Summer Reading List 2009
1. The Gorgeously Green Diet (nonfiction) by Sophie Uliano
The Gorgeously Green Diet: How to Live Lean and Green by Sophie Uliano
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I can’t say enough about Uliano’s books. They are brimming with invaluable information for all readers who are interested in “greening” their lives. This is a must-read!
2. Gentlemen and Players by Joann Harris
Gentlemen and Players: A Novel by Joanne Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a somewhat complicated book – there are so many characters to keep track of. However, the payoff is SO worth it! The ending is almost Shyamalan-esque. When you get to the end of the book, each chapter leaves you with your jaw hanging open. So many surprises.
This is a truly satisfying read.
3. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book will be hard to read for animal lovers. It chronicles the life of a young man who runs away from home after a tragedy and becomes the vet for a seedy circus. He falls in love with a married performer and struggles to deal with the unethical and sometimes monstrous ways in which the circus operates. (Their treatment of animals is often horrific.) And in the end, everyone, thankfully, gets what they deserve.
This isn’t just a great story, but a glimpse into a disturbing aspect of our nation’s history.
4. The Disappearing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is an odd book – no chapters, for one thing, and an almost rambling style of writing. However, the author is clearly in control, and draws the reader in from the start.
The story follows a young woman who “inherits custody” of her great-aunt, Esme. A relative she didn’t even know she had. The book follows both the young woman, and reveals the history of Esme, and why she was put into a mental institution and wiped from the family tree. It is a sad story with a shocking, haunting ending.
5. The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve
The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book follows two couples, one of whom is photographing the scene of a 19th century murder on a remote east coast island. The story goes back and forth between the two sets of characters, and builds to a shocking climax.
I really love this story (I love any stories that work in historical mysteries). You should also try the movie (with Sean Penn and Elizabeth Hurley), which I actually found a bit more subtle and atmospheric than the book (and that’s rare).
6. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Technically, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars (I know, I should be generous and round UP rather than down!). The only reason it’s not a four is because I found it really slow in some areas, and I got a little bored from time to time.
However, it was an awesome book, and I would highly recommend it. It is so fascinating to read about the lives of these women. And the ending was masterful. Diamant took a fresh approach to the “dying at the end of the book” cliche, and made it beautiful, haunting, and extraordinarily memorable (befitting of the theme of memory). This book is a real tribute to the traditions and cycles of womanhood.
7. My Life in France by Julia Child
My Life in France by Julia Child
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I loved reading about the life of Julia Child – her adventures in France, and descriptions of food are beautiful and mouth-watering. I also was fascinated by the painful process she went through to create her masterful cookbook with her two friends. Who knew?
This is one heck of a woman – and a great read.
8. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have to admit, I didn’t give this book much credit when I started. I recently read Addison Allen’s other book, Garden Spells, which I found very enjoyable, but more…fun, let’s say, than anything. She has an engaging style, and a magical touch to her stories that I like – it is perfect for light, summer reading.
As usual, I dubiously accepted a lot of things that happened in this book as I was reading, just chalking it up to Addison Allen’s fantastical style. But the joke was on me. The ending was surprisingly poignant, and all those weird events suddenly made sense. I didn’t see it coming until about a paragraph before the big secret was revealed. It was a very satisfying ah-ha moment, and it will bring tears to your eyes. The ending earned this book a fourth star from me.
9. Sugar Blues (nonfiction) by William Duffy
Sugar Blues by William Dufty
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Lots of good historical information here, but it wasn’t what I was looking for, and got a bit boring at times. I only made it halfway through.
There really are some interesting facts in this book, I must say. Lots of interesting historical information. I was just looking for something more…biological in nature.
10. Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
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