A Brief History of Finland
by Matti Klinge (Finland)
1994 / 164 pages
Rating 7.5 / history
Another book from the TBR shelf- I bought this when I was in Finland and have always meant to read it as my dad’s side were immigrants from Finland. The book is brief but covers the important events from pre-historic era through the tumultuous 20th century social and political events. >>>>MORE>>>>
Leftover Lutefisk
by Art Lee (US)
1984 / 224 pages
Rating: 7 / humor
I see I have a few days prior to the end of the month so I’m clearing some old books off the TBR shelf – reading them actually. This is the second of the batch.
I got this from my daughter for >>>> MORE >>>>
Letters From Four Seasons
by Alistair Cooke (England)
1978 / 60 pages
rating – 8 / travel-seasons
Very short little book about the seasons in different parts of the country (with a bit in England.) Cooke starts with Spring in England and quickly moves to the Minnesota area. From there he looks at summer in New York City, Fall in San Francisco and New England and back to New York city for the winter. >>>>MORE>>>>
The Bookseller
Mark Pryor (US)
2013/ 280 pages
read by Michael Prichard 10h 5m
rating: A- /crime
The Bookseller by Mark Pryor was released this week (6/25) and I was just ready for it. It’s the first of a series starring Hugo Marston, an ex-FBI agent currently the head of security at the American Embassy in Paris. Hugo is separated from his wife who is now living with her shrink. Hugo is also a bibliophile and a bookstore habitué, so a friendship with a book stall owner named Max evolves >>>MORE>>>
The Professor’s House
by Willa Cather (US)
1925/129 pages
rating: 8.5 / Classic (1925)
Professor Godfrey St. James and his wife, Lillian, are moving houses, but St. James seems to be having a bit of a time actually transferring over there. Even Augusta, the seamstress wants the dress forms from what has become St. James’ workroom. The daughters are grown and gone, Rosamond married to Louis Marsellus and Kathleen to Scott McGregor, >>>>MORE>>>>
The Fault in Our Stars
by John Green (US)
2012/336 pages
Read by Kate Rudd 7h 14m
Rating: 9.5 – YA
This is not my standard crime novel or literary fiction – this is a kind of young adult love story which I usually stay really, really far away from – but there is a twist here – both parties have inoperable cancer. But a friend recommended it and I >>>>MORE>>>>
Cat’s Cradle
by Kurt Vonnegut (US)
1963/304 pages
Read by Tony Roberts 7h 11m
Rating: 7.5 / classic spec-fict
I think I read this back when I was in my mid-20s but I really remember almost nothing. I’ve enjoyed others by Vonnegut – Galapagos especially – and I read a few science fictions every year – that’s what Vonnegut is considered.
Short fast-moving chapters, quirky >>>>MORE>>>>
Garden of the Evening Mists
by Tan Twan Eng (Malaysia)
2012/ 332 pages
read by Anna Bentlinck – 15h 37m
Rating: 9 / literary historical fiction
I enjoyed the paperback of this book so much, and the Audio was such a good sale. I didn’t know which I would pick but I read the paperback first. I was satisfied at that point but then some of my reading group differed with my opinion! I stuck the earplugs in – heh. >>>>MORE>>>>
The Forest Unseen: A Year’s Watch in Nature
by David George Haskell (US)
2012/262 pages
Rating: 8.5 – literary -non-fiction/ecology
Haskell has written a wonderfully styled and incredibly detailed account of a year in the life of on very small circular patch of old-growth forest land in Tennessee. He calls this little space a mandala because of the balance and intricacies, but I think it also creates a kind of religious feeling – a sense of awe. >>>>MORE >>>>
This Is How You Lose Her
by Juno Diaz (US)
2012 / 224 pages
Read by Juno Diaz 5h 15m (9)
Rating: 8 / contemp. immigrant fiction
I really enjoyed Diaz’ The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (2007) which I read a few years ago. Very funny take on the contemporary immigrant experience of Dominicans. This Is How You Lose Her is a collection of 9 short stories woven together by the 1st person narrator and the theme of loss and male infidelity. >>>>MORE>>>>
The Hearing (Dismas Hardy #7)
by John Lescroart (US)
1999 / 656 pages
read by Robert Lawrence 14h 59m
Rating: C – crime
Come to find out that Abe Glitsky has an illegitimate grown daughter who has been found dead on the street – a junkie standing over her with a gun in his hands. To complicate matters she was becoming an important presence in San Francisco politics. >>>>MORE>>>>
Swann’s Way
Marcel Proust (France)
1913 in France (Lydia Davis trans – 1999)/468 pages
Rating: 10 / Classic
So, yes, I re-read this truly excellent book for the third time and I must say it only gets better with each reading. I first read it about 20 years ago, just for curiosity, and didn’t get all that much out of it (yawn). I read the C.K. Scott Montcrief translation that time. Then about 5 years ago I reread the same physical book when a friend and I joined forces to read the >>>>MORE>>>>
The Thief
by Fuminori Nakamura (Japan)
2012 / 211 pages
(read by Charlie Thurston – 4h 1m)
Rating: 8.5 / literary crime
I just reread this book – The first review is here. I have both the audio and the Kindle versions because one of them was on a super sale after I’d got the first. – As a result of this rereading I upped my rating .5 and may pump >>>>MORE>>>>
15 Seconds
by Andrew Gross (US)
2012/336 pages
read by Christian Hoff
rating: C / crime
Doctor Henry Steadman, on his way to a golf game with a buddy in Jackson, Florida is cited for several at least partly invented traffic violations when the citing police officer is shot by a passing motorist. Suddenly Steadman is on the run. The police are 100% convinced that Steadman was the >>>>MORE >>>>
Nothing But the Truth
by John Lescroart (US)
1999 / 464 pages
Read by David Colaccci 16h 34m
Rating – C/crime
Number 6 in the Dismas Hardy series and Colacci does a fine job reading. Hardy’s wife, Frannie is very late picking up their children from school – turns out she’s in jail – for contempt of court. Her friend Ron has >>>MORE>>>
The Garden of the Evening Mists
by Tan Twan Eng (Malaysia)
2012/ 332 pages
Rating: 9 / historical fiction
I started reading this for the Booker Prize group or I might not have picked it up and that would have been so sorrowfully my loss. In fact, I was enjoying it so much I didn’t want it to end so I actually read a bit more slowly than usual. On the other hand it’s a bit confusing about the time frames (watch the verb tense!) and I certainly wasn’t familiar with the 20th century history of Malaya.
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Touch and Go
by Lisa Gardner
2013/400 pages
read by Elizabeth Rogers 14h 29m
rating: B
Libby Denbe has the life of dreams, a rich husband who owns a large construction company, a beautiful teenage daughter, a home in the Back Bay section of Boston. Who could want more? But is it really all it appears? >>>>MORE>>>>
Becky's Books - 