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Tuesday, January 31, 2006
note to self
When I have time I will post about
Calvin & Hobbes
Emma
Hagar the Horrible.
Snobs (never made it past the first chapter)
Excalibur (ditto)
I slacked off at the tail end of January. Mea Culpa. I just got very busy with job and stuff.
Posted by: Slowplum at: 4:31 PM
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Saturday, January 21, 2006
The Bad Mother's Handbook - Kate Long
ISBN: 0-670-06373-8 (Hardcover)
Pub: Pengin Group (Viking Canada), 2005
Book borrowed from the Library.
In a story of three generations of women living in the same house, we are introduced to Nan (the grandmother), Karen (the mother), and Charlotte (the daughter). Each has a unique perspective that causes static and sparks. Nan has dementia which makes for some interesting dialogues. Karen discovers a secret about Nan that changes her life. Charlotte gets pregnant and ruins Karen's hopes for her future.
It takes a little while to get used to the way the author trudges back and forth between perspectives (written in the first person, the three take turns telling the story so it takes a few lines in to realize who took over). A pretty good read though, and kind of amusing.
Excerpt:
All those times I was here, I was thinking, and the last few weeks, we never knew; I had cells dividing inside me: 2, 4, 8, 16, an exponential time bomb. Cells all drifting to their alloted place like syncrhonized swimmers. Shape-shifting: amoeba to blackberry, shrimp, alien, baby. There's a baby under this sweatshirt. Hello, Dad.
"Hey, are you all right? You look a bit -- funny."
I took heart from what might have been concern in his voice and stepped forward. "Paul, I - no. I'm not all right. I, I'm--" My hand dipped automatically to my stomach and his eyes followed it, then widened. Then his brows came down and his whole face went hard.
"Paul?"
Time to read: 2 evenings
Rate: ***--
Posted by: Slowplum at: 8:35 AM
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Thursday, January 19, 2006
Cherry Ames: Seniour Nurse - Helen Wells
There is no apparent ISBN on this book.
Pub: Grosset & Dunlap, 1944 (Hardcover)
Found in the box of books.
Cherry Ames is a troublemaker of a nurse, participating in her senior year at nursing school. While she takes on a probee (probational student) who is antisocial and curmudgeonly, and a doctor-to-be named Lex who angers her at every turn yet attracts her, she also has to solve a mystery in order to clear Lex's name! Surely he didn't steal the newly developed penicillin that the government would surely need and that the enemy would love to get their hands on? Tune in!
Cherry Ames apparently is a series of books. This one was interesting in that it did describe a lot of hospital procedures from the 1940s. The plot seemed a little sketchy but what can ya do.
I've already established I don't like to rate antiques.
Time to read: 1 day (kept putting it down to do other things)
Posted by: Slowplum at: 10:30 AM
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Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Sebastian and the Santa Claus Caper - Mary Blount Christian
ISBN: 0-02-718460-9 (Hardcover)
Pub: Macmillan Publishing Co, Sept. 1984
Found in box of books.
It's a book about a dog that is a supersleuth and his clueless master. There's a mystery at the mall and Sebastian helps his master John figure it out.
Um. I can't really rate a book like that.
Time to read: 1/2 hr.
Posted by: Slowplum at: 7:22 AM
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Tuesday, January 17, 2006
The Autobiography of Santa Claus - As Told by Jeff Guinn
ISBN: 1-58542-265-7 (hardcover)
Pub: Tarcher/Penguin, 2003
Book borrowed from the library.
This is actually a pretty interesting interpretation of the life and times of jolly old Saint Nicholas. It goes to explain most of the mysteries of being Santa, including who his helpers are, where Mrs. Claus came from, how he got reindeer to fly, etc. He really gets into it and explains how ordinary beginnings became extraordinary by people telling tales and elaborating on the mysterious stranger that left them gifts.
The thing that bothers me though (and some reading this commentery may find this offensive, to which I say tough potato) is that it seems very America-centric (specifically focusing on figures from the United States), for lack of a better term. The initial stages of the story of course take place in Europe but as soon as America is colonized suddenly Santa is all about the new continent and even registered as a charitable organization with the U.S. so that he wouldn't pay taxes? That's interesting, I wasn't aware the U.S. had political sovereignity over the North Pole.
Nitpicking aside, it was a pretty engaging read, though I have a personal bias as I happen to love the jolly old soul, fictional or no. There is also a recipe at the end for "North Pole Delight Tender Fried Chicken", for those interested.
Here's an excerpt:
Don't ever apologize for loving me as much as I love you. After all, for those who don't want to believe in me, no amount of proof would ever be enough. But for friends like you, who belive what they know to be true in their hearts, no further proof is necessary.
We love you Santa, wherever you are!
Time to read: 1-2 evenings. About 3 hrs total.
Rate: ****-
Posted by: Slowplum at: 4:21 PM
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Monday, January 16, 2006
Nancy Drew and the Secret of Red Gate Farm - Carolyn Keene
No apparent ISBN on this book.
Pub: Grosset & Dunlap Inc, 1961 (Hardcover)
Found in the box of books.
After this one I think I'm going to take a break from the book-box hunt and move on to the rest of the books I'd borrowed from the library this month.
This is the third in a long series of books about the Titian-haired supersleuth, Miss Nancy Drew. Nancy's friend Bess sends them down a perilous path when she insists on buying an expensive perfume, in spite of a reluctant shopkeeper. Bess, George & Nancy befriend a young woman who came to River Heights looking for work in order to save her grandmother's farm. Bla bla bla, they get themselves into fixes, in the end Nancy saves the day.
Time to read: 1-2 evenings (kept putting it down to do stuff, not that I didn't enjoy the book but I had things to do)
I can't rate Nancy Drew. She's too much a part of my childhood and I'm biased (yes even now).
Posted by: Slowplum at: 3:49 PM
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Sunday, January 15, 2006
Trixie Belden and the Mysterious Code - Kathryn Kenny
No apparent ISBN in this book.
Pub: Whitman, 1961 (Hardcover)
Found in the box of books.
The principal of their school tells the gang that their club may have to disband unless they can prove their worth, otherwise they will be expelled if they continue to work as a "club". So they decide to put on an antique show to raise funds for UNICEF. Some items get stolen and they find some crazy stuff in the Wheeler's attic. MYSTERY ABOUNDS! Jeeps!
Also there is some weird subplot going on between Trixie and Jim, where Jim notices Trixie is actually a girl and not just a shorter version of his other mates.
Time to read: 1 evening
Rate: ****- (extra star for supplying kids with a cute stick-figure alphabet... I bet this went off really well in the 60's with young girls scribbling codes all over the damn place)
Posted by: Slowplum at: 9:25 AM
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Saturday, January 14, 2006
Trixie Belden and the Black Jacket Mystery - Kathryn Kenny
No apparent ISBN on this book.
Pub: Whitman Publishing Co, 1967 (Hardcover)
Found in the box of books.
Trixie and her pals throw together a carnival to get books for their mexican pen pals after a fire destroys their friends' library. A new boy shows up in a black jacket and he looks tough (back when a leather jacket and cowboy boots meant you were a tough cookie) and bla bla bla.
Time to read: a while over a few days
No rating this time, too tired to compute.
Posted by: Slowplum at: 6:21 AM
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Thursday, January 12, 2006
Trixie Belden and the Mystery Off Glen Road - Julie Campbell
There is no apparent ISBN on the book.
Pub: Western Publishing Company (Whitman), 1970 (Hardcover)
Another book box find.
Featuring more nifty sayings like "Gleeps!" (which is interesting that there is a difference in spelling) and "Don't be ridic!", Julie Campbell (and Kathryn Kenny) wrote a series of mystery books kind of like Nancy Drew except Trixie is considerably younger, is part of a large family, and gets into more trouble than you can shake a stick at. This particular issue involves poachers, a diamond ring being given as collateral so her brother can pony up money for a jalopy, and venison stew.
Not a bad read, though I found myself wanting to skip through parts. (I was good and did not.)
Time to read: 1 hr, 45 mins (appx)
Rate: ***-- (kept me amused enough, again it's hard to rate something that is 1: aimed towards a considerably younger age group and 2: an antique).
Posted by: Slowplum at: 3:54 PM
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Arthur, For the Very First Time - Patricia MacLachlan
ISBN: 0064402886
Pub: HarperTrophy (February 15, 1989)
From the big box of books.
This is targeted toward the 9-12 group. It's about a boy that gets sent to stay with his aunt and uncle over the summer. While there he encounters a chicken that only responds to french, a pregnant pig, a young girl with no parents who calls him "Mouse", and a vet called Moreover because he says it quite often.
Took me about 45 minutes to plow through. It was interesting enough, though I'm not sure what possessed me to acquire it when I was younger. My bet would be a garage sale find. I used to buy books by the box at garage sales, usually without giving the contents a second glance till I got home.
Hard to rate a children's book. I'd probably give it ***--
Posted by: Slowplum at: 3:47 PM
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Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Donna Parker: A Spring to Remember - Marcia Martin
Note: There is no apparent ISBN on this book.
Pub: Whitman Publishing Company 1960 (Hardcover)
My mom found a box full of old kids' books. They belonged to me, though most were initially hers or were her garage sale finds. The binding on this book is a little worn, and it has that dusty, old-book smell. So of course I had to read it!
I won't bother to rate the books I found in this box, as what are the chances that you'll be able to get a copy of something that is technically now considered to be an antique?
Synopsis: Donna Parker is graduating from junior high. She grows up a lot over this last year as she procures a boyfriend, Richard, who is really named Paul; her best friend Ricky's mother dies and Ricky goes bonkers; she attends a wedding where she is shown to be a complete child, which gets her to understand Ricky's plight a little better; bla bla bla etc etc.
Features terrific slang terms like "Gleeks!" and "Goodness!", and the hip clothes are considered to be a good pair of plaid bermuda shorts. Ahh, youth.
All in all, an entertaining, short read. Took me about an hour.
Posted by: Slowplum at: 4:25 PM
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Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Dragons - Christopher McPherson
ISBN: 1896860354 (paperback)
Pub: Ekstasis Editions (April 1, 1998)
Book borrowed from the Library.
Here in the hopes that he'd redeem himself, I borrowed yet another book, this time the author's first foray into novel-writing was at least an interesting story.
Naggery: I really hate it when authors over-use the lack of punctuation and large spaces between words to overemphasize the desperation of their protagonists. I get it that she's scared and lonely and wondering who in the hell locked her up in a cave. Quit driving the nail in; the coffin's closed!
All in all though, not a bad read. The end is a little inconclusive though but it flows with the rest of the book. Somewhere in all the babble the story comes through. A quick read; the book is no thicker than my pinky finger.
Time to read: 2 hrs
Rate: ***--
Posted by: Slowplum at: 3:05 PM
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Monday, January 09, 2006
Everything but the Truth - Christopher McPherson
ISBN: 1551520354 (paperback)
Pub: Arsenal Pulp Press (March, 1997)
Book borrowed from the library.
Well, there goes 2 hours of my life I'll never get back again.
I can't even rate this piece of drivel. I truly wish I could. I kept reading the short stories hoping they'd get better. The stories held a lot of promise, but fell short of the mark. Some too obscure, and some were definitive about the wrong things. There were one or two that I did enjoy, but on the whole, one has to wonder what the publisher was thinking.
Posted by: Slowplum at: 3:55 PM
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The Skeptic's Guide to the Paranormal - Lynne Kelly
ISBN: 1560257113 (paperback)
Pub: Thunder's Mouth Press (March 10, 2005)
Book borrowed from the library.
A pretty good read, which debunks a lot of common beliefs and misconceptions about "paranormal" activity. Some of her research however is dated, and some "famous" cases she cites are cases I'd never heard of before; while cases that are generally known worldwide were either dismissed or not even given mention. Still, she cleverly approaches topics with an almost hopeful skepticism. More than once she admits that with certain things, she wished there were evidence to the contrary.
Time to read: A few days; kept putting it down to do other things. It's the sort of book you can put away a while and not lose your place.
Rate: ***--
Posted by: Slowplum at: 12:06 PM
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Sunday, January 08, 2006
Your Cat's Just Not That Into You - Richard Smith
ISBN: 0761139478 (paperback)
Pub: Workman Publishing Company (August 8, 2005)
Not as funny as I hoped. Also, does not apply to kittens.
It reads like an "Archie" comic: you understand that it is supposed to be funny, but rare is it when you find yourself actually chuckling out loud.
Time to Read: Days and days and days. I had to force myself to finish it.
Rate: **---
Posted by: Slowplum at: 12:02 PM
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Wednesday, January 04, 2006
A Million Little Pieces - James Frey
Go. Read. This. Book.
ISBN: 030726902 (oprah,paperback)
Pub: Anchor (September 22, 2005)
OR
ISBN: 1400031087 (paperback)
Pub: Anchor (May 11, 2004)
I tend not to take Oprah's suggestions as gospel, but my book reading club chose this as January's publication. Holy cats. So powerful.
If you can get over the author's complete lack of the usage of quotation marks, this book pulls you deep, deep, drowning deep, until you are up gasping for air and looking at the clock realizing you've just spent hours ensconced in this man's life.
This courageous confessional of a book is heart-rending, eye-popping, and sincere. If you have ever been an addict, or known an addict, this book will ring true. Even if you have never encountered one, you will understand one better than you could imagine after reading this missive.
Go. Read it. Go.
Time took to read: one evening (fast!!)
Rate: ****-
Posted by: Slowplum at: 8:11 PM
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Tuesday, January 03, 2006
The Bride Stripped Bare - Anonymous
HarperCollins, March 2004
ISBN: 000716226X
Holy SMUT Batman! Seriously. This book is baaaaad. But the basic plot is pretty compelling, and it was a good, quick read. A woman finds out her husband is unfaithful only days into the honeymoon... with her best friend. She makes an attempt to forgive and forget and eventually forays into infidelity herself, under the guise of turning a diary she'd found into a book. The author of the diary wrote it decades before, and had gone missing... which turns out to be an ominous clue to the author's upcoming demise.
This is more or less beach book type material, though it definitely gets the NC-17 rating and will likely contribute to the further decay of my intellect. Delicious decay though.
Time to read: A few days. More or less used as fodder to make my eyes tired enough to sleep.
Rate: ***--
Posted by: Slowplum at: 12:44 PM
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Sunday, January 01, 2006
The Complete List of Books
Here is where I shall keep track of the books I've read.
2006
January:
The Bride Stripped Bare - Anonymous
A Million Little Pieces - James Frey
Your Cat's Just Not That Into You - Richard Smith
The Skeptic's Guide to the Paranormal - Lynne Kelly
Everything But The Truth - Christopher McPherson
Dragons - Christopher McPherson
Donna Parker: A Spring to Remember - Marcia Martin
Arthur, For the Very First Time - Patricia McLachlan
Trixie Belden and the Mystery Off Glen Road - Julie Campbell
Trixie Belden and the Black Jacket Mystery - Kathryn Kenny
Trixie Belden and the Mysterious Code - Kathryn Kenny
Nancy Drew and the Secret at Red Gate Farm - Carolyn Keene
The Autobiography of Santa Claus - As told to Jeff Guinn
Sebastian and the Santa Claus Caper - Mary Blount Christian
Cherry Ames: Senior Nurse - Helen Wells
The Bad Mother's Handbook - Kate Long
February
Harriet Spies Again (a companion to Harriet the Spy) - Helen Ericson
Posted by: Slowplum at: 3:55 PM
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