Simona's 25-Book Challenge
One-sentence reviews of the books I read in my 25-book challenge* 2007 .
(*And I'll have you know I actually managed to read 30!)
(Clicking on the book title lets you buy that book on Amazon.)
30. Uncle John's Curiously Compelling Bathroom Reader by The Bathroom Readers' Institute
Curiously boring.
29.
Lust in Translation: The Rules of Infidelity from Tokyo to Tennessee
by Pamela Druckerman
A well-written study of adultery that stirred up a host of childhood issues for me.
28.
Unburnable
by Marie-Elena John
Obeah women, maroons, and generational curses; you go, my West Indian Sista!
27. Hidden River by Adrian McKinty
A thrilling read with a sexy heroin-addicted Irish ex-cop as hero.
26.
Stranger in My Arms
by Rochelle Alers
Jealous of ya mad skillz, Rochelle.
25.
The White Castle by Orham Pamuk
Most of it was like doing homework, but the last chapter was da bomb.
24.
Bad Dates: True Tales from the Single Life by Sam Jordison
A hilarious compilation of true life accounts of humiliating dating experiences like throwing up in your date's lap or farting during oral sex.
23.
Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction by Sue Townsend
Great book, hideous author photo; coulda smiled, Sue!.
22.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
by Mark Haddon
Strange and weird and funny, with an autistic protagonist who was so smart I admired him but so emotionless I got chills.
21.
Montana Sky
by Nora Roberts
Technically excellent, but I guess I'm just not a Nora fan.
20.
Last Rites by David Wishart
A good shtick; (a traditional gumshoe detective novel set in Ancient Rome at about AD 33) but this one never captivated me.
19.
The Little Book of Neuroses
by Michael
Thomas Ford
He's funny even when he's talking about tragedies affecting the gay community, such as the exile of Catholic priests with HIV, and the whole marriage issue, but poignant when he needs to be.
18.
Buxton Spice by Oonya Kempadoo
Apart from having the coolest name in entertainment since Englebert, she's got a voice that I haven't heard before.
17.
Starting Your Career as a Freelance Writer by Moira
Anderson Allen
Probably the most intelligent, matter-of fact book on the subject of freelance writing that I could have happened upon.
16. HELLO Magazine's
20th Century in Pictures
The thing I'm most proud about this book is that my sister worked on it; her name is actually in the credits.
15.
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
Ah, luvverly; Sedaris comes off like a slightly saner Augusten Burroughs who actually grew up in a semi-normal family.
14.
Delphinium Blues by Stevie Morgan
Every single minute I spent with this book was delightful; the humor, the images, the metaphors, the characters... wonderful.
13.
Creating Character Emotions
by Ann Hood
Quite good, Miss Hood.
12.Jump Start Your Book Sales by Marilyn
and Tom Ross
Friendly easy to read but it's a little out of date (it's got a few breathless predictions about what the Internet will be like in 1999, for example).
11.The Sweet Potato Queens' Field Guide to Men
by Jill Conner Browne
These real life experiences with Spud Studs and a variety of other sub-species of homo sapiens, are the kind of stories that we can all relate to, and laugh hysterically over.
10. Da Brudderhood of Zeeba Zeeba Eata by
Stephan Pastis
Stephan Pastis takes over where Gary Larson left off.
9. Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
Hilarious, and creepy and gross and weird, I didn't have a second to be bored.
8.The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje.
What can I say about The English Patient...without groaning?
7.
Investing for Dummies by Eric Tyson.
When I first started this book challenge, I promised myself I'd read at least one book I had zero interest in, just to expand my horizons; I guess this book was it.
6.
Kingsblood Royal
by Sinclair Lewis
I am astounded at his eloquence, and the way in which this man has painted a social scenario that, 60 years later, seems so horrifyingly antiquated and yet so immediate.
5. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
Traces those missing years of Christ's life, between the age of six when he and his brothers and friend played games of stone-the-adulterer in the dirt, to their first meeting with the Magdalene at around age ten, to their journey east to find out exactly how to be the Messiah that everyone said he was to be - superb!
4.
How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci, Seven Steps to Genius Every Day
by Michael J. Gelb.
You don't read this book, you live it.
3. 52 Pickup by Elmore Leonard
Nerdy name aside, Elmore kicks ass.
2.The Renegade Writer
by Linda
Formichelli and Diana Burrell
Probably not the sort of book you'd want to cosy up in bed with and read cover to cover, as it's really a book full of tips and references for freelancers, but worth the read.
1.
Embracing the Moonlight
by Wayne Jordan
Intriguing to see a man's perspective on romance; surprisingly, not too far from my own - 'cept for the whole 'hung like a Shetland pony' thing, much to the swooning delight of any female lucky enough to get her some'a dat action.
