month Personal Challenge 2007" goal was not met, so I have restructured it to finish out 2008, instead. I've still been reading (as always!) so I will start more regularly adding the books I've read to the 2008 list and review them whenever possible. : )

I found a book in a yard sale recently called "The Feast of Love" by Charles Baxter. I am starting that this week. I have no idea what it is about, really, but I couldn't resist a nice looking hardbound book with a "National Book Award Finalist" sticker on it that was just sitting there for the price of a quarter, lol. So, it should be fun not knowing what to expect and see how it goes. *grins*

See you around the bloggy world again soon!

Through a Glass Darkly

I haven't posted in awhile, but I finished Karleen Koen's "Through a Glass Darkly" several weeks ago.

It was OK. I'd probably rate it 5/10. I almost stopped reading it about a third of the way through because it was starting to feel like the printed equivalent of a daytime soap opera, which was a real turn-off for me. Yet, I did soldier on with reading it because I really can't just give up on a book unless it is REALLY bad or offensive. I also really did not like the ending at all. It was such a disappointment after spending so much time with the characters to have it end that way. I guess after the "soap opera-ish romance" for a good portion of the book, I kind of expected a tidy, happy ending. It wasn't a sad ending, per se, but it was just...there. I did, however, really enjoy the main character, Barbara, and her Grandmama, the Duchess, as well as the historical setting (18th century London and Paris), which seemed well researched.

Currently, I'm working on "Vanity Fair." It is a whopper of a book and I am only just starting it this week, so I may have to adjust my goals for the "Classic a Month" personal challenge.

"The Great Gatsby"

I finished "The Great Gatsby" last night. I'm going to give it 4/5.


It was a quick read, and I really enjoyed F. Scott Fitzgerald's descriptive prose. It was almost musical to read:

"The lights grow brighter as the earth lurches away from the sun, and now the orchestra is playing yellow cocktail music, and the opera of voices pitches a key higher. Laughter is easier minute by minute, spilled with prodigality, tipped out at a cheerful word..."

I think my favorite example of his melodic writing is this:

"His heart beat faster as Daisy's white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable vision to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God. So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning-fork that had been struck upon a star. Then, he kissed her. At his lips' touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete."

F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" is the tragic story of Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire in the 20's. It is told from the point of view of Nick Carraway, who comes to the town of West Egg, Long Island for the summer to study bonds and ends up as Gatsby's neighbor. The story also includes Tom and Daisy Buchanan, who is Nick's cousin. It is the story of Gatsby's obsession with Daisy, whom he pursues like a prize throughout the book, which eventually leads to his unraveling. It is also ultimately the story of real people vs.the masks we wear; love vs. lust; desire vs. drive; old money vs. new money; snobbery vs. compassion. At what point does the desire to reconcile past mistakes become unhealthy? When does it cross the line into obsession? How do you know when it is time to leave the past in the past because you just can't change it, and shouldn't try?

All in all, it was a great read. I remember reading it in high school, so it was an interesting experiment to re-read it as an adult. I took so much more out of it at age (almost), 33 than I did when I was 16. It was definitely worth a second look.

"Vanity Fair"

I went and picked up "Vanity Fair" and "Through a Glass Darkly" last night for my March reading list. Wow, I hadn't thought that through really well, because both books are really BIG and chunky! I decided to stretch "Vanity Fair" to March-April for my monthly classics challenge. If I finish it faster than that, great...but it is definitely worth two months of reading just on size alone. I also added "Wuthering Heights" to my classics list because I watched part of the movie on AMC tonight and felt inspired to read it.

Just finishing up "The Great Gatsby" tonight to finish out February. Hopefully I can have a review up for that very soon.

That's all folks...

Hello out there

OK, so I'm braving the world of blogging because I couldn't resist starting a blog to keep track of all the books I read and also to hopefully meet some people out there like myself and expand my ever growing TBR list. I have had so much fun already just setting up my blog and my TBR list to the side there is probably one third of what I actually want to read.

I'm not a book reviewer, but I do like a good book with some meat to it. I will try to give my honest take on the books as intelligently as possible, but I'm not a literary critic so if that's what you are looking for then you are in the wrong blog! :o)

Of course, I made my TBR list, logged out and went to the library to get some books and found another book to read in the used book sale bin on the way out. So, I came home and immediately added that to the TBR. It's "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe" by Fannie Flagg. I've seen the movie probably 6 or 7 times and LOVE it, so I've always wanted to read the book. I can't wait to read it, but I've got a few rather large books on tap for March already ("Through a Glass Darkly" and "Vanity Fair"). I'm just finishing up "The Great Gatsby" and then diving into "Darkly" hopefully by tomorrow evening. Hopefully, "Tomatoes" can be a lighter read after some of the heavier books I'm reading this month.

I've always been ravenous for new books to read since I was a little girl. I can't believe it took me this long to start a blog about it. I guess I'm just shy... LOL

First post

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