I got it, on audio, late in December and as we started to listen to it TW said “And why are we listening to this?” It started sort of slowly and the narrator sounded very Moonstone like. Almost like “Betteridge” but not quite. We both thought we were in for a very long, very slow listen… we were wrong.

It did take us a very long time to finish it but that is related to the very small amount of time we’ve spent in the car together over the last month. Or in the car together, without kids. The kids don’t really enjoy listening to bits and pieces of books and I can’t blame them. I wouldn’t like listening either if I had missed chapter upon chapter.

Anyway. A Town Like Alice. Awesome. So awesome that it’s hard to believe it was written by Nevil Shute. I am not an On the Beach fan. Love this book. Love the characters. Love the story line. Love every single thing about it – except the fact that it’s over.

Now, could someone help me figure out how to find that person who recommended the book? I’d really like to thank her and I don’t seem to be able to track down her comments – they were probably lost in some blog move or another. Or they’re buried in some transferred comment format that isn’t searchable. Whatever. I can’t find her. Help! And then go reserve this book from your library – preferably on audio.

Now, about the book. I put it on my A to Z list and was sure I would have read it early in the year. I didn’t. And then I saw sassymonkey’s review and I put it off even more. So, I was prepared to be unimpressed and now that I’ve finished, I’m not sure I am impressed. I am, however, amused. Very very amused. The number of times TW and I laughed out loud cannot be counted on two hands. Laugh out loud funny in a lot of places but a little (ok a lot) slow in others.

I think I have to drop this into my “favorites” just for the Catcher in the Rye commentary. Now, I need to go reserve Brighton Rock at my library because I do not think I have ever read it. (Have you?)

Or if I’m honest, I started skimming it a few days ago and just finished skimming it.

It’s non-fiction and not science fiction. It’s full of math and science. It’s boring as hell. Except for the introductory essays of each chapter – those, I liked. I also enjoyed a few of the chapters on The Bible indicating the earth is flat, ungilding gold, and one about comets. Otherwise… bored stiff.

But, this leaves me with just two books from my A to Z challenge, one we’re halfway through on audio and the other is also on audio, just waiting for us to listen to it.

You should know I’m not really a Carl Hiaasen fan. I like him well enough but I prefer Chris Moore – it’s the zombie and vampire factor. Since not everyone can include zombies and sequined love nuns in their books, I don’t mind reading the occasional Hiaasen and Nature Girl was a good one. (Though errr, I was always waiting for the zombies to show up. Or a talking fruit bat. Or something.)

I like Honey. I also liked Euginie and Tigertail. Good characters. They should return to another book some day. (I see Tigertail is a relative of an “older” character”. Interesting. I haven’t read enough Hiaasen to have known that.)

Get it on audio… it’s worth it for this one.

I enjoyed it.

But I would since I totally don’t think Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare. I’m not sure Mary Sidney wrote Shakespeare either but it’s a heck of a lot more possible than Shakespeare writing Shakespeare.

It was good. I wee bit of a slow start but right about the time (chapter 3) that I mentioned it was starting slow, it picked up and didn’t quit til the end.

Awesome. And I’m so glad I knew who the “shadow” was. I like it when I’m right – which is always, ya know.

Better because I’m not a huge Arianna fan. I think she’s interesting. I like her blog. But no fan love here and I didn’t really know what to expect. The chapter on being fearless in relationships was a little flat – the chapters on parenting, money and work were much better.

Overall – a pretty good “self help” type of book.

But not before I griped about reading it. (and no I’m not sharing the video TW made of me griping about reading it)

The first 150 pages or so were so confusing and just a little slow. I just could not get into it and could not see why Sassymonkey had been talking about that book. And, I could NOT figure out how or why this was re-titled and published as YA in the US. (The Spell Book of Listen Taylor)

About half-way through, I figured out why Sassymonkey (and TW) enjoyed the book. I am here, grudgingly, to say that it WAS a good book. And it was interesting and different and if I’d have been Cath, I’d have killed the entire Zing family. Dead. OK not Cassie (or Taylor, part of the extended Zing family) ’cause they were kids and not involved. The rest – DEAD, completely DEAD.

I’m still not sure I like the idea of this being a YA book and I’m pretty sure there are huge groups of rabid, over-protective mommies who would hate the idea even more than I do. I just don’t see any of the YAs in my world ever sitting through the first 150 pages of this book, Coyote F*** or no Coyote F***.

Another A to Z challenge book – complete. And, another “classic” for my 101 things list.

Onward to kids lit, I need a break from the tough stuff.