January 25, 2008

• Books 2006, Second Half

  
  1776 I listened to and read this book.
  Excellent.  But, of course, it’s McCullough!

  
  Johnstown Flood quite good history from industrial period
  Folks now are trying to imitate McCullough, but he’s the best.

  
  Blue Shoes and Happiness I like Mma Ramotswe, but I this one let me down.

  
  The Best Things of Life pretty good, humorous in places

  Devices and Desires, Death of An Expert Witness & Death in Holy Orders
  P.D. James is a skilled mystery writer;
  some of her books have uncomfortable elements;
  all of her books have wonderful literary and cultural references

  

  
  84, Charing Cross Road A jewel of a book
  Listened to it, read it, watched the movie.
  My husband looked at me and said,
  “This woman is you!”
  Which isn’t quite true, but a high compliment.

  
  The Imitation of Christ William Griffith translator.  I read an excerpt
  of this translation in another book and immediately bought this one.
  This was such a treat to read.  Short chapters. Incandescent.
  Perfect for the, ahem, “water closet”.

  An Old Man’s Love My introduction to Anthony Trollope
  Not his best, but a poignant, engaging story.
  They took engagement promises pretty seriously back then.

  
  The Warden I distinctly remember how wealthy I felt after reading
  my second Anthony Trollope novel.  Oh my!  There are many more
  treats waiting for me out there.  This is the first of the six Barset chronicles.

  Body for Life for Women Good stuff;
  the “before” pictures in bikinis…shudder.

  
  Imagined London About Anna’s first visit  to London, replete with literary references.

  Get the Sugar Out Ann Louise Gittleman writes a practical book.
  I know (in a gnostic sense) how helpful this would be,
  but just doing it would take radical steps.

  10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman’s Diet
  Yikes! I can only remember one habit – not drinking enough water.

  The Fat Flush Plan Detox your liver. It worked for me when I did it.
  

  
  The Secret of Father Brown You can not go wrong with G.K. Chesterton.
  But, his Father Brown books are, hands down, the easiest to read.

  Five Red Herrings Another Lord Peter Wimsey book by Dorothy Sayers.
  Witty, clever, literary, I enjoy Dorothy Sayers for her own sake;
  however, I am pressed to read them often at my son’s request pleas .

  The Nine Tailors by Dorothy Sayers.  I enjoyed this Lord Peter book immensely.
  I learned a LOT about campanology, the kind of bell ringing
  you hear in England when royalty is married or dies.

  The Catnappers by P.G. Wodehouse.
  Every year needs a bit of Wodehouse.

  Jeeves and the Tie That Binds by P.G. Wodehouse.
  Jeeves is my greatest friend when it comes to educating my teenage son.
  Collin enjoys “getting” the many references made by Bertie’s smart butler, Jeeves.

  The Art of the Hand Written Note, by Margaret Shephard.
  I love books on books; I also love books on writing.

  
  The Long Valley This collection of short stories was my first Steinbeck.
  Short and readable, they are also deep, textured, thoughtful.
  So began my Stuck on Steinbeck stage.

  The Church History Eusebius’ classic isn’t a book I’d casually
  take up and read. It was good. If you don’t believe me,
  read this excerpt.

  
  Temperament was the most challenging book I read in 2006.
  It helped me comprehend other books, particularly about the medieval period.

  
  My Life with the Great Pianists I was looking for a graduation gift
  for a young pianist and discovered this gem. One for her, one for me.

  The Greatest English Classic this book by Cleland McAfee was thrust in my hand
  by an erudite retired gentleman, a good friend. It is a series of lectures on the
  impact the King James Version of the Bible had on language and culture.
  It was a treat to read the original 1912 hardback.

  
  Herriot’s books were the first books Curt and I read together.
  Every Living Thing is more sweet cream reading.

  The Unaborted Socrates more Peter Kreeft; pretty good

  
  Year of Magical Thinking Didion chronicles her first year as a widow.
  Poignant writing; hard to read emotionally; raw, honest, hollow, sorrowful.
  I’m not sorry I read it, though.

  
  This Boy’s Life I picked up this book at a sale; the cover drew me.
  I devoured this memoir; be warned – it has mature themes.
  It left me uneasy and off-balance.

  
  Old School is the sequel to This Boy’s Life.
  A boy bluffs (lies) his way into a East Coast prep school
  as a scholarship student. Compelling reading that made me ponder.

  The Summer of the Great-Grandmother with this I finished L’Engles
  Crosswick Journals. The joys and irritations of cross-generational living.

  The Sphinx at Dawn I read this L’Engle because it was a L’Engle.
  But I don’t remember much about it.

  Moonlight on the Millpond & Just Above a Whisper
  Okay. I’m embarrassed.  I read these romances. I lost one afternoon of my life.

  Red House Mystery Diane at Circle of Quiet said this “if feels like a P.G. Wodehouse mystery if such a thing existed.” I wholeheartedly concur.  Delightful.

    Low Country I listened to this by mistake. I thought it was the author Janie at Seasonal Soundings loved.  Wrong. So so.
  
  

  
  The Man Who Was Thursday a unique book that intrigued me

  
  Ballad of the White Horse Considered the last epic poem
  written, this work tells the story of King Alfred fighting the Vikings.
  Full of lush imagery, it is worth the effort to read it.

  The Moonstone I had never heard of Wilkie Collins before 2006.
  Then some blogger wrote about Wilkie Colllins in such a way,
   that I thought I ought to know his stuff.
  I listened to The Moonstone; I think this book is better read.
  I’m planning on reading A Woman in White….someday.

  
  

  • 7:41 pm
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