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Okay, truthfully her books have been hit or miss for me. Some I like others eh, not so much. But this subject matter was interesting to me.
This book is about how the family of the disgraced politician handles the aftermath. Sylvie the husband is in her car being driven home when she gets the first phone call from her best friend that her life is being shredded.
Diana, the oldest daughter and a doctor is having her own affair with one of the interns in the hospital she works at. Lizzie the youngest daughter is fresh out of rehab, babysitting her nephew Milo.
They all struggle through their various issues in their relationships and family. It was a good book. I have always wondered what happened to these women and children after the cameras are rolling. It's bad enough to have a husband cheat, but to have it all come out so publicly such as with Tiger Woods and his poor wife. That would almost make it as unforgivable to me as the act itself.
This book easily drew me in to these women's lives. I was rooting for them the whole time. I liked that in the book Richard, the disgraced politician, husband and father, was a secondary character. This book was about how his actions impacted the people in his life.
I really enjoyed this one, it wasn't hard hitting or anything, but very enjoyable. My grade is a B+.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
#132 His Last Letter by Jeane Westin
I have read alot about Queen Elizabeth and her relationship with her Robin, the Earl of Leicester so I wasn't sure this book would give anything new, but it was a different persective.
This is more about the end of Robert Dudley's life. He was Elizabeth's beloved Robin, her one true love according to the book. Based on non fiction books I've read I do believe that. No matter how angry he made her, she would forgive him.
This book starts at Robin's death and then looks back in time on their relationship together. It also talks to her claims of being the Virgin Queen. I don't know if its because we are so cynical or what, but I've never really read a book where her virginity is true and this is no different.
Anyway I did think it was a good book and I enjoyed it since I hadn't really read a lot about her life during this time of her reign.
I would give this one a B.
This is more about the end of Robert Dudley's life. He was Elizabeth's beloved Robin, her one true love according to the book. Based on non fiction books I've read I do believe that. No matter how angry he made her, she would forgive him.
This book starts at Robin's death and then looks back in time on their relationship together. It also talks to her claims of being the Virgin Queen. I don't know if its because we are so cynical or what, but I've never really read a book where her virginity is true and this is no different.
Anyway I did think it was a good book and I enjoyed it since I hadn't really read a lot about her life during this time of her reign.
I would give this one a B.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
#131 Perfect Reader: A Novel
Well I do this this book should have been about me, but other than that it was okay. :)
In this book Flora Dempsey learns her father an esteemed professor has died and left her his literary executor. She calls it literary executionist.
She moves into his house and has to confront her past as well as her father's life. She is not sure who to trust as she tries to sort it all out. Her father's girlfriend, who she never even knew about when he was alive, is trying to push her to publish the poems. Flora hadn't even read the poems but once she did she feels hurt and unprepared for them to go out into the world.
So that's the gist of the book. I enjoyed it once I got into it. I did find it difficult to get into. I thought it moved pretty slow. I hated the girlfriend, Cynthia. I felt she was way to pushy and only interested in herself.
I think one of the points of the book is how well do we know our parents? We think we know almost everything about them, but it is possible for them to have an entirely other life without our knowledge. Even as adults I think we expect our parents to be something beyond just a regular human.
I would give this a "grade" of a C.
In this book Flora Dempsey learns her father an esteemed professor has died and left her his literary executor. She calls it literary executionist.
She moves into his house and has to confront her past as well as her father's life. She is not sure who to trust as she tries to sort it all out. Her father's girlfriend, who she never even knew about when he was alive, is trying to push her to publish the poems. Flora hadn't even read the poems but once she did she feels hurt and unprepared for them to go out into the world.
So that's the gist of the book. I enjoyed it once I got into it. I did find it difficult to get into. I thought it moved pretty slow. I hated the girlfriend, Cynthia. I felt she was way to pushy and only interested in herself.
I think one of the points of the book is how well do we know our parents? We think we know almost everything about them, but it is possible for them to have an entirely other life without our knowledge. Even as adults I think we expect our parents to be something beyond just a regular human.
I would give this a "grade" of a C.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
#130 Miracle on the 17th Green by James Patterson, Peter de Jonge
So I thought this was a new book, but its a reissue from 1996. Well it is a good book that I missed, so I am grateful for the reissue!
In this book Travis plays golf on Christmas Day when all of a sudden with clarity he is able to see where his puts will go. Thinking it a fluke he keeps playing until he realizes he has missed Christmas dinner with his family. His marriage is already on the brink of divorce, this does not help matters.
After Christmas he loses his job. With his marriage on the rocks, no job he decides what the heck and signs up for Qualifying School for the Senior PGA Tour. He makes it and begins his first season on tour.
This was a really good book, but a very quick read. I finished it in about two hours.
I don't personally play golf, although I used to occasionally, but my husband does. I think that's what drew me to it. It is a really good book, but I do think you need to understand a bit about golf to really get it. Plus I thought some of his descriptions of the rounds of golf went on too long.
Other than that, very enjoyable. I would give this a very solid B.
In this book Travis plays golf on Christmas Day when all of a sudden with clarity he is able to see where his puts will go. Thinking it a fluke he keeps playing until he realizes he has missed Christmas dinner with his family. His marriage is already on the brink of divorce, this does not help matters.
After Christmas he loses his job. With his marriage on the rocks, no job he decides what the heck and signs up for Qualifying School for the Senior PGA Tour. He makes it and begins his first season on tour.
This was a really good book, but a very quick read. I finished it in about two hours.
I don't personally play golf, although I used to occasionally, but my husband does. I think that's what drew me to it. It is a really good book, but I do think you need to understand a bit about golf to really get it. Plus I thought some of his descriptions of the rounds of golf went on too long.
Other than that, very enjoyable. I would give this a very solid B.
#129 How to Be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway
In this book Shoko is determined to leave her past behind and realizes the best chance for the life she wants is by marrying an American GI and moving to America. The book is her story. It opens with her wanting to get back to Japan to make peace with her brother Taro.
As the book starts your not really sure why Taro disowned her besides his hatred for Americans that begins after World War II. You learn through the book that there is more to it than meets the eye. Part of the book is through Shoko's eyes, and the other part is through Sue's eyes who takes the trip to Japan for her mother.
It was a wonderful story about redemption and forgiveness. It was heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. I really enjoyed it. It shows humanity. Shoko was not a perfect person, but she did the best with the circumstances given to her. She had endured a hard life, partly her own making, but not all. I guess I tried to put myself in her shoes of coming to another country with an entirely different culture and language.
I would give this one a B.
As the book starts your not really sure why Taro disowned her besides his hatred for Americans that begins after World War II. You learn through the book that there is more to it than meets the eye. Part of the book is through Shoko's eyes, and the other part is through Sue's eyes who takes the trip to Japan for her mother.
It was a wonderful story about redemption and forgiveness. It was heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. I really enjoyed it. It shows humanity. Shoko was not a perfect person, but she did the best with the circumstances given to her. She had endured a hard life, partly her own making, but not all. I guess I tried to put myself in her shoes of coming to another country with an entirely different culture and language.
I would give this one a B.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
#128 One Day by David Nicholls
Wow, this was a great book! Yes it deserves an exclamation point. It was that good.
This book starts in 1988 where Emma and Dexter have just graduated college and have "hooked up" for the night and from there a friendship begins. The book checks in with the characters each year to see where they are and you are able to get a glimpse of what their life has been during the previous year.
Can I just say that Mr. David Nicholls is Brilliant (yes with a capital B)? He is. The way he wove the story was breathtaking. The story itself was good, but the way it was written made it even more enjoyable.
I read a lot and it takes a lot to shock me, but this one did it. I won't give anything away about this book because it is truly a treasure you need to read for yourself to find out.
The characters are written so well they are truly three dimensional. I felt like I truly knew the characters. They are both basically decent people or trying to be, but you see their flaws as well. They are laid bare to you the reader to judge.
I didn't have high hopes for this book because it has been getting such raves everywhere and usually those books are not ones I end up enjoying. A lot of those books get so carried away in telling a story differently the story gets lost or just isn't very good. This was truly an exception it told a story differently, but most important it told a wonderful story. It was at times sad and others funny. It was almost with a sense of sadness I finished the book. I definitely had to take some time before picking up my next book to let the characters sit with me for a while before I said goodbye.
This book starts in 1988 where Emma and Dexter have just graduated college and have "hooked up" for the night and from there a friendship begins. The book checks in with the characters each year to see where they are and you are able to get a glimpse of what their life has been during the previous year.
Can I just say that Mr. David Nicholls is Brilliant (yes with a capital B)? He is. The way he wove the story was breathtaking. The story itself was good, but the way it was written made it even more enjoyable.
I read a lot and it takes a lot to shock me, but this one did it. I won't give anything away about this book because it is truly a treasure you need to read for yourself to find out.
The characters are written so well they are truly three dimensional. I felt like I truly knew the characters. They are both basically decent people or trying to be, but you see their flaws as well. They are laid bare to you the reader to judge.
I didn't have high hopes for this book because it has been getting such raves everywhere and usually those books are not ones I end up enjoying. A lot of those books get so carried away in telling a story differently the story gets lost or just isn't very good. This was truly an exception it told a story differently, but most important it told a wonderful story. It was at times sad and others funny. It was almost with a sense of sadness I finished the book. I definitely had to take some time before picking up my next book to let the characters sit with me for a while before I said goodbye.
Monday, August 23, 2010
#127 The Court of Common Pleas: A Novel
From the Barnes and Noble site:
At sixty-three, Judge Gregory Brennan is on the brink of retirement. With his youngest daughter headed for college, he envisions traveling abroad, basking in a repose that his demanding career has not allowed, with his wife, Audrey, at his side. But Audrey has other ambitions. At forty-nine, she sees the mythic empty nest as an opportunity to explore her own potential — as a medical student. When Audrey reveals her plans, Gregory is overwhelmed, and he emotionally retreats, causing a rift that neither one of them ever anticipated.
Marshall has been praised for her insight into the complexities of modern marriage, capturing it as “an institution about competing needs and shifting wants” (Baltimore Sun). In THE COURT OF COMMOM
I removed any kind of review of the book which was the first and last sentence because they were good reviews. I did not care for this book at all. I felt it very tedious and quite simply boring. I did not find any of the characters intriguing. There are books where you don't like the characters, but to me in this book the characters were blah. Even in books where the characters aren't likable I can get caught up in their story to a certain degree, but with these two I could have cared less what happened to them.
This one I hate to do it but its an F.
At sixty-three, Judge Gregory Brennan is on the brink of retirement. With his youngest daughter headed for college, he envisions traveling abroad, basking in a repose that his demanding career has not allowed, with his wife, Audrey, at his side. But Audrey has other ambitions. At forty-nine, she sees the mythic empty nest as an opportunity to explore her own potential — as a medical student. When Audrey reveals her plans, Gregory is overwhelmed, and he emotionally retreats, causing a rift that neither one of them ever anticipated.
Marshall has been praised for her insight into the complexities of modern marriage, capturing it as “an institution about competing needs and shifting wants” (Baltimore Sun). In THE COURT OF COMMOM
I removed any kind of review of the book which was the first and last sentence because they were good reviews. I did not care for this book at all. I felt it very tedious and quite simply boring. I did not find any of the characters intriguing. There are books where you don't like the characters, but to me in this book the characters were blah. Even in books where the characters aren't likable I can get caught up in their story to a certain degree, but with these two I could have cared less what happened to them.
This one I hate to do it but its an F.
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