Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent

The hubs and I took a Sunday afternoon jaunt to the local library because I have got to curb my book buying habits...but not my book loving/devouring habits.  Walking in the door, I immediately updated my social media status to the first thing that came to mind: "In my day, television was called books". 

If you got that reference, you win a gold star.  At life. 

Having never read the actual book related to that quote, I decided to see if it was at the library.  It was.  I gleefully checked it out, along with two other books the hubs picked out.  One of them, Same Kind of Different as Me, was also on my must-read list.  Have I cracked the spine on the "other" book I checked out (just for me)? No.  Am I selfishly confiscating my hub's selected book and making it book #26? Yes.

I must say that I have most definitely read more than 26 books over the course of this blog.  Sometimes I forget to blog about a book.  And sometimes I think I'll just keep this one to myself.  Yes, I like to read a little "crap" every now and then. (And no, I'm not currently nor have I ever read 50 Shades of Grey.  Maybe one day I'll explain why, but here's the nub and thrust - I have no desire to read it.) 

Anyway, Same Kind of Different As Me is the point here...I've read the first nine chapters and already love the voices of this story.  I have to constantly remind myself that this is an autobiography.  These stories, these people are real and the things that happened to them are real, sometimes, painfully so.  I shudder to think of things that have already occurred and I hate to imagine what might be around the corner in the lives of Ron and Denver - well, honestly, just Denver; Ron's not very lovable just yet- but I am looking forward to seeing it all unfold.

Kathryn Stockett's The Help

Go get this book right now and read it.  I don't care if you already have read it. Read it again.  I don't care if you know what happens because you've seen the movie.  Read this book. 

The voices are strong and vivid and the story is compelling and beautiful.  It aches with honesty.  It fires up readers.  Writing about it seems trite because it speaks for itself.

So go read it.  Then seen the movie.  I haven't seen it yet, but I will as soon as I get the chance. This book is fantastic.

Robert McCammon's The Wolf's Hour

My husband teases me for my love of supernatural elements in novels.  When he gets curious about what I'm reading, he asks, "how's your wizard/vampire/werewolf novel going?" One day, he said, "if you want to read some GOOD stuff with werewolves, read this."  He tossed me a much-worn copy of Robert McCammon's The Wolf's Hour. 
I always love reading something recommended to me by someone I know and love.  This was a great opportunity to see what the hubs considered "good".  I knew I married him for more than his dashing good looks and sparkling personality...
This book was good.  Unlike most of the supernatural junk being cranked out at a ridiculous pace, this novel is not primarily about the supernatural elements.  Rather, it is a World War II story who's protagonist just happens to have the ability to morph into a wolf on command.  A skill like that definitely comes in handy when fighting the Nazis.
Of course, he's also incredibly sexy (with at least one or two juicy "not-for-the-kids" scenes tossed in to keep you interested) and there is a love story included for good measure.  Action, adventure, (ahem)action...all great elements to an enjoyable novel.
In short, it was a good one.  Thanks, sweet hubs!

Jane Austen's Mansfield Park

I have read Pride and Prejudice several times.  I have also read Sense and Sensibility.  I cannot remember if I have read any other Jane Austen novels or if I have simply been an avid film watcher of all the various interpretations of her 6 novels. 

As fairly new Netflix members (and now, newly disgruntled Netflix members over this whole - we're going to make you choose between streaming and DVDs or charge you DOUBLE crap), I went DVD happy when making my que.  Mansfield Park arrived somewhat unexpectedly (and to the general annoyance of my husband who has preferred to make our DVD cue look like a documentary collection on everything from National parks to Mike Tyson) last week.  I immediately popped it in the player so I could return it the next day and get back to the documentaries...

It did catch my eye that the descriptor in the credits was "an adaptation based upon Jane Austen's novel, Mansfield Park".  I knew it wasn't going to be identical to the novel.  I enjoyed the film and immediately grabbed my Complete Works of Jane Austen off the shelf and flipped to Mansfield Park.

If you have read any Austen, you know the basic themes on which she centers her writing. Love, Loss, Decorum, Financial Woes, Scoundrels, etc. Mansfield Park is no different. 

Overall, I enjoyed the read.  I think Austen's creations, though often repetitive speak to a longing in my heart for simplicity.  I love being a modern woman, but something about the way things used to be is appealing for a literary escape.  Mansfield Park was not a novel that impacted me on some deep level and I had to rush out and recommend it to everyone, but it is another solid example of Austen's talent.  If I had to choose only one Austen novel to read, I would not choose this one; however, thankfully I do not have to choose. At some point (but not next), I will read the rest of her works.

Next up: The Wolf's Hour by Robert McCammon...

Book #22, Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants

The more I read, the more I wish I were writing.  I read works like Water for Elephants and I am floored by the level of research and creativity that combine into this beautifully created story about Depression-era circuses.  The characters are vivid creations of humanity and uniquely gifted (or cursed) individuals struggling to eek out an existence.  There is love, danger, sex and even dancing elephants. 

But my absolute favorite part of this novel is the setting.  Gruen begins the novel in a nursing home in the mind's eye of a 90+ year old man, our narrator.  He is the story's protagonist, the young man who- faced with difficulties and loss of loved ones - runs off and stumbles upon a travelling circus.  The snippets of the story in the "present" - from his nursing home, or rather, assisted living facility - paint an honest and heart-wrenching portrait of that world.  Having watched my grandparents deteriorate over the past 7 years and then die in the later part of 2010, these sections of the novel were incredibly poignant.  It was difficult to read because it hit home so hard, but it also beautifully captured the truth of the experience.

Gruen's novel has recently been made into a film starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson.  I'm looking forward to watching this film when it comes on Netflix or Red Box (because, let's face it...who wants to spent $10 going out to a movie when you can spend $1 to watch it at home in a few months? Oh, and that $10 dollars is a single ticket...taking your spouse or best friend only makes the economic impact worse.)

Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants is an excellent read!  I would rate it PG-13 for some gritty descriptions, adult language, and violence.

Book 21, Final Blog...delayed

Ok, so I completed Book 21- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - quite some time ago.  I read it very quickly.  I enjoyed it thoroughly.  I don't remember much more than that.  My brain has been a bumbly jumble of thoughts, lines, ideas - some mine, some others - so much so lately that I am losing track.  I'm entirely too young for this kind of behavior which leads me to hope - at the very least HOPE that this is merely an attention issue.  I am not paying as much attention.  I'm letting things slip. 

Wow...my blog suddenly became about me, rather than about my reading.  Annoying. 

Anyway, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close was a beautiful and moving 9/11 story from the perspective of a child (for the most part) but I wouldn't necessarily call it a children's or Young Adult book.  There is some tough stuff in there...nothing a kid couldn't handle...but just some stuff you might want to know about before handing over a copy to Jr. for summer reading. 

But an excellent read.  I want to read more of Jonathan Safran Foer's work and definitely read and see Everything is Illuminated. Talented writer. Moving story. Good book.

Updates & (Official) Book 21 Begins

Since my last posting, I completed three of the books I was in the midst of: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Great Lion of God, and The First Part Last.  All, excellent books with varying levels of difficulty, topics, etc.  I was asked, "how can you read several books at one time?"  But with each one being so different from the other, I didn't have a problem.  I also watched the film of The Two Towers, so now I can begin reading The Return of the King.  However, this will NOT be Book 21 (Official). 
Book 21 will be (drum roll, please)...Jonathan Safran Foer's Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.  Set in post-9/11 NYC, this award-winning novel is hailed as "an uplifting myth born of the sorrows of 9/11" (quote from the Boston Sunday Globe).  I've only read the first paragraph...but I can tell I'm going to enjoy this writer very much.  The narrator opens the novel talking about making his "anus talk"...and in French, no less.  I am guessing that the narrator is also the 9 year-old protagonist...and I love the idea of a smart and witty 9 year-old hero.  Now, onto more reading...I'll keep you posted!