January 2008

Libraries today, tsk tsk

1 Comment / 2008, Feminism, Fiction, Queer, Women /

We ran over to the library one day last week to pick up an ILL that was waiting and while I stood in line at the desk, TW popped over to the “New Arrivals” shelves. She popped right back over when it was my turn in line and dropped a book on the desk for check out.

Lois Lenz: Lesbian Secretary

Ha. Our library may not have any of the Willig books and we might have to ILL stuff like The Edge Chronicles but they sure do have lesbian pulp fiction.

And it was amusing in the way all lesbian pulp fiction is amusing. When poor Lois realizes the girls in her boarding house aren’t communists or white slavers and they’re “just Lesbian Career Girls”… well, that’s the sort of thing everyone should read a few times in their lives.

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Edge Chronicles: Clash of the Sky Galleons

2008, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Fiction, Sci Fi and Fantasy, Young Adult /

#9 in The Edge Chronicle series, Clash of the Sky Galleons has the same problem that all of the other books in the series have. You’d think that if you read all of the books in numerical order that you’d be reading a chronicle of events, in order. But no, not with these. There are huge gaps between where you left off and where you pick up again and then another book will go back and fill in a huge gap that was left much earlier in the series. I could live with that without being grouchy if the prologue reminded you of what had happened so you knew you were you jumping back in, but the prologues never do that. It’s frustrating.

Otherwise, good book. Lots of blood and guts and a lot of the good guys die, which I like and a nice final paragraph (well final before the epilogue.)

I thought I was reading #10 and thus possibly the last book in the series, but this is #9 so maybe there’s one more… and that will be the final? I sort of hope so because I’m not sure how much longer I can keep reading these with all of the jumping around.

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The Relucatant Fundamentalist

2008, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction /

2007 was apparently a great year for the Mann Booker prize. I finished the second book from the short list last night, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, which I was rather reluctant about reading until I started it. Then, I was reluctant to put it down.

I am often tired of books about Pakistan before I even start them, it seems like there are so many of them and they often sound the same. Same story, same characters – over and over and over again. Not this one. Even the 9/11 theme felt fresh and new and different.

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On Chesil Beach

2008, Books in Bed, Favorites, Fiction /

I’m only a year behind on reading the 2007 Mann Booker short list books but I’ll get them read before the 2008 short list comes out, and if they’re as good as On Chesil Beach it will be an easy thing to do.

I generally dislike Ian McEwan. I didn’t love Atonement and I couldn’t get through the first chapter of Saturday. I only vaguely remember The Innocent so I probably didn’t love that one either. I dislike Ian McEwan so much that I chose On Chesil Beach as the first book from the short list just to get it over. I figured nothing else on the list would be drudgery to read. Ha.

On Chesil Beach… fantastic. Fan-Freaking-Tastic. I’d be happy to own this one… and read it again.

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Food Synergy

2008, Books in Bed, cookbooks, Non-Fiction /

My friend Elaine Magee sent me a preview copy of her new book Food Synergy: Unleash Hundreds of Powerful Healing Food Combinations to Fight Disease and Live Well and I almost forgot about it! I just happened to glance up at the bookshelf one day last week and saw it and realized I didn’t take it to Charleston to read over the holidays like I’d planned. So, I read it yesterday.

First, it reads just like Elaine talks which is something I always find amusing about her books. Since I know her and have talked to her often, I can hear her voice as I’m reading.

Next, because I’ve been listening to Elaine talk about Food Synergy for years, I felt like I was taking a refresher course rather than learning anything really new.

As always with Elaine’s books, I loved the menus and the handy charts and the recipes. As soon as I finished, I handed the book to TW and told her she could plan next week’s menus using Elaine’s Food Synergy tables, menus and recipes.

The book isn’t available until March 4, but you can pre-order a copy on Amazon – right now it’s listed at $13.57. Well worth it if you’re interested in using a healthy diet to BE healthier.

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