50 Books in 2008 Challenge! |
[Jan. 13th, 2008|04:29 am] |
5o Books, Rules and Guidelines:
oo1. Read 5o books or more in 2oo8.
oo2. Keep track of how many I read.
oo3. First-time books only.
oo4. Leaving entry public. If you want to recommend any books, go for it.
oo1. "The Catcher in the Rye" (1951) author: J.D. Salinger pages: 277 finished: Jan. 14 rating: 4/5 comments: I really enjoyed this book, although I personally found the main character hard to like. I get it, you're an angry teenager. Shut up and fulfill your responsibilities for a change. But the book itself is interesting, despite the ending. It ends too abrupt for my liking. But it's a classic book with such a deep-rooted history that you have to check it out for yourself.
oo2. "I Am America (And So Can You!)" (2007) author: Stephen Colbert pages: 227 finished: Jan. 20 rating: 3.5/5 comments: As far as humorous political commentary goes, you can't beat this. It's loaded with comedy gems in the footnotes and margin notes, plus some sticker pages and hilarious illustrations. As a special treat, the transcript of Colbert's Presidental Address at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Dinner is included at the end, accompanied by commentary in the margins!
oo3. "Where I Was From" (2003) author: Joan Didion pages: 226 finished: Jan. 28 rating: 4/5 comments: Didion's examination of California's history is unlike any other; it's not a mundane timeline of facts, but rather a deep investigation into what makes California what it is and how it's changed, or hasn't changed, from the time pioneers first settled the land to the present. She also delves into her own family's history and examines her roots as a Californian born and raised in Sacramento, making "Where I Was From" a beautifully woven story not of a place, but of people.
oo4. "Fahrenheit 451" (1953) author: Ray Bradbury pages: 165 finished: Feb. 5 rating: 4/5 comments: Once you get past the convoluted imagary this book really pulls you in with a well-developed characters and relationships and keeps you blazing through its pages with its thrilling and frightening tale of a future where books are outlawed.
oo5. "The Great Gatsby" (1925) author: F. Scott Fitzgerald pages: 189 finished: Feb. 28 rating: 5/5 comments: I absolutely loved this book. The story is so well-constructed and the characters are so finely developed that you're fully immersed into the enthralling world Fitzgerald has created before you even finish the first chapter.
oo6. "Of Mice and Men" (1937) author: John Steinbeck pages: 108 finished: March 2 rating: 4.5/5 comments: A short read, "Mice" chronicles a short period in the life of two friends. A tale of hopes and aspirations in the time of monotony and depression that anyone who's ever yearned for something better can relate to.
oo7. "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1960) author: Harper Lee pages: 281 finished: March 11 rating: 5/5 comments: I would recommend "To Kill a Mockingbird" over any other book I've read to date. A great story of growing up, family, ethics, race and humanity, this Harper Lee novel is the most compelling book I've ever read.
oo8. "The Other Boleyn Girl" (2002) author: Philippa Gregory pages: 661 finished: April 17 rating: 3.5/5 comments: This novel is a real page-turner, making it seem more like a 300-page book than a 600-page one. Not only is it an intriguing story about family ties and independence, but its historical roots make an exceptionally interesting backdrop.
oo9. "Darkly Dreaming Dexter" (2004) author: Jeff Lindsay pages: 285 finished: May 31 rating: 3.5/5 comments: I think having first seen the series based on this book spoiled my chances of appreciating the book as the original work that it is. With every chapter I was comparing it to the show and with every comparison the series fared better. However, I believe if I'd read the book before witnessing the amazing experience that is the show this book inspired, I would have been thoroughly impressed with this read.
o1o. "Dispatches From the Edge: A Memoir of Wars, Disasters, and Survival" (2006) author: Anderson Cooper pages: 212 finished: June 2 rating: 5/5 comments: A riveting and insightful read that perfectly weaves his professional and personal experiences in telling the story of how he became the person he is today. A deeply personal look at the fears, regrets and memories of a man who does what he must to survive, to keep moving.
o11. "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception" (2008) author: Scott McClellan pages: TBA finished: TBA rating: TBA comments: TBA
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0 pages read / 323 total pages |
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