Monthly Archives: January 2009

An American Tragedy, by Theodore Dreiser

Posted on January 31, 2009 by Thistle

I read this book the first time in 2001, and finished it within a few days. It made a strong impression on me, which makes rereading it for my book club now a little more difficult. It was not a … Continue reading →

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The Red Pony, by John Steinbeck

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Thistle

Okay, today I had to take a break from rereading Dreiser’s 900-page An American Tragedy. Steinbeck’s short 100-page novella was a good afternoon diversion. The Red Pony is a set of four stories about a young boy named Jody Tiflin … Continue reading →

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Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer

Posted on January 22, 2009 by Thistle

It’s hard to say what I think about this book. I read it over the past two days, when I’ve been sick, and when you’re in a medicine daze and have a low-grade fever, it’s not always the best time … Continue reading →

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Protected: The Notebook, by Nicholas Sparks

Posted on January 18, 2009 by Thistle

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Uglies, by Scott Westerfeld

Posted on January 18, 2009 by Thistle

This is a spectacular book! I didn’t want to put it down. I’ve heard about this series for awhile now, but haven’t had a chance to pick up the first book until recently. I’m really happy that I did. Uglies … Continue reading →

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Alex and Me, by Irene Pepperberg

Posted on January 15, 2009 by Thistle

I first heard about Alex, the African Grey Parrot, a couple years ago. Jason heard an article about him and his trainer, Irene Pepperberg, on NPR. The stuff they said Alex could do – counting, item recognition, etc – was … Continue reading →

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Truth, by Robin Wasserman

Posted on January 14, 2009 by Thistle

My ILL came in, and I got to read the third installment of this little trilogy. And while it wraps up neatly, and all my questions are answered, I can’t say I enjoyed everything. It was okay. I mean, it … Continue reading →

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Protected: Austenland, by Shannon Hale

Posted on January 13, 2009 by Thistle

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Harry, a History, by Melissa Anelli

Posted on January 11, 2009 by Thistle

You know you’re a Harry Potter dork when you read – with enjoyment – the end-notes and bibliography to a nonfiction book about the HP phenomenon. Oh yes. I am that dork. I received Harry, a History – appropriately named, … Continue reading →

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Story of a Girl, by Sara Zarr

Posted on January 9, 2009 by Thistle

Personally, I didn’t enjoy this book. The story could have been interesting, but the narrative put me off. It’s told first person, and the whole thing sounded like an imitation of teenagers speaking rather than an authentic voice. Now, to … Continue reading →

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