Peace Corps is a great time to read your way through your library. So far, I have read over 100 books. Here are my reviews of the first 66...
Key: ***** = best possible score
I was initially interested in this book after the series “Turn” started in the US. This book and TV series follow the formation and missions of a spy ring during the Revolutionary War. The book follows the events and correspondence chronologically. It includes copies of original letters and enough context to help the reader make sense of the story without getting too bogged down in detail. Good for a history nerd. *****
2. The Hobbit, by JRR Tolkien
Can I just say that I watched the movie “The Hobbit” before reading this book? Bad move, I know…
However after reading the book, I now think the movie is less ridiculous and terrible than I originally thought. For example, when the trolls started singing in the movie, I thought “What the heck?! Are they tring to make this into a musical?!” Now, I realized it is because the singing was in the book. …And I gained an increased appreciation for the fact that the other LOTR movies really minimized/omitted much of the singing. I am grateful.
I digress; this is not a movie review. So the book was an enjoyable read, nurtured by the fact that my father is a big fan and (politics excluded) I usually t least try to like the things he likes. I feel like this book has had a million and a half book reviews already (thank your high school English teacher), so you can forgive my brevity. ****
Wes Weston taught English in Namibia for one year through an organization called WorldTeach. The focus of WorldTeach is more limited than that of Peace Corps, but some of his experiences were very similar to what we have experienced here. For example, the daily anecdotes of adapting to rural living are similar. Riding donkeys, learning to wash clothes by hand, learning to do pretty much everything by hand…and subsequently learning that pretty much every task you complete by hand you do incorrectly. The initial frustrations with the school system are also similar. For example, I share his frustration that a 40% grade is considered “passing.” In this way, I appreciated the book for providing some advanced context for what I was about to experience.
Would I recommend this book to someone not starting a journey into ESL teaching in an African context? No. It is not an act of literary genius nor is it particularly compelling. Seriously, I thought to myself, “man, I guess anyone can get published…” *
Note: This book is NOTHING like the musical. If you start this book because you were really yearning to recreate happy “Wicked” memories, like I was, do not do it. So aside from my disappointment that… ((spoiler alerts)):
· Fiyero and Elphaba do not actually get together
· That there are some really disturbing sexual experiences while at Shiz (even worse than in “Spring Awakening” for my MT geeks out there) that one can never fully recover from…
· Did I mention that Fiyero and Elphaba never get together?!
…aside from all of those things, it is a relatively interesting read. I definitely wouldn’t read it again, but YOLO. **
- The Magician’s Nephew
- The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
- The Horse and His Boy
- Prince Caspian
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
- The Silver Chair
- The Last Battle
Joe says that I must count all of these as one book because they are short and written for young readers. I am going along with it so that I do not have to break them down individually.
I really enjoyed reading this series. It felt like I was “coming home” to some classics. It was especially nice as I was reading these while I was dealing with the allergies-ear infection-food poisoning trifecta while at PST.
If you are thinking, “these books are for kids,” I will share that as an older reader, I was better able to enjoy the mental stimulation of identifying the religious metaphors in even the minute details. It was like a seek-and-find puzzle. ***
So, I will cheat and discuss this series in one go as well.
First, I want to vent my frustration that my free version did not include any of the pictures or maps. As a person who is very visual, it drove me nuts to not have a mental map for reference. So… if you are looking to invest the time in these books, opt for the more expensive Kindle option (i.e. don’t swipe a free version from a friend’s non-Kindle device).
Second, again these storylines elicit warm-and-fuzzy memories of watching these movies at Christmas time with my family. Therefore, I have a sentimental attachment to the stories. I did enjoy the added depth and variety of characters that are neglected in the films. I mean, who doesn’t love the character of Tom Bombadil? It is nice.
I will admit that as a casual LOTR reader—one who has not invested the time to learn elvish or chronicle the centuries of historical events detailed in the appendices of the Return of the King—I did skim over some of the especially long sections of “historical” references or extensive singing. It made the books much more enjoyable for me. (Shields herself from the barrage of disagreements from my serious LOTR-junkie friends). I stand by my statements. ****
Three words: free. Kindle. book. This book was written in the 1880s. Many of these ladies are current or potential Disney princesses (or, in some cases, potential eveil step-mothers with much power). The theme is girls empowerment through a moralistic, uber-protestant lens. Probably one of those young adult books best left to young adults. **
As a Unitarian Universalist(-ish), I have heard many wonderful excerpts from Thoreau’s writing about nature, life, beauty. As a sociology nerd, I have also heard a fair share of political and/or racially-charged excerpts as well…needless to say, my brain was about at capacity for Thoreau when I left the US.
This book pushed me past that limit.
I did find his mix of individualistic, libertarian messages with his moralistic approach to community expectations and a touch of arrogance very interesting. And, if I never read another Thoreau anything, I will be as pleased as punch. *
Yes. I was expecting this to be a quick read, but this was even quicker than I anticipated. I was surprised how much she was able to cover in very few words. It was also nice to get some behind-the-scenes stories from SNL. I dig it. Enjoyable read. *****
Woah. So many emotions. Mr. Washington (I learned about this man in my history classes I cannot NOT call him by a formal name) accomplished many things in his lifetime. His model for education reminded me a bit of my time at Louisiana School (http://lsmsa.edu/). As you may know, I really value my time at LSMSA for the many life lessons it taught me.
This book was so difficult to read, however, because it is rife with examples of internalized oppression. He says things about his own race/the white race that made my skin crawl. Not to mention his (lack of) reflection on his involvement in the operation of a Native American boarding school. He says, “I found that they were about like any other human beings; that they responded to kind treatment and resented ill-treatment…The things that they disliked most, I think, were to have their long hair cut, to give up wearing their blankets, and to cease smoking…” Uhhhh… an entire generation stripped of their culture, identity, dignity just flippantly referenced… He goes on to say that these norms were required by the white men in leadership. All-in-all, it was such a difficult read. ***
This book series was really interesting! The story revolves around a group of female warriors and their apprentices (seriously, there are only like 4 notable male characters in the whole series). There were many warrior-related themes: honor, managing emotions, leadership, integrity, and values. I really enjoyed exploring these themes through a feminist lens. It was different from other warrior-related books (ex: the entire first book did not provide any details of war). I was a bit disappointed in the second book. About ¾ of it read like a romance novel. The characters were interesting, the relationships were dynamic, and the story-telling was enjoyable. *****
17 - 25. Sherlock Holmes: The Ultimate Collection by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- A Study in Scarlet
- The Sign of the Four
- The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
- The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
- The Hound of the Baskervilles
- The Return of Sherlock Holmes
- The Valley of Fear
- His Last Bow
- The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes
My dearest Katie Elizabeth got me hooked on the show
“Sherlock” before leaving the US. I was missing the show, so I decided to find
some satisfaction in the books.I find Sherlock Holmes interesting. I like solving the puzzles along the way and picking out the holes in the original conclusions drawn by the police. It can be a bit (a lot) formulaic, but after reading a Study in Scarlet, which was written before he found his formula and is TERRIBLE (Seriously, hundreds of pages following a the life of the father of the ex-lover of the criminal!? Unnecessary!), I became grateful for the formula.
My two biggest issues are: the marks of racism and sexism
(if there is ever a foreign character, it is guaranteed that he/she is the
killer) present in the plotlines and the certainty with which he pulls together
theories based on details that might be meaningless. Every time I butter my
bread with the wrong side of the knife, I think, “If my house were to become a
crime scene today, Sherlock would be convinced that the killer is left-handed.
I could get away with murder!”
Good thing I choose to use my mastermind powers for good… ;) ***
The book follows the interconnected stories of three women
coming to terms with death, loss, and divorce. The ending has a little too neat
of a bow tied around it, but the story was interesting enough to keep my
attention. ***
As you can see, I went on a bit of a murder mystery kick. A
Yankee female sleuther who moves to Louisiana? I can dig it.
Big mistake. The main character is supposed to be a CIA
agent taking some time away. To be a CIA agent, you must be sneaky, able to
adapt to a new culture and fit in. Instead, she is abrasive to the locals,
dismissive of the culture, and didn’t take the time to do even marginal
research on her back-story or the community context. If she was really going in
to Louisiana, she would be hard-pressed to find someone who would give her the
time of day for a single conversation. *
Another murder mystery novel to mindlessly read. ***
Have you ever thought, “well, I have the whole series… and
it is free… so I might as well finish the whole thing?” This is one of those
times…and I am not without regret.
Titles: Foul Play, Plum Lucky, Visions of Sugar Plums, Plum
Spooky, Plum Lovin’:
Do not read. Anything with “Plum” in the title has some
weird magic stuff happening. Weird and not worth it. *
Titles: One for the Money, Two for the Dough, Three to Get
Deadly and Four to Score, Four to Score, High Five, Hot Six, Seven Up, Hard
Eight, To the Nines, Ten Big Ones, Eleven on Top, Twelve Sharp, Lean Mean
Thirteen, Fearless Fourteen, Finger Lickin’ Fifteen, Sizzling Sixteen:
So the whole premise is that this Plum character is hard up
for a job. She’s got a family connection to the bounty hunter business. She is
clueless, but has the help of two very attractive men. Hijinx and love triangle
to follow. The books are wicked short and mindless, so it is easy to get
through the series.
The plot is repetitive (ex: a car will always be blown up at
least once in each book, but she is never inside; every dog mentioned will have
just eaten some undergarment of the owner and is suffering the consequences). I
didn’t even like the characters until the second or third book. She was just
too clueless; the men were just too cliché. However, despite my best efforts, I
got sucked in to the stupid love triangle.
All in all, I’d rate it about the same as Jerry Springer or
reality TV. You know what will happen and it is frying your brain cells, but
you just keep watching. **
51. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
I remembered that this was an optional book on some summer reading list from high school. I never
I remembered that this was an optional book on some summer reading list from high school. I never
The book is set in a dystopic, anti-feminist society within
the US. Jobs and social privileges follow strict class membership. Atwood does
a good job describing the details of this new social structure and piecing
together the multiple conflicts/problems within the plot. One thing I liked
about this book is that it spends time exploring the question, “Why did this
happen?” It added an interesting element to the storyline.
The characters are realistic and I found it easy to get
invested in their stories. *****
52. Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll
This is another “classic” book from my old summer reading lists that I never actually read. This book received even more hype than “A Handmaid’s Tale,” so I was excited to dig in.
This is another “classic” book from my old summer reading lists that I never actually read. This book received even more hype than “A Handmaid’s Tale,” so I was excited to dig in.
I guess I was expecting something…more. It had all of the
elements I knew to expect: Alice, Humpty Dumpty, the Red Queen, Tweedle Dee and
Tweedle Dum. But I was bored with the plot line and found myself not really
caring if she ever made it home again. **
53. Some Wore Blue & Some Wore Gray by Heather Graham
This is a short “Who’s Who” of the Civil War. Not particularly terrible, but not particularly gripping. I did learn some new names, which I subsequently forgot. **
53. Some Wore Blue & Some Wore Gray by Heather Graham
This is a short “Who’s Who” of the Civil War. Not particularly terrible, but not particularly gripping. I did learn some new names, which I subsequently forgot. **
54. Cadmium Yellow, Blood Red by Jacqueline T. Lynch
An ex-con teams up with a museum curator to prevent a heist and stop a crime ring. Simultaneously, said museum curator is charged with the murder of her philandering, super cheesy, arrogant lover (even I wanted to kill the guy). The plot and characters were interesting enough for one book. The relationship between the characters is a little too forced. They came together out of necessity. I don’t know how the author would sustain this relationship in the future books (plus, only the first book was free at Amazon). Needless to say, I did not invest in the full series. ***
55. All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes by Maya Angelou
This is my first time reading one of Maya’s books. Previous
to this, my love for her had been from afar, captured in short quotations and
interviews. I realized that I was missing out on much of her personality in
these tiny snippets and I am glad to have dug deeper into her writing.
My perceptions of Maya Angelou have always put her up there
with Mother Theresa (I haven’t read her book either) infallible and full of
grace and wisdom. The thing I was forgetting about grace and wisdom, though, is
that you can only acquire them THROUGH the stumbles and falls of life. Ms.
Angelou shares her moments of shame, fears, and anger, alongside her wit,
humility and charm and I love her for it.
This particular book covers her time spent living in Ghana
while her son started university. She discusses the difficulties she
experienced integrating into her Ghanaian community, due to their perceptions
of Black Americans. She manages to develop strong, meaningful relationships
that help her to survive this new place. She explores the concepts/feelings of
belonging, finding home, and finding a reprieve when you disagree so immensely
with the culture of your “home” country.
Her writing is excellent and her story is honest. Definitely
recommended! *****
For my second choice in the Angelou Anthology, I selected a
book that explores her relationships with her mother and grandmother. She
follows these relationships chronologically from the time she is taken to live
with her grandmother to the reunion with her mom in her early teens, on through
adulthood and her mother’s passing. I really appreciated reading this book
AFTER “All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes” because in the former, she is
reflecting on her own journey of motherhood with her son.
The book is a powerful look at the evolution of our maternal
relationships. Although it is obvious that she felt much pain and abandonment
when she was a child, her retelling shows her mother a lot of grace and
humanity (the kind that only comes from adult reflection, forgiveness, and
letting go). We see this relationship adapt as she walks through life’s
challenges and major landmarks. Ultimately, her mom sounds amazing. She
advocates for her daughter (while giving her the space and tools to make her
own choices), works to improve her community, and is honest about who she is.
Lots of warm and fuzzies that made me miss my own mom a lot.
(LOVE YOU, MOM!) *****
57. The Heart of a Woman by Maya Angelou
I don’t know that Ms. Angelou can write something that I won’t like. This book covers more of her romantic history, as the title suggests. This book, however, did not speak to me in the ways that the others did. I imagine it has more to do with where I am in my life than what she has written. ****
I don’t know that Ms. Angelou can write something that I won’t like. This book covers more of her romantic history, as the title suggests. This book, however, did not speak to me in the ways that the others did. I imagine it has more to do with where I am in my life than what she has written. ****
This is clearly a must-read for basically everyone in the
world, but especially anyone with any interest in South Africa. I appreciated
how many gaps it filled in for my understanding of the South African history
and freedom struggle. For example, I knew about the existence of uMkhontowe Sizwe, but
my understanding was very limited. I did not know, really, about the actions of
the organization or the scope. I knew much about the life of Mandela, but his
autobiography added colour, volume, and life to the story. Each chapter is
written almost to stand alone. By that I mean, that many details are repeated
to give context from chapter to chapter. I listened to this book as an
audiobook and kept thinking, “Man, if I had to read these details again and
again, I would be so annoyed.” Thankfully, as an audiobook, I only have to hold
my breath for 30 seconds or so with exerting any effort to move quickly
forward. *****
59. Seriously…I’m Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres
I, like most people I know, LOVE Ellen DeGeneres. This book was a part of an autobiography kick I was on. It started a new theory that I have:
I, like most people I know, LOVE Ellen DeGeneres. This book was a part of an autobiography kick I was on. It started a new theory that I have:
When reading a celebrity audiobook, always read the first autobiograpy
first. The sequels will reference this previous writing and the celebrity will
have less to prove in their writing… which leads to lazy 3-sentence chapters
consisting mostly of personal chuckles or inside jokes. ****
Choose your own adventure books are the best! It was a bit
tricky since I was listening to the audiobook, but it was interesting and
humorous. I loved hearing about NPH as a child. We would have been kindred
spirits, I think. I was a bit uncomfortable with his brutal honesty about
celebrity drama and excessive living…but that’s my response to most things
associated with celebrities. ****
61. If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won’t) by Betty White
I heart Betty White. But… this book further reinforced my belief that one should never bother to read the second, third, or fourth autobiography of a celebrity. ***
I heart Betty White. But… this book further reinforced my belief that one should never bother to read the second, third, or fourth autobiography of a celebrity. ***
62. Babylon Sisters by Pearl Cleage
This novel features a strong female business-woman in Atlanta. I love her writing style, especially as she reads her own work aloud. I cannot count how many times I literally laughed out loud ad the plot unfolded. The ending plot is a bit outrageous, but the exploration of humanness—motherhood, romantic history, integrity in adulthood, and social disparity and exploitation—was so close to my heart that this fact can be easily overlooked. *****
This novel features a strong female business-woman in Atlanta. I love her writing style, especially as she reads her own work aloud. I cannot count how many times I literally laughed out loud ad the plot unfolded. The ending plot is a bit outrageous, but the exploration of humanness—motherhood, romantic history, integrity in adulthood, and social disparity and exploitation—was so close to my heart that this fact can be easily overlooked. *****
I was hopeful for this because I was always entertained by
NPR at home. However, I am learning that the moments that are “hilarious” to
Mr. Krulwich are not to me. He highlights comedians and actresses that I have
never heard of, making jokes about things that I do not know and with a rude,
conceited sense of humour. I couldn’t finish it. *
65. Just Giddy with Depression: A Guide to SurvivingDepression’s Darkest Moment by Rebecca Weingard
“You got this.
We got this.” *****
MUST READ!!!!!!! I am so inspired by Justice Sotomayor’s
story and values. She is strong and speaks with integrity. I really do not have
words to explain the excitement with which I devoured this book. Just read it. *****
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