Books I've Read and Am Currently Reading
Submitted by celtchic on Fri, 01/09/2004 - 11:38
Tags:
- Currently I'm reading a biography called Mozart by Peter Gay, as well as a collection of works by H.P. Lovecraft.
- Books I've finished:
- Bitterroot Landing - Sheri Reynolds - ** - Jael is a girl who's been sexually abused as a girl, the first time she was repeatedly offered to nasty men by her Mammie as a way for Mammie to get her booze in return from these men. Later she is adopted by a widowed deacon of a church who begins to treat her less like a daughter and more as a "wife," thus making her an incest victim. The story watches Jael as she attempts to heal from scars both physical and mental. I was interested during the first 50 pages but it quickly went downhill. Since I had already invested that much time in the book I had to finish it. It's going to the Goodwill, now. Don't need or want it on my shelf! I felt sorry for Jael and I am completely sympathetic to victims of sexual abuse and incest, however, the novel was completely too simple. It's supposedly put in the the Contemporary Southern Literature genre, whatever that is!
- Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery - **** Orphan Anne is adopted and faces the challenges a mischievious young girl such as herself gets into. A classic novel. Though it may seem this book was written for children, it can be enjoyed by the adult as well, especially an adult with a taste for classic novels. I've read this twice, the first time being as a young girl. I still enjoyed it as a grown woman!
- The Cat's Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut - **** A satire in which mankind is faced with "ice-nine," a substance that once it touches water will cover the earth in ice! Kurt is a genius. I met and talked to him when I was high school when he came to speak with us. He is a holocaust survivor and a wonderful author, one of the greats in my opinion!
- Cry to Heaven - Anne Rice - **** Anne Rice is well known for her Vampire Chronicles. Believe it or not, I haven't read any of her vampire novels, yet! I started my Rice obsession with this book. While there are no vampires, witches, or ghosts, there is still a very haunting element in this book. It tells the tale of eunichs in seventeenth century Italy and the obsticals they face in the form of peers and family. This may be a work of fiction, but Anne researched the history of eunichs to tell this story. If you like to be bothered when reading a novel, you WILL be bothered while reading Cry to Heaven. It is a very disturbing story.
- Disclosure - Michael Chrichton - *** Tom Sanders is about to go where rarely a man goes. His new boss is his ex-girlfriend and tables are turned as he faces what most would expect women to face: Sexual Harrassment! A good novel from the man whose mind brought us Jurassic Park.
- Nine Stories - J.D. Salinger - **** The ever enigmatic Salinger brings us yet more tales of what would seem everyday living, until you look beneath the surface. By the same author whose genius brought us The Catcher in the Rye.
- Slammerkin - Emma Donoghue - ***** Mary Saunders is a young girl led into the life of a prostitute in early London. This is probably one of the darkest novels I've ever read. Take Anne of Green Gables and Heavenly Creatures, stir them up, and you have Slammerkin.
- The Violin - Anne Rice - *** A ghost from the past comes to the present time to torment a women with a troubled past. Triana hears haunting melodies outside her New Orleans Garden District home. In time, she learns the tortured notes come from a violin played by a man who has been long dead, who also has a troubled past. Over time the meeting of these two collide into a chaotic trip through the past, a trip that Triana will never forget, nor will you if you read this book!
- Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte - ***** This is my all-time favorite book. A true classic that has stood the test of time. It's a haunting love story full of passion, friendship, and hatred. Emotions are tense in this tale. Does love exist that is so strong it haunts from the grave? See the lyrics I have posted from Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights," a favorite song of mine.
- I've read a lot more books than this, but since I just started keeping track this list will be short until I add more. I want the book to be fresh in my mind before I review it.
I'm just getting the list started so there will be more added later! As I recall the books I've read over the years I will list them here. If I remember enough of the book I will give it a rating out of 5 stars. Also, as I finish a book I will list it here, as well.