The Pact-

Jodi Picoult is sometimes a little too predictable for me, but this one actually surprised me just a tiny bit at the end. So, I'm forgiving her for the last book I read of hers. :) The Pact tells the story of a family who have been best friends for 18 years, lived across the street from each other, with their children growing up together. Everyone is delighted when the children, Emily and Chris, start dating... it seems like a storybook fantasty, until one day when they are 18 years old and Emily dies of a gunshot wound to the head, and Chris is the only one standing over her with blood covering his body.
As the story progresses it breaks your heart to watch the parents crumble after realizing they actually knew so very little of their children's lives.

http://www.jodipicoult.com/the-pact.html

The Birth House

Blurb on back of book:

An arresting portrait of the struggles that women faced for control of their own bodies. This is the story of Dora Rare--the first daughter in five generations of Rares. She is an apprentice to the outspoken Acadian midwife Miss Babineau, where she learns to assist the women of an isolated Nova Scotian village through infertility, difficult labors, breech births, unwanted pregnancies, and unfulfilling sex lives. Set during the turbulent WWI era, uncertainy and upheaval accompany the arrival of a brash new medical doctor and his promises of progress and fast, painless childbirth. In a clash between tradition and science, Dora finds herself fighting to protect the rights of women as well as the wisdom that has been put in her care.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

This new young adult novel is a powerful moral tale told through the eyes of a naive 9 year old boy whose father is a Nazi Commandant. The innocent viewpoint of the narrator provides a thin disguise of the brutal horrors of a Nazi death camp in Poland where Bruno, the young boy, secretly finds a friend in boy prisoner.

I highly recommend this for junior high and high school libraries and also as required reading for any Holocaust study units.

Let me know if you want to read this.

The Tattooed Map...

"A traveler to North Africa is shocked to discover that the mysterious marks on her hand have developed into a detailed and macabre map spreading across her skin..."

So bizarre! It immediately makes me want to travel to Morocco! Simply because it brings the area and culture alive via intense journaling and lots of 'ephemera' added to the book. I read this in an afternoon and I'm not sure if I'm very satisfied with how it ended...It just seemed to stop without any real conclusion. You are sort of left to draw your own, I suppose.

Just curious...

from Natalie: Lisa- How is World Without End??!! I can't wait to hear all about it. Kim and Kari, I'd ask how your books are going, but since you're big liars and not posting your current reads- guess I can't. Ha! I'm taking forever with this Geek Love. Good and interesting, but just can't get through... so annoying. I'm just dying to start something new, but feel guilty because this was recommended by a good friend who says its his favorite book in the world and he "knew I'd just love it." Oops. O.k. no real literature and/or latte reason for this blog, just hadn't written one in awhile because I'm taking five thousand years to complete this book... Miss you ladies lots and lots-

from Kim: HA---I beg to differ my dear about being a big liar! It seemed to take me FOREVER to finish Earthly Joys. In fact, just finished it in the last few days. I put it in a box for you. Haven't decided yet what I'm going to start reading next. Guess I should start the sequel, but if I do, then I'll wait to mail your box. I hate that feeling of having to force myself to plod through a book. I'll admit that I've read a couple of juvenile/young adult books in the past week and that has slowed down the Earthly Joys. :) Later: I did start Earthly Joys, but went ahead and mailed box of books to you without it...I'm about 2/3 finished with it, and, think the books is better than the first one---story is much more cohesive and not nearly as plodding.

from Kari: Hahaha....Obviously you can see how much I've been checking my blogger...Yeah I seemed to finish that book sometime ago! I think it's still on there because I need to write a post about it? and probably about all the other books I've read in-between?? I've read lots of Young Adult too tho the past few weeks --

Off With Her Head!

OMG! Ok, so I am now such a fan of hers! She is the same author who wrote Last Wife of Henry the VIII...I think that I like her so much because she's written so much non-fiction about her subjects that her fiction stories just seem to come alive.

This was such and endearing book! You really get to cheering for the character even tho you know in the end that her head is gonna roll! :)

Map of Bones by James Rollins

Whoa! Great book...if you like the DaVinci Code then this one is a good read too. Similar fast pace, lots of historical info, super cool because we've been to Rome ;) .

Here is the info from the back: "With the Vatican in turmoil, SIGMA Force (a secret US agency, of course) leaps into action. An elite team of scientific and Special Forces operatives under the command of Grayson Pierce and accompanied by Lieutenant Rachel Verona of Rome's carabinieri, they are pursuing a deadly mystery that weaves through sites of the Seven Wonders of the (ancient) World and ends at the doorstep of an ancient, mystical, and terrifying secret order. For there are those with dark plans for the stolen sacred remains that will alter the future of humankind...when science and religion unite to unleash a horror not seen since the beginning of time."

The description sort of leave out a few details, the whole story centers around the Magi, the priests who went to see Baby Jesus, and how they were tied to sort of an old scientific/alchemey sect that discovered the true 'manna'. It's too complicated to explain it all but I always find the hidden history interesting...like where there really just three Magi? and liquid body armor? [(developed by the US Army) why aren't our soldiers more protected then?] The Imperial Dragon Court is really made up of European aristocrats (which dates from the Middle Ages)? So much interesting information...

Mistress of the Art of Death

Mom posted on this one not too long ago...and I just finished it. Very interesting storyline for medival times. It's not a profession (mistress or master of the art of death, sort of like a modern day medical examiner) that one hears much about from that time period.

I can see there being sequels to this one.

World Without End

I've pre-ordered the sequel to The Pillars of the Earth--will ship around October 9th. I'm having it sent to Mother so she can read it first, otherwise she'll be standing on her head and calling whoever has it wanting to know if she is finished yet.

I'm about halfway finished with P of E....this kind of book is my favorite! Long, historical epics where the reader is immersed in the world of a group people. I especially like the way the author just leaves characters out of the story for long periods and then comes back to them--sorta like real life. We all have people in our lives whom we see infrequently, yet when they walk back into our lives, it is as if they never left.

The hardback sequel has 1,024 pages and weighs about 3 lbs....epic size!! lol

Beheading, Divorce, Annullments- the wives of Henry VIII are so intriguing!

I started with "The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philipa Gregory; then read "The Last Wife of Henry VIII" by Carolly Erickson. It's official that I am now obsessed with all 6 women who were chosen to be the King's wives. Granted, these authors have taken serious artistic licenses, (I say, Duh, to all those who scorned these books. How could they not take artistic license when you can't exactly sit down for an interview with these former tudors!) Regardless, both women have listed their references and research, and it is evident that much of the plot is true to its time. I must now read Philipa Gregory's sequels; most excited to pick up "The Boleyn Inheritance" describing the rise of Catherine Howard. (When in London, I was able to tour the Tower of London and stand in the exact room that Catherine Howard was held prisoner until the time of her beheading! Eek!) If you see books pertaining to these wives by anyone other than these two women, send them my way!!
p.s. Lisa, I got the box of books today. Woohoo! Thank you!

The Historian

I really liked this book! Excellent story. The start was a little slow for me, but maybe I just wasn't able to give it my undevoted attention initially (immidiately following HP is hard for any book).

Nothing like traveling vicariously when you can't physically go somewhere. Ok, so I want to be a female Indiana Jones type historian able to speak and read multiple languages and go trapsing around Europe on trains to beautiful libraries and museums solving age old mysteries (except scary or dangerous ones...don't the the "heart" it - HA!) Accounting just seems so dull today.

Loved the characters...sharing their suprise to find another solving the same puzzle as themselves, not being able to contain themselves from sharing information and the joy of discovery and how they are allowed to "solve" their mysteries all along the way through the story instead of building up to a finale, and then there is a big finale!

Bad Monkeys by Matt Huff

Jane Charlotte has been arrested for murder. She tells police that she is a member of a secret organization devoted to fighting evil; her division is called the Department for the Final Disposition of Irredeemable Persons — "Bad Monkeys" for short. This confession earns Jane a trip to the jail's psychiatric wing...

This book is a hoot!!! Totally warped and comically bizarre...I was highly amused. I especially loved the "eyes only" on the Keebler cookies and Quaker oatmeal packages. Almost defies description...you will just have to read it!!

A Poison Season...& some housekeeping.

I'm really enjoying all the Victorian era books lately...I can't decide which of the two series (those by Alexander or those by Robins) that I like best. I won't go into major details since mom has pre-posted them...just thought I'd say I'm liking them tho-- I think I'm really drawn to them because they are more mystery stories than really lovey-dovey romanc-y stories although there is a tad of that thrown in for amusement.

Kristi Stubbs will be joining us soon so a big 'Howdy & Welcome' to Kristi...which led me to the idea of maybe putting each others addresses somewhere? To mail and pass along the books? Or does that weird ya'll out to have your addy up? I dunno who has privacy issues... :)

The Pulitzer & an Academy Award...

I picked up "The Hours" by Michael Cunningham outside my bank. There are always a few tables set up with used books, and I love to peruse the $1 paperback section. Even if a book is horrible, it was a dollar, you know!? I picked up "The Hours" remembering when Nicole Kidman won the Oscar for her performance in the film and thought I would read it, then maybe rent the movie.
After finishing the last Potter book, I embarked on a completely different journey. The story of three women-- how their lives connect, how they impact each other's lives without ever even meeting. The story is centered around Virginia Woolf's book, "Mrs. Dalloway;" Mrs. Woolf herself being a central character- one of the three women. It was beautifully constructed- incredibly tied together, reiterating that it doesn't matter the time period, the social constructs, the style or monetary accomplishments-- we're still just people; people dealing with the same thoughts, the same fears, the same questions.
I immediately went out and rented the film. Amazing. One of the most incredible casts including Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris... the list goes on and on of truly phenomenal actors that brought this Pulitzer Prize winning story to life. I recommend you read the book and see the movie-- though, I would say read first.
There is nothing more wonderful than finding a cheap book one day strolling through the city running errands and you find a gem; a story that changes your life forever.

Next by Michael Crichton

Welcome to our genetic world. This is not the world of the future-it's the world right now.
Is a loved one missing some body parts? Are blondes becoming extinct? Is everyone at your dinner table of the same species? Humans and chimpanzees differ in only 400 genes; is that why an adult human being resembles a chimp fetus? And should that worry us? We live in a time of momentous scientific leaps; a time when it's possible to sell our eggs and sperm online for thousands of dollars; test our spouses for genetic maladies and even frame someone for a genetic crime. We live in a time when one fifth of all our genes are owned by someone else, and an unsuspecting person and his family can be pursued cross-country because they happen to have certain valuable genes within their chromosomes. . . .

The premise of this book is SCARY!! How much is true and how much is fiction? What does happen to all the residual "stuff" from a hospital visit...blood, etc. I remember before my heart surgery in 2005 when I knew the surgeon was going to remove the "left atrial appendage" during surgery, if he could keep it for me...I wanted to see what a piece of my heart muscle looked like. (Didn't get it.) I know there are a lot of genetic tests available, such as the blood test I had a couple of months ago for the Jak 2 gene because of my high red cell count. Or for breast cancer. And what if your insurance company finds out what you could be medically predisosed for...does that mean its a pre-existing condition and they won't cover it? ANYWAY, there is a lot of technical language in this book and to many characters with their plots going on which all come together rather unbelievably for me at the end. Hmmm. There seems to be a pattern here...I was going on about all the architectural detail in The Pillars of the Earth. Can't people just write books with one interesting plot and use lots of adjectives and not write a boring technical manual...unless of course it involves numbers or maps, which I like.

I Love Harry Potter

Ok, Obviously I can't say or give anything away. I finished it at 3 am this morning. A day and a half of hard reading, but I've read almost all of the books that way. Marathon!

I will say, that the story makes complete and utter sense...Ms. Rowling is happy with it and so am I.

Mother, when you finally catch up and have read the end then please post a discussion so we can actually talk about it. (She's so far behind! Only on book 5!!)

Happy reading! :)

New Title Alert!

This just in from B&N....a NEW Gregory Maguire book is coming out September 11, 2007.

Title: What-the-Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy.

OMG it's going to be agony waiting for this to hit paperback...

A good dose of medicine...

First in a new series set in Roman-occupied Britain, military medicus (army doctor) Gaius Petreius Ruso, newly divorced and stuck with debts of his late father, transfers to the 20th Legion where he finds filthy, vermin-filled quarters, miserable weather, and a lack of supplies. Immediately, he is called upon to examine the corpse of a young woman who drowned, tend to the sick, and eventually rescues an injured slave girl. Gaius also becomes a sort of detective when two young females from the local brothel turn up dead. In the meantime, he is writing a first-aid guide, sharing residence with another doctor, and more mice than can possibly be counted. Filled with period detail, suspense, and humor.

The Pillars of the Earth

All I can say is, PG (praise God) I was not alive 900 years ago!!! I would have either had to die at a very young age for wanting to be a boy instead of a girl or join a convent! Engaging story from the beginning. Even though the characters are fictional, the realities of the life back then are vivid. I too enjoyed the age progression of the characters. Could have done with a little less details on the building procedure since I'm not an architect or a mason and can't really appreciate them...just put a picture in. A good read...pretty quick for 900+ pages, especially if you have a couple of days for serious reading without interuption.

I'm Henry the Eighth, I am!

Ok, so ya'll forgive me ya'll b/c I've been reading CrazyAuntPurl ya'll and she say's ya'll like every other word/sentence!!! But she's so DAMN FUNNY! OMG, I want to be a crazyblogwriter just like crazyauntpurl! And I might have to reinvestigate knitting.

Ok, so anyways...I'm not sure what the love will be for this book for those of you who didn't watch The Tudors this past spring on Showtime. For me however, who did watch the Tudors b/c they are fascinating and I swear I'm descended from royalty somewhere down the line and o-m-g the costuming for it ya'll is AMAZing, I really enjoyed it.

It's told from the point of view of Cathrine, wife number 6?8? She wasn't super clear, but anyway obviously the last one...and it's told from when she was a child. Apparently she grew up sort of in/around his court to begin with and ended up marrying him much later on when he was old and going downhill but he sort of trusted her b/c he'd known her a long long time.

But, try it and see if you like it. Trust me tho the Tudors sort of helped with the explaining who everyone was and gave me a pretend face for them b/c the author didn't really describe the side characters much. Oh, and I can't WAIT for season 2....they always leave off somewhere dramatical.

Oh, and a note about the author Carrolly Erickson...I think I may have to investigate her further b/c she is a crazymad non-fiction biography writer! Most on Cool Royal People like Bloody Mary, Mistress Anne, Great Catherine, Josephine, Alexandra, just to name a few from her title list. She also has another fiction that I'm going to have to find called The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette. Way Cool.

Do you like Sherlock Holmes? Irene Adler? Then read these!

Ok, so I've breezed through And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander in like a day and a half...I didn't even have time to post on here that I was reading it. I LOVED it...very unique. I can't wait to read the ones that follow. Great Mystery novel. I'm not going to do a synopsis since Mom talked about it some already. Thought it was great...kept me guessing...although I did figure out which beau was the 'bad' guy and which was the 'good' guy. :)

Also read Point of Honour by Madeleine Robins. Again, another great Mystery! This one really reminded me of the Irene Adler series...Have you read those Nat? They are sort of a spin-off of from Sherlock Holmes. Anyway, not going to super elaborate but I was very satisfied with the mix of strong female character + mystery + historical + romance!

Oh yes, I do have to say I also finished off the trashy romance novel A Wicked Gentleman by Jane Feather....it was pretty good...the plot was definitely different from the usual romance with a bit more of adventure thrown in. Also rather funny, I liked the old Duchess who makes a few appearances in the novel. Wouldn't it have been fun to be so imperious? :)

Also, in the way of drinks...try something Naked! So far I've only had the Mighty Mango...but I have Red Machine in my fridge to try. Refreshing, heavy juice flavor, medium priced (when you consider what we pay for coffee), 2 serv./bottle, claim is 1 lb. of fruit in every bottle!

The Historian...

The Historian is one of those rare finds for me- It is fiction (and an exciting fiction at that!) but also chopped full of so much historical facts that I have now learned more about the true Dracula than I ever imagined. The author, Elizabeth Kostova, tells the tale of the actual man, Vlad the Impaler, son of Vlad Drakul, Vlad Tepes Drakula. He was a man who tortured and killed, drove stakes through thousands, and has birthed a legend that is still talked of daily all the way in 2007. What intrigued me more than anything is that she actually possesses many of the documents she refers to- she is a women who traveled the world in research for this story and it shows. It's an extremely intelligent read. I loved this book, and I'm passing it along on Friday to Kim- I think Ms. Kar will adore it. I will be searching for other works by this author...

Strong, Intelligent Women

Lately, I've been reading a variety of books which feature strong, intelligent women in rather unconventional circumstances for their time periods: Tasha Alexander's two books (And Only to Deceive and A Poisoned Season) about a young widow named Emily, who decides to pursue a scholarly life while unraveling several suspicious murders along the way (set in England, Paris, and Greece); Madeleine E. Robins' two Sarah Tolerance mysteries (Point of Honour and Petty Treason) about a young "Fallen Woman" who decides she will do something useful and productive with her life by "making inquiries" (a private investigator) instead of becoming a whore--it also helps that she is quite skilled at fencing (set in London); Sybil Downing's Ladies of the Goldfield Stock Exchange (Women of the West series) in which 3 women on their own form their own stock exchange for the purpose of catering especially to women in a gold-mining town in Nevada in 1906 which is based on a true story [but I'm not recommending this one--had a very weak ending]; No Life for a Lady by Agnes Morley Cleaveland, a personal memoir of growing up with her brother and widowed mother trying to survive making a living on a ranch at the turn of the century in southwestern New Mexico...and that leads me to the current book I began last night....Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin.

Taking place in the year 1170-1171 in England, Dr. Vesuvius Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar of Salerno, Italy, (where women are allowed to study and practice medicine) is hired by King Henry II to find out who has brutally killed four children in Cambridge and absolve the accused Jewish population (the king wants the Jews protected because they provide 1/7th of his tax revenues). This book opens with a Canterbury Tale-like description providing an introduction to our cast of characters--an assortment of religious figures, two knights, and the female doctor with 2 male traveling companions. For those of you grounded in your English literature, I suspect you'll enjoy and appreciate this book.

Other books waiting to be read are: The Love-Artist by Jane Alison set in first century Rome about the poet Ovid's romantic relationship with Xenia, a young witch-healer who just happens to be the only literate person in her community; Guests of the Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqui Village by Elizabeth Warnock Fernea which is an account of the author's two-year stay (which is also the first 2 years of her marriage) in a tiny village in southern Iraq in the 1950's where men and women live segregated lives; and A Bride Goes West by Nannie T. Alderson and Helena Huntington Smith which was published in the mid 1940's telling Nannie's story of her move from West Virginia to Montana in 1882 to start a little ranch.

Other series featuring strong, intelligent women with a sense of humor are Laurie R. King's 8-book Mary Russell series, Elizabeth Peter's 18-book Amelia Peabody series, Philip Pullman's Sally Lockhart trilogy; Carole Nelson Douglas' 8-book Irene Adler series, and Alexander McCall Smith's 8-book No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series.

Arrangement?

Ok, so what should we do when our 'recently read' list gets too long? I could make a links section of just the authors? or just delete them?

A little extra info...

http://www.paulocoelho.com.br/engl/index.html

"To date, Coelho has sold a total of 85 million copies and, according to the magazine Publishing Trends; he was the most sold author in the world in 2003 with his book Eleven Minutes – even though at the time it hadn’t been released in the United States, Japan or 10 other countries!

Also according to Publishing Trends, The Alchemist was to be found in the 6th place of world sales in 2003. Eleven Minutes topped all lists in the world, except for England, where it was in second place. The Zahir, published in 2005, was in third place of bestsellers according to Publishing Trends, after Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons.

The Alchemist was one of the most important literary phenomena of the 20th century. It reaches the first place in bestselling lists in 18 countries, and so far has sold 30 million copies.

The book has been praised by different personalities ranging from the Nobel Prize Kenzaburo Oe to the singer Madonna, who considers it one of her favourite books. It has equally inspired many projects – such as a musical in Japan, theatre plays in France, Belgium, USA, Turkey, Italy, Switzerland. It is also the theme of two symphonies (Italy and USA) and had its text illustrated by the famous French artist Moebius (author of the sceneries for he Fifth Element and Alien).

His work has been translated in 65 languages and edited in more than 150 countries."

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

Ok, so my Grandmother made off with this one immediately, before I could make a post on it. Basically, it's set in medival England and centers around several key characters and the building of a cathedral and all of the challenges the town and people face along the way with the church and with each other.

Oh, and by the way...it's epic. I'm not usually a page-counter but over 900! Which made for a nice long juicy read! I couldn't put it down...I think what I liked most is that it followed the characters through their lives -from young to old- not many books do that and stay interesting the whole time. It has definetly made me a fan and I'm going to try to go pick up something else by him at the public library to see what his other stuff is like.

Also, we have a Starbuck's competitor on the island...called Saxby's that I gave a whirl the other day. Mainly, b/c they are much closer to my house! ha! I tried a standard fav non-fat, no-whip, vanilla latte :) it was sweeter tasting than bucks...dunno if I can make the switch! Tho they may have the frozen catagory going for them...a ton of choices! Brownie, cookie, fruity, oh my!

My obsession with Paulo Coelho

His books have "sold more than 30 million copies in 120 countries and have been translated into 51 languages." I now understand why. I have read "The Alchemist," "By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept," and "Veronika Decides to Die." I haven't been able to pass these along to others because I read them again and again. I scribble and highlight and ponder and cry and remember and dream... There is something in his story-telling that somehow makes you think he is talking directly to you. (I was convinced when I read "The Alchemist" that it was specifically written for actors/performers. I later realized that everyone thinks that of their own occupational dreams when they read it.) Of the three, that one is my favorite, but I have been deeply moved by each of them.
The very first line of "Veronika...Die" is, "On November 11, 1997, Veronika decided that the moment to kill herself had- at last!- arrived. She carefully cleaned the room that she rented in a convent, turned off the heat, brushed her teeth, and lay down."
Interest piqued yet??

New Releases Alert!

Well the most obvious is the new Harry Potter due out in July (I'll be arranging for my pre-ordered book to be delivered the day of later today!!)

And I just learned that due out in October is a sequel to the Ken Follett book Pillars of the Earth, which will be called World Without End. Click his name over there to go to his site and check it out! :)

Hysterical Romances a/k/a Historical Romances

So other than the obvious--escapism and sex--what are the merits of reading historical romances?

Question... think like an 12 year old

I fly home on my nephew's 12th birthday, and am curious what books you recommend giving to an athletic, introverted, incredibly smart young man. I want to get him the "Percy Jackson" trilogy- I have loved these books as much, if not better than the "Harry Potter's" (gasp! I know, its almost blasphemous to even write that...), but I don't know if he is too old, too cool for that? He is currently reading the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and is halfway through the "Potter's." He and I were both bored during the "Chronicles of Narnia..." See my dilema!!!
Any suggestions?

My last two reads...

Vinegar Hill: A Novel by A. Manette Ansay

An Oprah's Book Club book, set in the early 1970's, the novel follows Ellen Grier and her family back to Holly's Field, Wisconsin. Ellen dutifully follows her newly unemployed husband moving their family of four into the stifling, loveless house of her in-laws on Vinegar Hill. Her and her husband both find work, however he falls too easily into the routine of living back at home with his parents and has no ambition to find them a place of their own. His job takes him away from the house frequently for long periods leaving Ellen to deal with her verbally abusive in-laws and a house full of dark, un-spoken secrets. In the end Ellen must find the strength to endure, change, grow, and move-on.

I liked this novel well enough. I read it very quickly -- something about the story was gripping and yet it was almost depressing too. In the end you find out the strange family secret and Ellen decides to break out and take care of herself and her children, which was the main reason I kept reading. But it was also a haunting tale, well told.


Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Well, I didn't know I was reading so many Oprah Book Club books. This one is the current one that she is reading and is what is up on her webpage now.

Anyway, a brief low-down on the book...from the back cover: Middlesex tells the breathtaking story of Calliope Stephanides, and three generations of the Greek-American Stephanides family, who travel from a tiny village overlooking Mount Olympus in Asia Minor to Prohibition-era Detroit, witnessing its glory days as the Motor City, and the race riots of 1967, before they move out to the tree-lined streets of suburban Grosse Pointe, Michigan. To understand why Calliope is not like other girls, she has to uncover a guilty family secret, and the astonishing genetic history that turns Callie into Cal.

This book was weirdly, wonderfully fascinating. A story about a pseudo-hermaphrodite, Cal actually has a medical condition called 5-alpha-reductase Deficiency, where genetically he is a boy, but appeared to be a girl until puberty hits. The story was well written, even though it goes back and forth between time periods, Eugenides does it smoothly. I could not put it down, it was told with feeling as if Eugenides lived Cal's story first-hand. It was also intriguing discussing Nature vs. Nurture; the scientific info appealed to my science streak.

Anyone read either of these? Thoughts? Comments? Want me to pass them on if you haven't read them? Let me know!

Cover photos courtesy of Amazon.com.

Some guidelines...

When you join, you may not be able to post right away. Someone will need to make you an admin. to post to the blog, otherwise you are considered a guest and I think can only make comment posts.


In the upper right corner you can click on 'Customize' to be taken to the editing area. From there you can add your own info to the blog. For instance, to add to the Recently Reading list click on the 'edit' button for that section and add your book to the list. Blogger is pretty user friendly, so feel free to play around.

Also, lets use the comments area to respond to what others have said and use the posting for new info/thoughts/ideas, etc.

Any other ideas?

All about books

I have to confess that I don't drink coffee, lattes, cappucino, or any other coffee-tasting products, but that won't keep me from voicing my opinion and thoughts about books!

Come play!!

Oh, this is going to be fun...
Bookworms unite!! I feel like I was just asked to be a part of a secret society of literary geniuses, only its my best friend in the world and her other nerdy reading friends like me, but still so very cool!!!!!
p.s. Since this is titled Lattes as well as Literature, wanted to comment on the new Starbucks Orange Dreamsicle Frappaccino (I don't know if that is its exact name...) it is amazing!! A little piece of heaven in a refreshing little cup.
And that's how I will begin this blogging adventure...
Best, Nat

Welcome!

Hello to all! This is a very rough format, but it's something to start with. I thought it might be fun to have a discussion area since many of us rotate and read the same books...just a place to throw out some thoughts about what you're reading.

I was inspired by Natalie's recent post about the book rotation and thought it might be a good idea. (With her permission, I may re-post part of it, for those of you who don't have a MySpace acct. to see.)

Anyway, ideas about the name of the group? Do you like Lattes & Literature? Thoughts on re-wording the description? Let me know! Let's get started!

~klw