tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25317127436081292332008-01-18T06:13:06.601-08:00MichelleBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2531712743608129233.post-51440616161492101412007-09-07T11:42:00.000-07:002007-09-08T10:02:52.601-07:00

The subtitle for this book is "My Misadventures through the World of Self-Help--and Back" and that pretty much covers it. Jennifer Niesslein cofounded the literary, smart, funny, witty parenting magazine, Brain Child in March 2000. I am a big fan of the articles written on both sides of various mothering debates such as product influence, correcting other people's kids, and the pros and cons of

Michelletag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2531712743608129233.post-20600074340123661992007-07-14T20:43:00.000-07:002007-07-14T21:15:36.116-07:00

This is my book club's pick for the month, by the author of The Kite Runner another book club pick that everyone in my group enjoyed. I didn't think I would enjoy this book--and perhaps enjoy isn't the best word since the story is essentially an ongoing tragedy about the volitile situation in Afghanistan over the past thirty years. Yet, I was completely drawn in by the strength of the women and

Michelletag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2531712743608129233.post-45295961314086958462007-01-24T19:35:00.000-08:002007-01-27T00:13:09.663-08:00

I always feel like I'm cheating just a little when I review a New York Times bestseller. It's essentially been reviewed by thousands already right? Anyway, this was another book club pick for my book group and I was pleasantly surprised. A young college student loses everything and literally runs away and joins the circus. This is the era of prohibition and the traveling circus, where freak shows

Michelletag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2531712743608129233.post-58616821346883939692006-12-31T10:43:00.000-08:002007-01-01T13:34:56.269-08:00

With the scary increase in cases of autism, there has been an increase in books, both fiction and nonfiction, that deal with the subject. Eye Contact is fiction, but I feel it is one of the better portrayals of life with an autistic child--something I fortunately haven't experienced, however I do have a close friend who lives with it every day--as has the author. Statistics show that few

Michelletag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2531712743608129233.post-5802931599027381172006-12-23T20:22:00.000-08:002007-01-01T13:32:40.913-08:00

Finally I am reviewing some good books again! The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is one of my book club's picks and an excellent one. Usually our rule is to stick to fiction but this is definitely one of those memoirs that reads like fiction and certainly generates enough discussion. What makes this "sad childhood" memoir a good discussion book is that the author is neglected, but the abuse is

Michelletag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2531712743608129233.post-29781416487530985282006-12-05T20:58:00.000-08:002006-12-23T21:06:18.707-08:00

Welcome to my book review site. I've always loved books and have worked with books my entire adult career. Frequently, I've been asked for my opinions on books so this site is my way of sharing those thoughts. I'll be writing commentary on books that I read. (And I really do read them. This is not some effort to push certain books or authors.) I primarily read fiction but my tastes are varied

Michelletag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2531712743608129233.post-86267856949581301112006-11-07T22:05:00.000-08:002006-12-23T21:15:07.695-08:00

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros This is a book club pick, but it also turned out to be what I would call a smart summer read. It has all the required elements for an easy summer read. It is short, fast paced and compelling. It has bad marriages, close friendships and sex. But it also paints a vivid verbal picture of growing up in a neighborhood where no one exactly fits because no

Michelletag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2531712743608129233.post-45675111918934086032006-10-23T20:26:00.000-07:002006-12-20T12:50:16.287-08:00

The Sea, by John BanvilleI loved this book. Of course, yet again, I am praising a book that has already been praised by those more worthy than I am. It won the Booker prize. I enjoyed this book from the first page. The story weaves backward from the narrator’s late middle age while at the same time forward from his adolescence. And yet this somehow works seamlessly. I found the adolescent story

Michelletag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2531712743608129233.post-86107446395036324372006-09-15T11:19:00.000-07:002006-12-20T12:49:37.143-08:00

The Known World, by Edward P. Jones My book group recently read The Known World by Edward P. Jones. The first comment I was about to make was that it's a very worthwhile read-but then, it did win the Pulitzer so I think that opinion is pretty much already established. Anyway, despite the Pulitzer I likely wouldn't have read it without the incentive of my group. It's a saga about slavery but

Atag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2531712743608129233.post-29644364893446308292006-07-02T21:18:00.000-07:002006-12-20T12:50:42.649-08:00

And since I mentioned "classic beach reads". . . Bad Twin, by Gary Troup This mystery is supposedly written by an author who disappeared on the Lost television show's plane crash of Oceanic Flight 815 (Lost fans note the plane's number and the birthdate of one of the characters in the novel). I picked it up because I am a fan of the show, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it a fun, fast,

Michelle