The end of March marks the end of the first quarter of the year. My goal was to have 25 books read by now. I've read 22. Not bad, especially considering I read 9 books in March alone. But I do have a little more making-up to do.
More importantly, however, I'm reading some interesting books I might not have read otherwise.
Side note: I've read 7,809 pages in 90 days. That's an average of 87 pages per day. Whew!
January: 2,688 pages
February: 2,554 pages
March: 2,567 pages
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
BOOK 22: 365 Things to Do Before You Grow Up, by Marc Tyler Nobleman
Rating: 4 stars
Cover synopsis: Have you ever built a bat house, gone on a backyard bug safari, or made a music video? Now you can try these and hundreds of other awesome things to do -- one for each day of the year.
I checked out this fat little book to get ideas of boredom busters for my kids. It delivered -- but most of the ideas are better suited to older kids, say 8-years-plus. Still, I found a few keepers, such as going on a backyard campout, racing paper airplane and hosting a kids' art gallery show. I also got a few ideas for the church youth group I supervise, such as volunteering at an animal shelter and having our own swap meet.
There were some filler items in here too. There were quite a few "save the frogs, turtles, wolves, birds, bugs, etc." ideas that involved writing letters to congressmen...I'm all for saving the environment, but these ideas probably could have been rolled into one.
Still, it was a fun read, and I hope my kids will find it useful in, oh, 5 years.
BOOK 21: The Road to a Healthy Heart Runs Through the Kitchen, by Joseph Piscatella
Rating: 4 stars
Cover synopsis: Your doctor just gave you the news: It's time to get serious about your heart and your cholesterol, and that means eating right. Starting now. This is your cookbook. it saved Joe Piscatella's life. it could save yours.
I've got bad genes. I come from a long line of heart trouble on both sides of my family. My dad had his first heart procedure in his 40s, and just had open-heart surgery in December (in his 60s). He (and we) are not heavy people. In fact, we're what most people would call SKINNY.
So with genetics against me, I've decided to get more serious about eating healthy. But I was in need of some new heart-friendly recipes, so I picked up this book. It's half-cookbook-half-textbook on heart disease and nutrition. The author had a close call in the 1970s, back before doctors really understood the link between what we eat and its effect on our heart. So he started digging around, talking to doctors, looking up studies, etc. Fascinating stuff.
He came up with a modified Mediterranean diet. He shows us how to eating the right kinds of fats and avoid the bad ones. And he gives helpful tips on how to navigate a restaurant menu, too. The cookbook section is intriguing (yes, I read that part too). I flagged about 25 recipes to try. I made the lower-fat macaroni and cheese last night for dinner. My husband said it tasted better than my usual full-fat version. Not a bad start!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
BOOK 20: Suite Scarlett, by Maureen Johnson
Rating: 3 stars
Cover synopsis: Scarlett Martin's eccentric family runs a New York City hotel that dates back to the 1920s. After Scareltt turns 15, she is given charge of the Empire Suite, occupied by an aging starlet who is writing her memoir. Soon, Scarlett becomes caught up in the woman's adventures.
What does it say about me when I enjoy the book more for the middle-aged supporting character than for the teen-aged protagonist?
Don't answer that.
This was a cute book, and nicely done for the audience: day-dreamy teenage girls. But I had several cringe and eye-roll moments as the main character acted like...a day-dreamy teenage girl. Oh well.
But it was an enjoyable read. The book was loaded with fun characters and I enjoyed the rapport of Scarlett and her big brother Spencer. Though I didn't fall head-over-heels for the love interest, no matter how gorgeous the author swore he was. *eye roll* But hey, no matter how old-fogey I get, it's always fun to imagine what it would be like to live in New York, in an elegant hotel, surrounded by interesting people.
Monday, March 22, 2010
BOOK 19: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by Barbara Kingsolver
Rating: 4 stars
Cover Synopsis: Barbara Kingsolver and her family sweep readers along on their journey away from the industrial-food pipeline to a rural life in which they vow to buy only food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it.
I've often thought about whether I could survive if our nation's food transporation system were interrupted, due to war, natural disaster or other drastic event. Here is a manual.
I grew up in a home where gardening, canning and storing were a part of life. Our backyard was packed with fruit trees, and the rest of the yard was a huge vegetable garden. Plus, I married a man who is a gardening genius. So this book wasn't entirely foreign (I did know that potatoes have above-ground plants attached), but it was fascinating to learn more about the food seasons and how to survive around them. The beauty of this, though, is that Kingsolver and her family don't just survive, they live quite well.
The book does meander a bit into tangents, and the family does cheat on a few things (they still buy international coffee, for example) but for the most part it's an interesting look at our nation's industrial food system, and what I can do -- even in small steps -- to decrease my dependence on it, and increase my self sustainability.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
BOOK 18: Extras, by Scott Westerfeld
Rating: 3 stars
Cover Synopsis: It's a few years after Tally Youngblood took down the uglies/pretties/specials regime. Without those strict roles and rules the world is in a cultural renaissance. The world is like a gigantic game of American Idol: Whoever is getting the most buzz gets the most votes. Popularity rules. Aya Fuse's rank is so low, she's a total nobody. An extra. Aya makes an explosive discovery that may change the face of the brave new world forever. If she kicks this story, she'll be propelled into a world of fame, celbrity and extreme danger.
This is the fourth book in the "Uglies" series. It's a more complex story premise. Set in a futuristic Japan, which now has a fame-based economy. The more popular you are, the richer you are. "Extras" gives an interesting examination of our present-day celebrity culture.
I liked the book, but perhaps not as much as I liked "Uglies." The main character Aya is like a member of the paparazzi: She tries to uncover interesting stories to put out on her feed in hopes of becoming famous. I kept trying to empathize with her, to view her as a journalist seeking the truth. But I never quite hit that level of respect for her: Her motivations were never to save the world and humanity. Her motivations -- even when she came to understand the gravity of the situation -- were always selfish. She was always so intent on getting CREDIT for the story, not just to make sure the story got out there.
All in all, a good read, though. Deep themes, interesting characters, intense plot-line. (Though some of the twists and turns were pretty outrageous and unbelievable.) I read the 417-pager in two days.
Monday, March 15, 2010
BOOK 17: The Art Book for Children Book Two, by Amanda Renshaw
Rating: 5 stars
Cover Synopsis: Following the success of the Art Book for Children, this second volume continues to expand the minds and creativity of children aged from seven to eleven. Works by thirty new artists from all periods have been selected to encourage children to ask why artists do what they do.
The second book is just as good as the first one. The goal of this book is to help children think creatively, and I could feel it working on me too. While reading it, I kept thinking about how much I wish I could get back to my own artistic ambitions. (I was quite artistic in school, but now with a job and family, I simply haven't done much in that realm in the past 10 years.)
This book is also substantial at 75 pages, and introduced me to artists and works I'd never seen before. Eye-opening and fun.
SIDE-NOTE: I waffled back and forth about whether to include these "children's books" in my count toward 100 books this year. After all, I'm an adult. But I figure that since these were substantial works that I spent at least a day (or longer) on, they qualify. You won't find me claiming credit for my every-day reading with my kids! Heck, I'd be past 100 by now if I could count Dr. Suess books. The goal of my 100 book challenge is to enrich myself, to regain my childhood love of reading and awaken my mind. And these books certainly fit the bill.
BOOK 16: The Art Book for Children
Rating: 5 stars
Cover synopsis: This book explores the choices and attitudes of thirty different artists. It explores the various ideas, meanings, roles and functions of art by looking at painting, sculpture, photography and prints and helps develop children's understanding of color, form, texture and pattern.
My search for an art book for my kids ends here. At 75 pages, this book is substantial, has great images and is child-appropriate. I also like the way the (unnamed) author involves the reader in the art, asking children to use their imagination to wonder about why artists created things they way they did.
This book included a lot of different art than was in the "Masterpieces Up Close" I recently reviewed. It tackles a wide variety of format, style and color. Loved it. Now to see if my kids enjoy it...
Cover synopsis: This book explores the choices and attitudes of thirty different artists. It explores the various ideas, meanings, roles and functions of art by looking at painting, sculpture, photography and prints and helps develop children's understanding of color, form, texture and pattern.
My search for an art book for my kids ends here. At 75 pages, this book is substantial, has great images and is child-appropriate. I also like the way the (unnamed) author involves the reader in the art, asking children to use their imagination to wonder about why artists created things they way they did.
This book included a lot of different art than was in the "Masterpieces Up Close" I recently reviewed. It tackles a wide variety of format, style and color. Loved it. Now to see if my kids enjoy it...
Thursday, March 11, 2010
BOOK 15: A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle
Rating: 3 stars
Cover Synopsis: On a wild night, a strange visitor comes to the Murray house and beckons meg, her brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O'Keefe on a most dangerous and extraordinary adventure -- one that will threaten their lives and our universe.
I liked this book. But I wanted to love it. I adore Madeleine L'Engle's biographical works. ("The Two-Part Invention" is one of my favorite books ever.) I admire her mind and the way it thinks. And I loved the themes of love, family, friendship and agency in this book.
But this is definitely a science fiction book. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I've always had a hard time swallowing science fiction because it's just not believable to me. The "Uglies" series I read last month is science fiction, but it was believable. "A Wrinkle in Time" lost me several times with the pure outlandish scenarios and creatures. I even had a hard time accepting that two of the three main characters were real. And I think there are things in the book I'm supposed to "get" but I didn't. Perhaps it requires another reading and further reflection?
It's imaginative, and well written. Contains some interesting themes. The ending doesn't fully resolve, and L'Engle wrote sequels. But I'm not feeling particularly driven to devour them. Yet.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
BOOK 14: Masterpieces Up Close, by Claire d'Harcourt
Rating: 5 stars
Cover Synopsis: Discover the beauty and hidden mysteries in Western art's most celebrated masterpieces in this exciting art history lesson cleverly disguised as a game.
I have been searching for a book about art for my kids. Something that will expose them to famous art and artists. This one didn't quite fit the bill -- it's a little advanced for my brood of 1-5 year olds. However, I thoroughly enjoyed it!
First of all, I was impressed with the size of this book. It's about 14x11 inches, so you can really SEE the art. And it covers 20 pieces over a broad spectrum of time from 1305 to 1964, including Leonardo's Mona Lisa, Warhol's Marilyn, Michelangelo's Creation of Adam, Monet's Water Lilies and Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon. Then it zero's in on 4 to 8 specific areas of the paintings, pointing out little details and telling interesting back-stories. For instance, in Jan Van Eyck's Arnolfini Wedding Portrait, we discover the symbolism in the shoes, the dress, the mirror and even the artist's signature. Fascinating stuff.
The book also includes more in-depth explanation of the masterpiece and the artist's background. This book may have been written for children, but it took me several days to read and admire. My only complaint is that at 20 paintings, it wasn't long enough.
Now, back to the hunt for a book for my kids...
Cover Synopsis: Discover the beauty and hidden mysteries in Western art's most celebrated masterpieces in this exciting art history lesson cleverly disguised as a game.
I have been searching for a book about art for my kids. Something that will expose them to famous art and artists. This one didn't quite fit the bill -- it's a little advanced for my brood of 1-5 year olds. However, I thoroughly enjoyed it!
First of all, I was impressed with the size of this book. It's about 14x11 inches, so you can really SEE the art. And it covers 20 pieces over a broad spectrum of time from 1305 to 1964, including Leonardo's Mona Lisa, Warhol's Marilyn, Michelangelo's Creation of Adam, Monet's Water Lilies and Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon. Then it zero's in on 4 to 8 specific areas of the paintings, pointing out little details and telling interesting back-stories. For instance, in Jan Van Eyck's Arnolfini Wedding Portrait, we discover the symbolism in the shoes, the dress, the mirror and even the artist's signature. Fascinating stuff.
The book also includes more in-depth explanation of the masterpiece and the artist's background. This book may have been written for children, but it took me several days to read and admire. My only complaint is that at 20 paintings, it wasn't long enough.
Now, back to the hunt for a book for my kids...
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