Books I've Read, Books I'm Reading & Books I'd Like to Send Back to the Author, Along With a Bill for the Waste of Time & Money Spent...
My thanks to mrs.romero for inspiring this post.
Please note: Before you go through my list of love/hate literature, I am completely aware that a book one woman/man loves, might be the very same book another woman/man completely loathes. That's the beauty of this world... We're all different and I can completely accept that... However, it's important to know that I am always right!... Especially here, in my own little corner of the web.
Books I've Read:
No self respecting 'Doocefan' can call themselves a 'Doocefan', if they haven't read this book. Now a die-hard 'Doocefan' probably would have sent their copy of the book to Heather Armstrong herself for an autograph... And an, "I'll be a 'Doocefan' 'til the day I die", 'Doocefan' would've bought an airline ticket to Salt Lake City, Utah for her book signing yesterday. Me, I just bought the book at the local Border's and read it. I'm not some wacked out blog fan that warrants a restraining order... BUT, I do have a 'Dooce' t-shirt!
I enjoyed the majority of this book but frankly, there was just too little 'Dooce' in it. I think Heather could publish a book of entirely all her own writing and it would be just as, if not more, enjoyable.
Like remembering an old dear friend...
It's unfortunate I didn't discover this series when I was a young girl. I was introduced to Anne (with an 'e') by the PBS Wonderworks series in the mid-80's... And NO, I was no longer a young girl then, but a married woman, I'm THAT Old!!!
So what I'm sayin' is... If you've never read the series... READ IT! Anne is enjoyable at any age. And if you haven't seen the PBS series... SEE IT! It's set in what's quite possibly the most beautiful place in the world, (Prince Edward Island) during a simpler time... You can be quite sure Marilla never had to worry about Anne sending naked pictures to Gilbert via her cell phone. Then again, Marilla had to hand wash her clothes and never had the opportunity to order up dinner using only a phone and the number for Pizza Hut!
Here's a book I never would've picked up on my own accord:
I was at Border's Express one day searching for a little something to curl up in a chair with for an extended period of time. When I was approached by a clerk asking me if I needed help with anything, I KNOW, WEIRD!, right? Customer service? Who knew it even existed anymore? Anywho, I made my desire known to the saleswoman and she points me to this...
I immediately think to myself, "Oh crap! a religious book!" I know I'm taking a chance at offending the church goers among you, but let's not throw stones... Think totally oppressed religious upbringing, among the most offensive group of hypocrites you can imagine and perhaps you can cut me some slack... Okay, so back to the book.
Being the 'uber-polite, can't imagine offending someone to their face' type of woman that I am... Just consider it a given that I would've bought the book no matter how much it cost. Quite simply because I knew this gal would be ringing me up at the register and I just couldn't allow her to think I didn't trust her judgment, especially after asking for her advice!
So I schlepped home with my 'religious' book... And you know what? I LOVED it! What an amazing story of the courage, determination and resiliency of women. Hey, just try to imagine what it would be like to be thrown into a cramped tent, with a plethora of other menstruating women, in a time when tampons had yet to be invented. The hormones alone in that one tent, make it completely understandable as to why the men steered clear and thought it best to risk their lives in the dessert in search of food, even if the 'food' ate them first!
Seriously though, this book will make you proud to be a woman. I recommend reading it while you have your period... It'll make you cry.
There are so many other books I've read that I'd like to mention, but this post is already long and I haven't yet gotten to the good part...
What I'm Reading Now:
Two books actually, the first I'm reading for the class I'm currently taking...
This isn't an easy read by any stretch of the imagination. My copy has underlines, question marks & comments I've written on nearly every page I've read thus far. (which is, pg. 49 - it's not a long book, it's just really cerebral.) The point of this book is to better understand what it means to truly Love. Erich Fromm points out that a painter studies how to become a better artist. A mathematician will take courses to better understand formulas, but what of Loving? For surely Loving is an art. An art which we 'think' we know and understand. However, if the examples of love in todays music, movies & media are any testament of what we believe Love is? Then I think it's important that we get back to basics and understand its real purpose and meaning and exactly how we should go about Loving in the true sense of the word. Serious stuff, I know!
Here's something on a lighter note I'm currently reading:
I purchased this book as a birthday present for my husband. I mean, look at the title... It has his name on it! (Sorry hon, you know I mean well.) While reading the book my husband would share with me funny little tid-bits and upon completion, told me he thought I'd really enjoy it... Why? Because I'm a 'Know it All' too? No, that can't possibly be true!
Anyway, this book is Great Fun! I know it sounds like the story of a guy recounting his foray into reading the entire library of Encyclopedia Britannica from A-Z would be a veritable yawn fest, but this guy is FUNNY! Plus you learn little bits & pieces of Britannica trivia along the way without having to wade through all the exceedingly boring stuff... It's a win-win!
Finally, There's really only one book that comes to mind which I'd like to send back to the author with a bill for the expense of my time and money wasted... and I'll bet mrs. romero knows of which book I speak:
I think this was the very first book to come out of Oprah's legendary book club. After I read this piece of crap, Oprah lost all credibility with me. Sorry Oprah girl, but I feel you done me wrong and it's gonna take more than a free car to win me back.
'She's Come Undone' is the story of a FAT GIRL and her struggles with self worth. One point in the book... I don't remember it too clearly because I honestly tried so hard to forget the details after I read it... The now thin, formerly FAT GIRL sees a beached whale rotting on the shore and cries because you know, she can like totally relate.
Let me just say this... Wally Lamb (the author) is a MAN... I'm sorry but until Mr. Lamb's dick falls off and he somehow sprouts boobs and a vagina, he has only one really short leg to stand on... And that one (very short) leg, certainly won't give him the perspective he needs to write about a woman and her struggles with weight, her sexuality or her self-worth... And that my friends is exactly why this book sucks!
So there you go... Book Review ala The Paper Treehouse. I can see you are now weary and ready to move on to the next blog... So I'll wait until next week to share with you a couple of other books on my fav's list... Happy Reading!
Please note: Before you go through my list of love/hate literature, I am completely aware that a book one woman/man loves, might be the very same book another woman/man completely loathes. That's the beauty of this world... We're all different and I can completely accept that... However, it's important to know that I am always right!... Especially here, in my own little corner of the web.
Books I've Read:
No self respecting 'Doocefan' can call themselves a 'Doocefan', if they haven't read this book. Now a die-hard 'Doocefan' probably would have sent their copy of the book to Heather Armstrong herself for an autograph... And an, "I'll be a 'Doocefan' 'til the day I die", 'Doocefan' would've bought an airline ticket to Salt Lake City, Utah for her book signing yesterday. Me, I just bought the book at the local Border's and read it. I'm not some wacked out blog fan that warrants a restraining order... BUT, I do have a 'Dooce' t-shirt!
I enjoyed the majority of this book but frankly, there was just too little 'Dooce' in it. I think Heather could publish a book of entirely all her own writing and it would be just as, if not more, enjoyable.
Like remembering an old dear friend...
It's unfortunate I didn't discover this series when I was a young girl. I was introduced to Anne (with an 'e') by the PBS Wonderworks series in the mid-80's... And NO, I was no longer a young girl then, but a married woman, I'm THAT Old!!!So what I'm sayin' is... If you've never read the series... READ IT! Anne is enjoyable at any age. And if you haven't seen the PBS series... SEE IT! It's set in what's quite possibly the most beautiful place in the world, (Prince Edward Island) during a simpler time... You can be quite sure Marilla never had to worry about Anne sending naked pictures to Gilbert via her cell phone. Then again, Marilla had to hand wash her clothes and never had the opportunity to order up dinner using only a phone and the number for Pizza Hut!
Here's a book I never would've picked up on my own accord:
I was at Border's Express one day searching for a little something to curl up in a chair with for an extended period of time. When I was approached by a clerk asking me if I needed help with anything, I KNOW, WEIRD!, right? Customer service? Who knew it even existed anymore? Anywho, I made my desire known to the saleswoman and she points me to this...I immediately think to myself, "Oh crap! a religious book!" I know I'm taking a chance at offending the church goers among you, but let's not throw stones... Think totally oppressed religious upbringing, among the most offensive group of hypocrites you can imagine and perhaps you can cut me some slack... Okay, so back to the book.
Being the 'uber-polite, can't imagine offending someone to their face' type of woman that I am... Just consider it a given that I would've bought the book no matter how much it cost. Quite simply because I knew this gal would be ringing me up at the register and I just couldn't allow her to think I didn't trust her judgment, especially after asking for her advice!
So I schlepped home with my 'religious' book... And you know what? I LOVED it! What an amazing story of the courage, determination and resiliency of women. Hey, just try to imagine what it would be like to be thrown into a cramped tent, with a plethora of other menstruating women, in a time when tampons had yet to be invented. The hormones alone in that one tent, make it completely understandable as to why the men steered clear and thought it best to risk their lives in the dessert in search of food, even if the 'food' ate them first!
Seriously though, this book will make you proud to be a woman. I recommend reading it while you have your period... It'll make you cry.
There are so many other books I've read that I'd like to mention, but this post is already long and I haven't yet gotten to the good part...
What I'm Reading Now:
Two books actually, the first I'm reading for the class I'm currently taking...This isn't an easy read by any stretch of the imagination. My copy has underlines, question marks & comments I've written on nearly every page I've read thus far. (which is, pg. 49 - it's not a long book, it's just really cerebral.) The point of this book is to better understand what it means to truly Love. Erich Fromm points out that a painter studies how to become a better artist. A mathematician will take courses to better understand formulas, but what of Loving? For surely Loving is an art. An art which we 'think' we know and understand. However, if the examples of love in todays music, movies & media are any testament of what we believe Love is? Then I think it's important that we get back to basics and understand its real purpose and meaning and exactly how we should go about Loving in the true sense of the word. Serious stuff, I know!
Here's something on a lighter note I'm currently reading:
I purchased this book as a birthday present for my husband. I mean, look at the title... It has his name on it! (Sorry hon, you know I mean well.) While reading the book my husband would share with me funny little tid-bits and upon completion, told me he thought I'd really enjoy it... Why? Because I'm a 'Know it All' too? No, that can't possibly be true!Anyway, this book is Great Fun! I know it sounds like the story of a guy recounting his foray into reading the entire library of Encyclopedia Britannica from A-Z would be a veritable yawn fest, but this guy is FUNNY! Plus you learn little bits & pieces of Britannica trivia along the way without having to wade through all the exceedingly boring stuff... It's a win-win!
Finally, There's really only one book that comes to mind which I'd like to send back to the author with a bill for the expense of my time and money wasted... and I'll bet mrs. romero knows of which book I speak:
I think this was the very first book to come out of Oprah's legendary book club. After I read this piece of crap, Oprah lost all credibility with me. Sorry Oprah girl, but I feel you done me wrong and it's gonna take more than a free car to win me back.'She's Come Undone' is the story of a FAT GIRL and her struggles with self worth. One point in the book... I don't remember it too clearly because I honestly tried so hard to forget the details after I read it... The now thin, formerly FAT GIRL sees a beached whale rotting on the shore and cries because you know, she can like totally relate.
Let me just say this... Wally Lamb (the author) is a MAN... I'm sorry but until Mr. Lamb's dick falls off and he somehow sprouts boobs and a vagina, he has only one really short leg to stand on... And that one (very short) leg, certainly won't give him the perspective he needs to write about a woman and her struggles with weight, her sexuality or her self-worth... And that my friends is exactly why this book sucks!
So there you go... Book Review ala The Paper Treehouse. I can see you are now weary and ready to move on to the next blog... So I'll wait until next week to share with you a couple of other books on my fav's list... Happy Reading!
Labels: Book Review
posted by EmBee at 8:14 AM
6 Comments:
oh honey you need to run right over to goodreads.com get yourself an ID and post all of these over there. when you do let me know so i can friendlist you. this was great. just let me ask...how do you really feel about wally lamb? come on, don't hold back.
PS i cam to anne of green gables as an adult too. such a fabulous series.
I absolutely LOVED The Red Tent! I think it's my favorite book of all time...very, very good read. And I have to say, it has helped me out in terms of recognizing names and familial relatioships when people refer to characters in the bible (being religiously challenged, that's an asset.) But I thought this book wasn't religious so much as it was about the dynamics of the family...would you say that's true?
As for the Wally Lamb book, I read it years ago so I don't really remember if I liked it. But I do remember that at the time I thought it was odd that the author was male, writing about being a female...I didn't get it. I would say though that his book This Much I know Is True was excellent! It was something like 800 pages, and I was intimidated to read it for a long time, but it was worth it.
Whew...that was a long comment. Yikes.BTW-I appreciate you leaving the Dooce stalking to me.:)
Lime, goodreads.com ey?... I'll have to check it out.
And yeah, Wally Lamb... Well, I'm pretty passionate about certain things and a man writing about a womans intimate thoughts... Well c'mon!
As for Anne, have you seen the pbs series? The cinematography is incredibly beautiful... I have yet to visit PEI but it's on my 'travel' list.
Christy, fortunately I was well versed in Bible stories but the great thing about The Red Tent was it personalized it more for me. It took that pretty little story of Joseph and his brothers and made it tangible. I loved it! And no, it wasn't religious... If it was preachy I wouldn't have liked it.
As for Wally Lamb... Well it's gonna take a veritable team of wild horses to drag me anywhere near another of his books.
btw: About that Dooce thing. Rougly a year or so ago I ran across a blog dedicated to Dooce. I think it might've been titled doocefan but I can't find it now. Frankly, this site was freakin' scary... We're talking obsessive fan restraining order scary. The woman blogged about Leta far too intimately and talked about Heather like she wanted to sleep with her. Did you ever see that episode of Friends where Brooke Shields stalks Joey? It was like that... My son and I laughed about the site but it was one of those kinda uncomfortable laughs where you worry about someone's safety.... So relatively speaking... We're completely NORMAL!
Wow...that is NOT okay...At least I can say I'm not that odd...or I guess disturbed is more appropriate.
OH MY! I read that ages ago and HATED it! (She's Come Undone)
I forgot about that book!
I read the Red Tent too. And I loved it! I read it when I was pregnant actually. It changed my life a little bit.
: )
Jackie.
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