All Creatures Great and Small (James Herriot)

(review by Cori)

The word that comes to my mind when I think of this book is "delightful." It's about the author on his first job as a veterinary surgeon in England in the late 1930s. Normally not the kind of thing I would pick up at first glance, honestly. But I read it back in middle school and remembered enjoying it, so was glad to revisit it when it was chosen for our Book Club this month. I will give fair warning that if you're easily grossed out by medical procedures there are several (animal births, surgeries, etc.) that are described in detail (but not overdone). I promise you won't feel like you're reading a medical textbook - and I don't handle bloody TV shows or bloody real-life shows well but didn't have a problem.

The accounts in the book are autobiographical and done with detail and wit. Many, many times I found myself laughing out loud. You'll enjoy the characters - James' quirky boss Siegfried, Siegfried's irresponsible but good-natured little brother, Tristan, and the many country folk Dr. Herriot visits to treat their animals. It's interesting as a look at a profession, a look at a period in history, and even just a look at human nature. (Pssssst, there's even a love interest.) Well worth the read, can't wait to go on that cruise and read the subsequent four books about his further experiences. Okay, there's no cruise, but sign me up!! So many books, so little time...

A Tale of Two Cities (Charles Dickens)

(review by Cori)

So let's start here. I have avoided Dickens my whole life (besides "A Christmas Carol" and a brief encounter in high school with "Great Expectations") because I heard once that he was paid by the word and was very poor, so thus wrote very long, tedious books. So I've always shied away from his novels. But something struck me at the library one day shuffling through the Classics aisle, and I decided to give Dickens a try. This was my noble move at being truly cultured, deciding that I could hardly call myself well-read if I always avoided such a famous novelist's work.

Thus began my journey to the times of revolutionary France, among some charming and some truly frightening characters. Madame Defarge still seems scarier to me than most famous villains because she was so hardened and cold. The many ways that war and political upheaval can affect the lives of people of every station and class was what made this book so memorable. The story included the exciting, appalling, horrendous and beautiful. It was one of the best books I have read in a very long time. It drew me into the story so far as to sincerely consider what I may have done were I there, how would I have acted or handled a certain situation?

I also learned a lot historically, especially about the Reign of Terror. I spent a lot of time afterwards reading about the French Revolution and even reading other books about it. I just had to know how characteristic the situations actually were, whether people could be that desolate and cruel...and heroic.

My only consolation at having shunned such a stunning literary work for so long is that now I can go forward to see what other delights Dickens may have in store for me. I know that some of his books are indeed very lengthy (my friend read "Bleak House" and wow, that's a long book), but I'm not worried anymore. I look forward to improving the acquaintance!

The Goose Girl (Shannon Hale)

(review by Cori)

This is a retelling of a Grimm fairy tale. Whether or not you know the original tale, it's a fun interpretation and an entertaining read. It seems a bit slow at first and sometimes a little predictable. But overall, it is well written and a fun story. It's about a crown princess who ends up as a goose girl in a foreign country fighting to regain her identity. I actually listened to the book on CD - there is a full-cast recording that is fabulous.

Anyway, it's an admirable first novel and a nice break when your brain hurts and you just need something fun. It reminds me of "Ella Enchanted." Check out the author's website if you want to read the original tale or find out more about her: http://www.squeetus.com/stage/main.html

Crossing to safety (Wallace Stegner)

(review by Mirjam)

I forgot to add: The 2 young couples reminded me of you and Kimball and us when we first met and spent every available night together. It was a good book.

This recommendation is for Cori. It got wonderful reviews from Amazon.
It's about 2 young married couples who met in college (married) and the whole book is about their friendship and how it evolves while their lives change.
The characters become so real you really believe Wallace Stegner writes about his own live.
Every time I see the book in my book case I long to read it again.

This was Bishop Handley's (Humanities professor) favorite book and it will not disappoint you.

My Grandfathers Blessings : Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging (Rachel Naomi Remen)

(review by Mirjam)

I read this book last year and I still remember lots of stories. This is a book full of small stories about her grandfather and patients she had. She deals with a lot of cancer patients either dealing with death or people who are grieving. This would be a wonderful book for anyone in the health care system (thinking about Hanna and Genny, not necessarily for their husbands to read but you’ll be involved in the stories they bring home.)

It’s fun to read because all the stories are short (2-4) pages and each one will be inspiring and heartfelt.

One for example you have probably heard about the story in General Conference about the boy who loved his one special car from a big collection of cars. The relatives really wanted him to have all the cars in the collection and when he received this enormous gift he said: “I don’t know how to love that many cars” and never played with any of them. That's from her book. Anyway, it's a great gift and and even better book for Book Clubs. Promise!

Austenland (Shannon Hale)

(review by Mirjam)

This was a quick and fun read. Don't expect anything deep or anything like Pamela Aiden's Darcy trilogy. I expect Ashley to read it in a short afternoon ;)
I was terribly predictable, somewhat flat, cute (too cute at times), but it still made me giggle. There is a whole lot of kissing in this book, which irritated me to no end. I assume Hale is Mormon, and tries to give a single desperate women the opportunity to make out as much as possible w/o getting in trouble with her mom or other LDS readers.

The idea of the book was fantastic. A single woman, who wants her own Mr. Darcy gets an all-inclusive vacation to a Manor house in England, where Regent England is acted and played out. Each client (mostly single or flinging women) gets assigned a male actor that would suit her best. (I loved the idea that the main character doesn't choose to be any Austen heroin but keeps her own name: "Jane" and tried each role as Katherine, Emma or Lizzy.)
In a final attempt to leave her Darcy-fantasies behind she still falls in love with her surroundings at Pembrook Park and the empire waist fashion plus some more.

I would give it a 3.5 /5




link: excerpt

Zen Shorts (Jon J. Muth) Caldecott Honor Book

(review by Mirjam)
You have probably seen this book in different stores. It's widely available but not so widely known. This book gets 5 stars on every website I looked at.
While it is a children's book with fantastic illustrations, it makes a wonderful gift for an adult who loves to read.
Stillwater the giant panda lives up the hill from three children. As each child pays a visit to the panda, he offers them a story. These tales are zen shorts (short meditations) that offer ideas to ponder. Great discussion for kids and very philosophical for adults.

I can't recommend it enough!!!

It's Raining Pigs & Noodles (Jack Prelutsky and James Stevenson)

(review by Mirjam)
I read this book full of silly poems at a friends house. I knew it would fit with my little friend Mary (9 yrs old) and sent it to her for Christmas last year. She and her family loved it. I read the whole book in one sitting and marked all the pages with my favorite poems. Soon I saw that I marked every other page. Even after a year I still remember the poem dedicated to liverwurst and the virtual chicken.
Ages: 4+

(I am thinking especially of Avery for this book)

These is my words (Nancy E. Turner)

(review by Mirjam)

I would rate it PG 13 for some violence and romance (ahhh). Our Book club read it and this book had the best discussion. I had a hard time stopping because of the fluidity between chapters. You just had to find out what happens to capt. Elliot ;)

from Amamzon:

These Is My Words begins with Sarah Prine's family pulling up stakes and traveling toward a new home in the early 1880s. Deciding to record the events of her life in a diary, Sarah takes us step-by-step through the real tragedies of life on a frontier but also through the triumphs that make life bearable. Sarah is a tough young woman who is a sharpshooter, both with a rifle and her spirit. Young and impressionable, she finds out that people and events are not always what they seem and she makes plenty of mistakes along the way.
The love story between she and Captain Jack Elliott is one of the best I've ever read; you can feel the love between the two jump off the page and grab you around your own heart. Finding a stopping place in this wonderful book is next to impossible and to say that your soul will become involved is to state the obvious. Sarah and her stories will live a very long time within me. This is historical fiction at its absolute best. Highly, highly recommended.

The Poisonwood Bible (by Barbara Kingsolver)

(review by Mirjam)
My official review "Tata Jesus is Bängala":

I finished the last 300 pages in 2 days (which is very fast for me - English books). I felt every emotion under the sky with this book. I hated Nathan Price, I hated injustice, I hated my uselessness, I hated the fact that there are no good prospects for Africa in the future. As a Geographic major I strongly believe that the closer you are to the Equator, the longer it will remain a 3rd world country. Of course the country itself is full of resources (in non-foods) that could make them rich, but nothing can feed the overpopulated cities. Politics obstruct any way of turning diamonds into food. Anyway,
I loved the fact the author talked so much about how they processed their lives and experiences in the Congo. To some degree that's how I am. I grew up poor and desolate and now live in this insane country where everything is available. I feel restless and unsettles at times. Like Orleanna who can't wear shoes in Atlanta because she needs to feel dirt between her feet I prefer to walk to church (with stroller and kids) in Minus degree weather because that's my connection to my family and culture in Germany. Nobody gets it when we arrive at church with red noses, fully aware that we have a functional car.
I love and miss Ruth May. I cried a lot about dead animal. I laughed at her timely wittiness in describing the culture clashes.

I learned one important point about African culture. The author lingered on the fact that Africans (especially villagers) can't grasp the fact of a family owning or keeping more than they need or consume at any point. When a fisherman caught a full net he immediately shares with his village. People don't ask for fish or thank for the fish. They just take. Because that's how it is. When the Prices arrived there with storage the kids came to beg at their door. Not because they were greedy or rude but that's how the village functions.

We have many African immigrants in our ward and neighborhood (sometimes I am the only white person in a store on any given day). For example when the Relief Society announces a committee meeting "With refreshments" some African women just show up. They go straight to the refreshment table (in the middle of the meeting, untouched foods and all) eat, and then go home. None has a calling but hears the call to eat the offered food. There is an abundance and they have no money for food. It's all logical to them to eat when it's available if they were invited or not. There are also many problems with African can't getting off welfare. Honorable families don't understand the reason not to take when it's for everyone to take and use. There is no thinking about the future, just filling the belly now.

One of our Book Club books this year is "A Framework for Understanding Poverty" by Ruby K Payne to help us interact better.

I loved it. It was a good book. A few flaws but easily forgivable for the beautiful philosophical writing. It was the best epic I read so far.
I will stay away from Oprah's newest epic though. "The Pillars of the Earth" The reviews alone made my skin crawl. It sounds intriguing historically but there were a lot of warning for violent sex, gory rape and torture that made readers almost sick.



678 pages. I would never pick up a book that long. I saw it at the thrift store and knew that's the way to avoid library late fees because I can't finish it in time. I bought it for $.99 and started it last week. I am half way through. I wish I had more time to read.

So here's my funny story before I can post my opinions:

I gave the kids a long bath with lots of toys in the bath tub to get at least 20min of reading time I was craving. I filled up the bath tub and dumped all the foam letters in and William ran out of the bathroom. I yelled after him to come back and undress. When he came back he said: "Here ya go" and handed me by big book. He already knew he was being bathed not because he needed it but because *I* needed it.

Gotcha!

BTW, it is good so far but confusing in the character development. Every chapter is a narrative of a different family member but after a while you can't see the difference between the adult and the handicapped daughter, in terms of language and understanding.
After the 300 + pages I still have no real image about their village in the Congo. That's my biggest pet peeve. I sort of start to imagine the place and then she throws in a fact that doesn't match with my imagined picture .

The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)

(review by Mirjam)

The Amazon review is 4/5 stars.

I heard about this book on the radio and I just had to read it. The author sounded so wonderful and intelligent and I liked her thoughts on the afterlife.

However, I am torn about this book. When I started it I could not put it down. I was waiting for the big reveal and justice at the end. It never came. The ending left me confused and somewhat angry.
The young narrator is dead and tells the story about her family's life and their grieving after her murder. All of them change but are all involved in solving the crime. Some parts were really interesting and philosophical. But then again, the ending...
Warnings: The murder itself was not pretty and there were some strange spirit exchanges. Not really something for a book group.

The Jane Austen Book Club (Karen Joy Fowler)

(review by Mirjam)

Amazon reviews:
5 stars: 46
4 stars: 58
3 starts: 35
2 starts: 49
1 star: 62

The 1 star rating pretty much sums it up.

Two thumbs down. I was so excited when I finally picked it up from the library.
A group of women and one man plan one Austen book per month.
As they discus each book (in very little detail) you find out who each participant of the book club is one of the main heroin of Austen's books (so not!)
You hear about lovely lesbian love making and messed up relationships and everyone's pity me parties.
It was so far removed from Regent England and hardly had anything to do with Jane Austen other than 5 women claiming to like the books.

You are not "like" Lizzy, Fanny, Marianne, Anne, or Catherine just because you liked the book.

The movie to the book just came out and yes I watched the trailer. There will be more lesbian talk than Austen talk, I promise.

....However, my next book in line seems much more promising.

"Austenland" by Shannon Hale. Stay tuned.

The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)

The book was fantastic and at some points hard to swallow (***spoiler: one rape scene***). I recommend the book for sure, especially when you tend to avoid news about Afghanistan. I like to read about other cultures in novels so the news make more sense. Anyone else does the same? This was a wonderful book discussion. We even had a girl who lived in Afghanistan for a while, which made it even more interesting.

"The Kite Runner," a beautiful novel by Afghan-American Khaled Hosseini that ranks among the best-written and provocative stories of the year so far.

Hosseini's first novel -- and the first Afghan novel to be written originally in English -- "The Kite Runner" tells a heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between Amir, the son of a wealthy Afghan businessman, and Hassan, the son of his father's servant. Amir is Sunni; Hassan is Shi'a. One is born to a privileged class; the other to a loathed minority. One to a father of enormous presence; the other to a crippled man. One is a voracious reader; the other illiterate.

The poor Hassan is born with a hare lip, but Amir's gaps are better hidden, deep inside.

Yet Amir and Hassan live and play together, not simply as friends, but as brothers without mothers. Their intimate story traces across the expansive canvas of history, 40 years in Afghanistan's tragic evolution, like a kite under a gathering storm. The reader is blown from the last days of Kabul's monarchy -- salad days in which the boys lives' are occupied with school, welcome snows, American cowboy movies and neighborhood bullies -- into the atrocities of the Taliban, which turned the boys' green playing fields red with blood.