Most Recent Book(s) You've Finished + What You Thought Of It

I read that a few years ago. I remember distinctly not not liking it, but I didn't like it or really feel neutral. It was one of those stories that you read and go, "Okay, whatever."

 

Yeah, that's how I felt about it too. The writing wasn't particularly bad or anything, it just seemed pointless, and not in a good way.

 

Just got through some more short stories. I don't know why I've been reading so many lately. I should pick up a novel again.

Sarah Cole: A Type of Love Story by Russell Banks - This was really amusing. I want to read more of this guy's writing.

Wild Horses by Rick Bass - I thought this might have something to do with The Rolling Stones song, but it turns out that it didn't. This is about a woman who lost her fiance and never quite got over it.

The Man Who Knew Belle Starr by Richard Bausch - This wasn't as good as the two aforementioned stories. I can't really say I'd recommend it.

The Year of Getting to Know Us by Ethan Canin - I really enjoyed this story. It dealt with a man who was losing his father.

Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor - I've always really liked O'Connor, and this story gave me no reason to think any less of her. She's such a talented writer, I find myself wondering how it's possible to be that good. This story dealt with racism in the south, and I found it to be quite captivating. I think this is one of her best.

 

Recent book I've read was the book entitled "Law of attraction". A very inspiring book that everyone must read. I've learned that we are the Michael Angelo of our life. We are the creator of our experience. Just focus on what you want and ignore all the negative things in our mind. Nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself.

 

I just finished Twilight by Stephanie Meyer for the second time. If you're into vampires and maybe some romance you'll love her series. Hell, even if you're not into vampires and romance, you'll like it anyway!! It kicks mucho culo!!

 

I just finished Footprints of Thunder by James F. David. It's about what would happen if sections of the world were suddenly replaced by pieces of land from the age of the dinosaurs. It was a great idea and I really liked the characters, but there were too many and most of the storylines didn't really go anywhere. Then there's the fact that they set off a hundred nuclear bombs in one place and all it did was nock a helicopter out of the air.

 

Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk - My roommate kept telling me how Palahniuk is nothing more than a shock fiction writer, out to write the most obscene things possible. He's not much of a writer, at least, his style isn't very impressive. It lacked any real kind of elegance. The story was interesting enough, but it still didn't send me anywhere. I can't say I'd recommend this one.

 

Slaughterhouse-Five: Need I say more?

Slapstick: OR Lonesome No More! by Kurt Vonnegut - It was great. I found it much better than Breakfast of Champions. Quite on par SH-5. Like most (maybe all) of Vonnegut's stuff, the story doesn't really end, though.

Breakfast of Champions - Pretty good. Funny, but not quite as good as Slaughterhouse or Slapstick.

Brave New World - Seemed to echo quite a few of my own sentiments, though I won't mention which. Great book. The ending was... well, I haven't really come to a conclusion about the ending. I'm a tease.

 

Hmm, Breakfast of Champions is my favorite Kurt Vonnegut novel by far. Nobody really seems to agree with me though. :\

 

"Holidays on Ice" by David Sedaris

It's a cute little collection of Christmas stories. 'The Santa Land Diaries' has got to be my favorite- it's where the main character gets a job as a Macy's Santa Elf.

 

Outer Dark by Cormac McCarthy - This isn't one of McCarthy's better novels. It's set somewhere in Appalachia during the early 1900's. A man has a son with her sister, and then he leaves the kid to die out in the woods. A tinker comes and gets the kid, and the rest of the book is about the sister going after the kid, and the brother going after the sister. It's blah.

 

I need to read more McCarthy. It's too bad I have to wait until summer break to dig into reader for pleasure.

 

I've just finished My sister's keeper, a very sad book about the usage of a little girls body to save her sisters life who has a very bad case of leukimia (I think I've spelt the cancer wrong), she goes about to sue her parents, in the end the girl is involved in an accident, the court case was for nothing and her sister finally received one of her kidneys.
I though it to be excellent...

 

I just finished Misery by Stephen King.

I still say he is the most overrated writer in the world. But boy can he make you keep turning the pages. Sure, he isn't a Thomas Pynchon or Goerge Orwell, but he is entertaining, in my opinion, he is carrying on the traditions of the 1800s 'Penny Dreadfuls.' Other than my normal critique of King's writing style, and general misuse of words (also my suspicion that the man simply does not do any redrafts of his novels what so ever) I have to say it was one of the more believable, and therefor effective, of the King novels.

 

Glad you decided to give Misery a chance, Lemex.

 

Boy am I too... I really enjoyed it this time.

 

Perdido Street Station by China Mieville


It floored me and gave me new faith that there are still things that have not been done.

 

I highly recommend a book series called The Tales of the Otori, by Lian Hearn. It's quite difficult to categorise the books, but they rank amongst my most favourites and I re-read them often, having just finished the fifth and final book in the series for a second time.

 

Translation Nation: Defining A New American Identity in the Spanish-Speaking United States by Hector Tobar - I had to read this book for a class I was taking, and I actually found it to be fairly interesting. It's about the influx of Spanish speakers in the United States on all levels of society. It deals with immigrants that are at rock bottom, all the way to established and respected artists, politicians and other prominent public figures.

 

Superstition by Karen Robards. A mystery novel...not as well written as I'd hoped but it was good story. It held my attention and I think I finished it in like three days. I really did enjoy it.

 

I just finished The Tao of Physics. Cool stuff. My dad sent it to me while I was at college (he's an astronomer) and I just happened to be taking a Taoism course. Worked out pretty well; I quoted it on my final paper. If you like eastern religions AND physics, it's great. I like physics, but I quickly went back to reading sci-fi and fantasy after I finished >_<

 

Filth by Irvine Welsh.

It's very raw, stark and intimate in the finest of details. I'm not a sociology expert but always chose micro rather than macro. I love trying to read in between the lines of human interactions, which Welsh does beautifully against the backdrop of the society(macro) as a whole.

Welsh is truly one of the greatest British writers of all time, and is Scotland's finest.

 

My recent book

I finished Interpreter of Maladies the other day. Lahiri is really, really good. I am definitely checking out her new book. I loved The Namesake and so now she's proven to me she can write short and she can write long. No easy feat.

 

I just finished the Druid of Shannara by Terry Brooks. I loved it. The story was gripping and held me through every page. I was not expecting the ending, at all, but I loved it. I'm going to finish the series.

 

I'm reading John Dies At The End by David Wong for the second time. I love this book so much! It's so funny and random, but really exciting and kinda scary at the same time. I can't wait for the sequel!