Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Book # 30: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Loved it! I like mysteries, but I am horribly wimpy. Even suspenseful movies can leave me with sleepless nights, so Sherlock Holmes's mysteries are right up my alley. Complex and confusing, they require thinking to solve, yet they skip all the gory details. Watson also narrates them in such a style as to minimize emotion, thus helping to keep my already overly active imagination in check. As the "chapters" appeared in a magazine initially, they are short enough to read during a nap or before bed, thus perfect for the busy mom I have become. I am sad that I am done with them, and that there are no more out there to read. I am hoping the movie coming out this fall with be good, as I'd like another dose of Sherlock Holmes.

Next up:
The Wind in the Willows

Thursday, September 3, 2009

I'm Back...

well...sort of.

I figured as I still seem to be able to make time to read, (We've been blessed with a baby willing to sleep most nights more than a five hour stretch.), I should continue to track those books on here.

I finished Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. One of those classics I heard about, but never bothered to pick up. It was interesting. I think this New York Times review on the back cover sums it up:

"Wildly original, brutally gruesome, vulgar, bitterly, savagely funny... it will not be forgotten by those who can take it!"

For me: It was vulgar; it was gruesome; it was bitter; not so funny; and probably forgettable. It reminded me of the of the novels my 10th grade Honors English teacher made us read. Ones that were questionable for our age and maturity. Ones that would make you blush and were incredibly wordy. One that most 10th graders, or adults for that matter, wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. It's a book that you read for the title, to tack on your "I've read it" list, and that some group of "deep thinking" college students might discuss in a book club.

Next up: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle