All the Pretty Horses

All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
1992 National Book Award

John Grady Cole is a 16 year old cowboy. He was raised n his grandfathers ranch, but after the old mans death his mother decides to sell and move the boy to town. John Grady convinces his best friend Lacey to go to Mexico with him. On the trip down, the pair meet a kid claiming to be Jimmy Blevins. One night during a storm, Blevins freaks out. He lists a dozen or so relatives who have been struck by lightning. He strips down to get away from the metal in his clothes. During the storm his horse runs away and a flash flood carries off all his belongings.

A little later the three ride into a town where they spot the horse. Blevins steals it and hauls ass. John Grady and Lacey escape to and travel further south and eventually find work. He also finds the ranch owners daughter. And the posse finds them.

I liked this book more than I expected to. Although I LOVED Lonesome Dove I'm not much into westerns. I think I bought this soon after I read The Road a couple of years ago and wanted to read something else by McCarthy. I'm very glad I did.

Little Dorrit

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens

Little Dorrit was born in the poorhouse in London. Her father, brother and sister all live there. She does sewing to help the family get by. Authur Clennam is a rich gentleman who befriends her. As the Dorrit family's fortunes rise Authur's fortunes fall.

This is a typical Dickens novel, full of shady banking and corrupt government. But this is the first time I could attach the word "typical" to Dickens. The characters were too caricatured to suit me. There was nothing in this story to make it stand out from his other books. Kinda felt like a repeat to me.

White Noise

White Noise by Don Delillo
1985 National Book Award

Jack Gladney is a Hitler professor. He's on his fifth marriage. He's got kids and stepkids, some at home and some with other parents. He has a set of friends who like to sit around discussing deep thoughts.

Both Jack and his wife Babette are obsessed with death. They are both terrified of it. So when a toxic chemical cloud is released near town and Jack is exposed he has something to focus his fears on. But his wife has fallen into the influence of a scientist who convinces her he has a pill that will help her overcome her fear.

White Noise is about the chaos that is modern life. TV, traffic, other people, consumerism, our own personal demons. The list goes on and on. I liked the book. It was a quick read and a realistic view of modern life. Except it was written before the tide of cell phones hit society.

The Mayor of Casterbridge

The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy

Michael Henchard is a poor workman dragging his family across country trying to find work. At a county fair they come across, Michael gets drunk and begins to brood on his family. He feels the responsibility and thinks his wife and baby will drag him down. So he sells them to a sailor who is also just passing through the area. The next day he wakes up and realizes what he has done. But they are no where to be found. He makes a vow to not drink for a period equal to how long he has already been alive.

So after years of hard work he has become a successful businessman and the mayor of Casterbridge. But after the sailor disappears at sea his wife, Susan comes to town with her daughter. Henchard now has on opportunity to make up for the sins of his past.

And there's a new man in town named Donald Farfrae. Farfrae's star is rising. But Henchard's nature won't let him take a backseat to anyone.

This was a wonderful book. It's about second chances and self-destruction. It's my favorite Hardy so far. Highly, highly recommended.

Lisey's Story

Lisey's Story by Stephen King
2006 Bram Stoker Award

Two years ago, Lisey lost her husband after 25 years of marriage. Now it's time to clean out his studio. She has gotten on with her life but going through his papers is stirring up memories. Scott was a Pulitzer winning author and since his death vultures are swarming trying to get Lisey to release all of his notes and unpublished works. And one professor has aimed a madman at her.

But being a King novel, there is a secret world that Scott shared with Lisey. And in this world is where Lisey will find the means to fight the killer stalking her.

It had a slow start but after King had it set up it moved along rather quickly. I liked the book. But. It wasn't quite as scary as most of his books. And there wasn't much humor in it. I expect the smart ass conversational tone of his books. This one seemed a little more remote.

A Death in the Family

A Death in the Family by James Agee
1958 Pulitzer

"A Death in the Family" explores the emotions of the people left behind immediately after an sudden, accidental death. Jay Follet has been called out in the middle of the night by his alcoholic brother, Ralph. Ralph tells Jay their father has had a heart attack and asks Jay to come as soon as he can. Jay immediately leaves Knoxville for his fathers farm. And as he had suspected, the heart attack had been exaggerated. So he heads for home. On the way he loses control of the steering, crashes the car and is killed.

His wife May is overwhelmed by grief. His small children don't completely understand. His brother feels guilty for calling him out. His in-laws are more detached, but still sorrowful.

Mary turns to religion. And some of the family feel Jay's presence. some cling to the hope his spirit is still with them.

This is a book with a characters and emotions everyone can relate to.

Odd Thomas

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas is the best short order cook in Pico Mundo. He also sees dead people. And bodachs. Bodachs are shadowy creatures that show up when something bad is about to happen. And one day a customer at Odd Thomas' diner shows up leading a parade of them.

So now Odd Thomas is following his 6th sense trying to figure out just what this customer is up to. He finds the guys house and inside there is a room devoted to the worst killers of all time. So Thomas is left waiting for the worst.

Ghosts and killers aside, this was a fun book to read. One of Thomas' ghosts was Elvis. Fun, huh. I'll be looking for more in this series.

The Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Pie Society

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Burrows

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is set immediately after World War II. Writer Juliet Ashton is at a loss for her next story. Then comes a letter from stranger named Dawsey Adams. Dawsey has found Juliet's name and address in an old copy of Charles Lamb, his favorite author. He writes asking her for a address for a bookstore so he can order another Lamb book. And in this letter he explains how Lamb got him through the German occupation of Guernsey Island. And he mentions the Society. This piques her interest and she writes back and they begin a correspondence which eventually grows to include the entire Society. And Juliet has her next story. She begins to gather the stories of the occupation from the islanders.

This story is told through letters, journals and telegrams. It's told by Juliet, her best friend, her publisher and the island residents. It's a charming book, happy and hopeful but filled with some horrific stories of the war that contrast with the pleasant life that has resettled over the island.

I loved this book. I borrowed this from my sister (like I don't have enough unread books here) but I'm going to have to get my own copy. I know I'll be rereading it.

Flowers for Algernon

Flowers for Algeron by Daniel Keyes

1960 Hugo Award for best short story
1966 Nebula Award for best novel

Charley is a 32 year old man with an IQ of 68. He has a job and his own place. And he is desperate to learn to read. He's taking a course at a college for the retarded. His teacher is so impressed with his enthusiasm she submits him as a candidate for a experiment. He has brain surgery that increases his IQ tremendously. But once his IQ eclipses that of the scientists trying to cure retardation, he realizes the boost in brain power is only temporary.

This is a wonderful book. It began life as a short story and was so popular, it was rewritten as a novel. It's written as a journal the doctors ask Charley to keep so they can monitor his progress. In the beginning he writes like a 6 year old. But as his IQ goes up, so do his abilities. But then everything begins to regress. It's a sad story. It actually brought tears to my eyes at the end.

Possession

Possession by A. S. Byatt

"Possession" is about a literary mystery. Roland Michell is researching a Victorian poet named Randolph Henry Ash when he discovers old letters that suggests a romance with another poet, Christabel LaMotte. His search leads him to a LaMotte scholar named Maud Bailey. Roland and Maud search through old letters and diaries trying to find the truth.

I found it hard to get into this book. Along with the third person narrative, it's told through diary entries, letters and poems. It's full of references of people I've never heard of and am not sure if they really exist or not. You have to read this book with a dictionary and thesaurus. The only other book I've read like that was "Humbolt's Gift."

Of Human Bondage

Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham

Philip Carey is orphaned at the age of 9. He goes to live with his aunt and uncle. His uncle is a village vicar. For a while Philip goes through a deeply religious stage, even thinking he'll go into the clergy himself. But instead, after many unhappy years at a boarding school, he goes to study in Germany. He eventually spends time in Paris studying to be an artist.

After realizing he'll never be a great artist, he returns to London to study to be a doctor. He also meets Mildred and becomes obsessed with her. But Mildred is looking for the good life.

"Of Human Bondage" is a character study of a man who is not perfect.Philip is complicated. At times you understand what he's feeling and at other times you want to knock him in the head. He's one of the most fascinating characters I've come across in a long time.

Body of Lies

Body of Lies by Iris Johansen

"Body of Lies" is about a forensic sculpture named Eve who goes to Louisiana to work on a skull found in a swamp. It may be a missing senatorial candidate. But, naturally someone doesn't want the skull identified. So amidst all the danger she's provided with a bodyguard named Sean.

Eve has left her boyfriend, Joe, and adopted daughter back home but the people who are stalking her now use her family to try to control her.

I read this book a month or so ago. It didn't stick in my head too well. There were too many characters who seemed to blend into one another. I was constantly looking back to see if Sean or Joe were the boyfriend. I could never remember which was which. Johansen has written some good mysteries. This isn't one of them.

The Bridge on the Drina

The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andric

The building of the bridge on the Drina River was finished in 1571. It was destroyed at the beginning of World War I. "The Bridge on the Drina" tells the stories of people who live in the towns around the bridge. Turks, Serbs, Muslims, Christians, Jews.....Many different peoples.

There is an area in the center of the bridge where people meet to socialize. They have their coffee, drinks or cigarettes and pass the time. Life is slow. All the people live in a state of cooperation. But as time goes on and centuries pass the world gets smaller. And eventually the affairs of the rest of the world begin seeping into the small villages that surround the vally.

This is an amazing book. It's like a series of short stories all tied to the bridge. I would recommend this book with 4 stars.

The Odyssey

The Odyssey of Homer by T. E. Lawrence

"The Odyssey" is the story of the return of Odysseus from the Trojan War. It has all the stories we've known all our lives- Cyclops, the Sirens, Calypso, a visit to Hades....But this is the first time I've read the book. I didn't realize there was much more to the story.

My version was translated by Lawrence of Arabia. It was surprisingly easy to read as opposed to The Iliad. I have to admit I wasn't looking forward to it, but I wound up enjoying it more than I expected.

Black Lightning

Black Lightning by John Saul

"Black Lightning" is a supernatural story about a serial killer. Anne Jeffers has been writing about Richard Kraven's bloody path. And now he's due to be executed. But in his final message to her he tells her the killing won't stop with his death. And it doesn't.

The murders begin again. And they're closing in on Anne, getting closer and closer.

I enjoyed this book. I like a good spooker.

A Lesson Before Dying

A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J Gaines

Jefferson goes to the local liquor store with two friends. One of the guys tries to get the store keeper to give him a bottle on credit. An argument erupts and the friend pulls out a gun. The store keeper has one too. So after a gunfight, the only one standing is Jefferson. He is convicted of the murders and sentenced to death.

It's the late 1940;s in Louisiana. Jefferson has never had the breaks Grant had. Grant managed to get to college. He has returned to teach in the black school. His aunt is a friend of Miss Emma, who is Jefferson's godmother. Together the two old ladies pressure Grant to teach Jefferson to be a man before his execution. But Grant has not earned the respect of the white community with his accomplishments and has grown detached from everyone.

But while he teaches Jefferson the value of life, he learns it himself.

The Brothers Karamazov

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Don't let the cover fool you. This isn't the translation I read. I found a copy in my local library honor room for a dollar. It was translated by a Russian princess in the 1930's. Something aroused my curiosity over halfway through the book. Where was all the philosophy, ethics and morals the book was supposed to go into? After a little research I realized my book was about 240 pages shorter than the next shortest version sold at B&N. So all the deep ideas in the book were gone. Basically, the little princess turned a Russian classic into a murder mystery. A lame one at that.

I was supposed to be reading this with TheClassicClub on Yahoo. I kept in the discussion, but I don't really feel I've read the book.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" is set in the beginning of the 20th century. It tells the story of Francie who lives with her parents and brother in a poor tenement in Brooklyn. Her dad Johnny is an alcoholic singing waiter. He's a poor provider so mother Kate struggles to make ends meet.

Francie is a dreamy child. She also wants to learn. She gets her father to help her fake an address so she can get into a better school. And she loves to write.

The book is a simple story about growing up. It follows the family from Francie's childhood until adulthood. There's a hopeful thread through the hardships Francie lives through. It's all about surviving with dignity.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Snow Flower and Lily are laotongs-"the same." They were united by a matchmaker when they were both seven years old. They are bound to be best friends for life. They live in different villages and communicate on a fan by writing nu shy. Nu shu is the secret Chinese writing that women use to communicate with each other without men knowing.

The story is set in the 19th century. Women were just property. They were raised to be given away. Sons were much desired and the woman who couldn't produce them was replaced by concubines.

Snow Flower and Lily share their dreams and hopes through the fan from their foot-binding through the births of their children. But naturally as they grow up they learn. And this brings changes in personalities that lead to misunderstanding.

This is a very good book. It describes the era just through the lives the girls are led through without turning into a history book. The description of the foot-binding is one of the most horrific things I've ever read. My feet hurt just thinking about it. I can't imagine a culture that would do that.

My sister insisted I read this. And I'm going to insist my sister-in-law reads it next.

The Book of Ruth

The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton

1989 Pen Hemingway Foundation Award

Ruth lives in a rural area in Illinois. They're a poor family. Dad Elmer left when Ruth was a child. He took off to Texas. Mom lost her first husband in WWII. She's been bitter and disappointed since. Brother Matt is a mathematical genius. He doesn't want to belong in the family.

And Ruth is a very submissive person. She was the butt of the jokes in school and has grown up not to expect much. She marries the first guy she can, Reuben. Reuben, or Ruby as he's known, was the son of a military man. Ruby couldn't ever please his father but his mother adored him. He grows up to be a drinker and drugger. He doesn't want to work. So Ruth and Ruby live with her mother after their married.And Ruth gets caught between bitter Mom and slacker Ruby.

I enjoyed this book. But it's very depressing. Hamilton makes occasional hints about bad things to come but it's not told until late in the story. And even then you get the feeling Ruth is on another path she's not equipped to deal with.