tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52383482009-07-15T10:07:15.449-07:00Books, books, and more books. What can I say? I read a lot. So here are a wide gamut of book reviews, from business to writing to thrillers to drama to self improvement and finance.Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-39946317670709844892009-07-12T16:57:00.000-07:002009-07-12T17:03:39.061-07:00

Although Nation is listed as a "young adult" novel, I thoroughly enjoyed it. A giant tidal wave destroy much, including all but one boy on the brink of adulthood on an island. A young girl from around the world is the sole survivor of a shipwreck caused by the same tidal wave. As they work out a means to cooperate and get what they need, other survivors slowly arrive.Nation is a parallel

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-1517830927263452032009-07-08T17:32:00.000-07:002009-07-08T17:53:29.273-07:00

Most of us vacillate between making decisions that resonate for the short term versus the long term. In 10-10-10: A Life-Transforming Idea, Welch gives you a framework for making decisions in a more balanced way. Rather than reacting only to one or the other view, she suggests you list out the pros and cons of a decision in terms of its impact in 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years.As I read the

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-53242226622406875062009-06-13T21:41:00.000-07:002009-06-13T21:57:43.631-07:00

I first read this in high school I think, then devoured other du Maurier stories, including The Birds, which most know as a Hitchcock film. I was led back to Rebecca because I read and loved The Sisters Mortland recently, which led me to Rebecca's Tale from our local library. As an aside, I loved Rebecca's Tale and don't quite get the negative reviews. Beauman followed du Maurier's style quite

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-34042902421981594472009-06-09T12:55:00.000-07:002009-06-09T13:06:34.043-07:00

Wonderful post here from Steve Leveen on why you should write in your books. I used to be firmly against marking up books but I switched camps quite a few years ago and now highlight, underline and write marginalia (Thanks for that word Steve!) in any book that really captures my attention.I bought a Kindle and enjoy many aspects of it. I like being able to carry a selection of books with me and

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-35798940376692770372009-03-23T21:37:00.000-07:002009-03-23T21:48:35.679-07:00

My mother's book group read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and she loaned it to me when she was done. Quirky title (and I always want to say SWEET Potato Peel Pie for some reason) but a fun book. It's not heavy and it's not great, but it's quite good and enjoyable to read. I don't know, sometimes I just want to have fun reading and enjoy the characters and enjoy the happy

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-17909644514881393382009-03-08T10:20:00.001-07:002009-03-08T10:27:28.809-07:00

This is just a lovely book. It's got it all: interesting characters, beautiful evocative writing, and a nice set of story lines. It's Erica Bauermeister's first novel and I certainly hope there is another underway.Lillian owns a popular restaurant and on Monday nights hold a cooking class there. There are few written recipes. Instead, she teaches people how to explore food and open their senses

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-60942818767164486472009-02-25T18:49:00.000-08:002009-02-25T18:59:35.689-08:00

I am really joining the current century, having bought an iPhone and a Kindle in the last 2 months. The Kindle just arrived today. I had a twofold reason for buying it. First, I read a LOT and only certain books get re-read. I do like the feel of the pages of hardbacks, but paperbacks are frankly almost a one-time read anyway. So my thought is anything I would buy in paperback is probably better

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-7637172564495834762009-02-18T20:33:00.000-08:002009-02-18T20:48:18.890-08:00

I'm on a total Scarpetta kick for some reason. It started when I bought Scarpetta (Kay Scarpetta) and loved it. Then I decided to go back and read the whole series from the first book in the series, Postmortem (Kay Scarpetta). If you like crime novels, you have got to read these. You'll love the characters as much as the plot development.I'm such a fan I even bought Food To Die For: Secrets

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-90429099947467831822009-02-04T21:17:00.001-08:002009-02-04T21:22:04.405-08:00

Steve Leveen at Well-Read Life has a nice post remembering a teacher that had a big impact on him by reading aloud. It brought back many fond memories of books and stories that have really connected as I read them. Most of my reading has been on my own, silently to myself. I still have a hard time LISTENING to stories. But I really loved reading aloud to my children when they were younger. Alas

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-17564917098234190222008-11-22T17:43:00.000-08:002008-11-24T09:42:17.917-08:00

If you read books, you probably know of Levenger. Steve Leveen, co-founder of the company, has written a delightful book on how to get more out of your reading.The Little Guide to Your Well-Read Life covers everything from ways to find new books to read (and keep track of your to-read list) to something I thought I made up, having a shelf (or two or three) of unread books. I've often said I feel

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-46202158701865182012008-11-21T18:33:00.001-08:002008-11-21T19:21:24.290-08:00

An interesting book, The Top Ten Distinctions Between Millionaires And the Middle Class. Nothing totally profound but yet worth thinking about and reminding yourself of periodically, if you want to grow and learn. The 10 distinctions are as follows--and no, I'm not giving away the whole book. Millionaires think long term.Millionaires talk about ideas rather than things.Millionaires embrace

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-88032255012826166102008-11-13T22:06:00.000-08:002008-11-13T22:07:36.112-08:00

Oooooh, dark but yet good.

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-71523210301056478012008-11-13T21:46:00.000-08:002008-11-13T21:59:15.948-08:00

I picked up Kinds of Love: A Novel because I have loved May Sarton's journals. I haven't read much of her fiction however, so thought I should.This started out a bit slow somehow. It's an older style. We expected everything fast these days, start out with a bang to let us know something interesting will happen and then do a flashback to bring us forward. This starts with character, rather than

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-45860662269925354502008-10-20T17:54:00.000-07:002008-10-20T18:30:51.311-07:00

There is no other word for May Sarton's journals than "lovely." They are deep, examining, and honest. She certainly lived up to Socrates' desire by examining her life. My copy of Journal of a Solitude is well worn and much underlined. There is much that speaks to me here, and much that pushes me to examine my own life.She examines her own depression and rages, her desire for solitude to get

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-9123599588327798922008-10-19T20:13:00.001-07:002008-10-19T20:21:03.053-07:00

Oh, this, The Year of Fog, was a sad delight. Sad, because of the story, but a delight because of the writing. I love books like this!Abby, a photographer, takes her soon to be stepdaughter, Emma, for a walk along the beach. The book jacket talks about her "greatest error." But in truth, she looks away for a few minutes, not long, and the girl is gone when she looks back. I don't think she

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-38622384070916522672008-10-12T08:54:00.001-07:002008-10-12T09:15:54.734-07:00

I've been reading StevePavlina.com for about a year. There are some excellent articles and blog posts on personal development, creating new habits, setting goals, motivating yourself, and the like. What I've always liked is that he's very personal. After reading how much he shares of his own inner thoughts and experiments he's tried, I feel like I can trust him to be honest. (I started to write "

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-47556713758244790632008-08-31T10:34:00.000-07:002008-08-31T10:41:07.163-07:00

I'm a fan of both Faye Kellerman and her husband, novelist Jonathon Kellerman. I found him first and then started reading Faye Kellerman's novels. I have to admit I also love the idea of a husband and wife team of writers.The Burnt House was as wonderful as Faye Kellerman's earlier novels. I love the mix of a bit of family story combined with a top notch police story.A commuter plan leaving Los

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-401087080385073922008-08-21T19:45:00.001-07:002008-08-21T22:04:45.835-07:00

My sister and my mom loved this book so how could I help giving it a read? It was delightful! I'm not religious at all and still enjoyed it because most of what she "learned" to me could be shared by someone without a religious slant.After a nasty divorce and a tumultous love affair, Gilbert decides to take a year off, spending 4 months in Italy (Eat), four months in an ashram in India (Pray),

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-86244729213538307762008-08-17T12:57:00.000-07:002008-08-17T13:11:03.795-07:00

I've been on a Jodi Picoult binge lately. I had really liked her novels up until I read The Tenth Circle. So I stopped reading them for a while. But a neighbor loaned me Nineteen Minutes and I went from there to Change of Heart: A Novel, and have Second Glance: A Novel sitting on my coffee table waiting for me.Change of Heart is disturbingly good. By that, I mean it "disturbs" your thoughts,

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-48629656161455251992008-07-29T21:49:00.000-07:002008-07-29T21:56:41.152-07:00

Not quite a totally light summer read, but still enjoyable. A Summer Affair: A Novel chronicles an affair on Nantucket, between a year-round resident, glass-blower and mother of 3, Claire Danner and the billionaire Lockhart Dixon, who has retired to the island and runs a children's nonprofit.The story was well told and entertaining. A certain wistfulness of what might have been and what might

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-59957474544307484242008-06-28T17:07:00.000-07:002008-06-28T17:58:25.760-07:00

I started reading Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time because it was on my daughter's summer reading list from her school. What a neat story--and what an amazing man. Greg Mortenson is a mountain-climber who attempted K2 in Pakistan. On the way back down, he got separated from his guide and found his way to a small village, quite isolated. The leader

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-16360317077007175252008-03-30T11:10:00.000-07:002008-03-30T11:13:53.188-07:00

The Secret Life of Cee Cee Wilkes is a fun read. Perfect spring break book to tote along to the beach or hotel or wherever you're going.

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-57357167427593423402008-03-23T16:42:00.000-07:002008-03-23T16:54:26.002-07:00

Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog is a fascinating good read. Kerasote mixes history, science, speculation, and personal story together to create a book about a particular dog while exploring ideas about dogs in general.A departure from most dog books, which stress how you need to be the alpha and always controlling every aspect of your dog's way of life, Kerasote lets Merle make

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-75191405160055722132008-02-05T10:08:00.000-08:002008-02-05T10:22:19.304-08:00

My mom recommended this book to me and I highly recommend it to you! Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky is a fantastic read, even if you don't know the background.Several characters' stories intertwine and overlap. Each is told from its main characters perspective but you then get that characters insight into other characters, all touching and influencing each other. The Germans are invading

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5238348.post-567128665455359082007-11-06T19:22:00.000-08:002007-11-06T19:31:51.051-08:00

I picked this, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, up because I have totally loved other Barbara Kingsolver essays. This is fantastic book, addressing issues of how we eat, what we eat, where and how it grows...Kingsolver seems to manage that fine line between having an opinion and being an evangelist who turns you off the very idea they'd like you to consider. I suppose that "

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04467062377749049526noreply@blogger.com2