books i have read

one of the joys of the peace corps is ample AMPLE reading time (something about waiting hours for taxis to leave, traveling, not having actual structured work times, no nine to fives here). so in case any one is interested, here are a list of books that i have read since i have been here, and what i thought of them. i'll keep this updated as i continue to read...

on a four star system, i was thinking of an arbitrary number like eight, but i thought that it might get confusing.

year of magical thinking - joan didion ****
touching and honest account of the grieving process author after she lost her husband

angels and demons - dan brown **1/2
not well written, but very interesting and entertaining

the notebook - nicholas sparks **
not as good as the movie

the davinchi code - dan brown **1/2
again, like his others, not well written, but interesting and entertaining

nickel and dimed, getting by (or not) in america - barbra ehrenreich ***
the author takes you through her experiances at three miniumum wage jobs, funny and cynical

the things they carried - tim o'brien ****
phenemonal. fantastic ficitional war book, probably on of the best ever written.

she's come undone - wally lamb ***1/2
slightly depressing, but great (on a side note, one of the volunteers had wally lamb as here high school freshman english teacher)

me talk pretty one day - david sedarias ****
funny short stories from sedarias, good stuff

genie - ? **1/2
about a girl who was locked up for thirteen years, and her struggle to learn language and communication after she was found. not exactly what i expected the book to be.

slaughterhouse five - kurt vonnegut ****
i love kurt vonneget, he will probably be my salvation in the peace corps. if you haven't, you should read this book. i'd like to think i share kurt vonnegut's sense of humor, but alas, no one can ever match his genius.

the dharma bums - jack kerouac ****
this is the first of kerouac i have read all the way through, but it was amazing. i enjoyed the way it was written and it's buddhist undertones (or overtones, i don't really know which word is right... oh english)

paradise lost - j.a. jance **
not the famous one... one of two "entertainment" (i.e. fluff) books i read this week. not so bad, read it in a day, keep me interested. wouldn't really suggest it though

a bend in the road - nicholas sparks **
i'm embarassed that he's shown up twice on this list (and soon to be a third, i still have an unread book of his). again, like the last book, fluff, but it kept me interested and i read it in a day. no recommendations. from the two of sparks i've read, i haven't been overly impressed.

the callan's of winona blvd - james b. callan ****
it's hard not to look a book about my family, especially one that i was in all of the pictures

can't hold back the spring - james b. callan ****
read the whole set of my uncle's books... only took me ten years...

the student baker corporation - james b. callan ****
i really enjoyed this book, maybe someday it will be a movie!

naked - david sedarias ****
probably my favorite of the sedarias books that i have read. really funny with really dark humor.

where the heart is - billy letts ***
enjoyable ready, but kind of forgetable, heard the movie was better.

the kite runner - khaled hosseini ****
hands down, one of the best books i've read in a long time. touching and beautifully written.

barrel fever - david sedaris ***1/2
my least favortie from this author, but his essay: 'santaland diaries' rightfully made him famous.

the guardian - nicholas sparks **1/2
how does he keep getting on here?! just a fine fluff book.

devil's claw - j.a. jance *1/2
another fluff place holder book (the lighter books that i read in between really good ones), not particulary good, although i do enjoy this author.

the dive from clausen's peir - ann packer *
i really didn't like this book, probably the first that i've read here that i didn't like (one some level, even for entertainment purposes), the plot had potential, but then it just got annoying.

the glass menagerie - tennessee williams ***
classic play. i liked it, but i think i might enjoy some of his other writing more.

three weeks with my brother: a memoir - nicholas sparks ****
another book by him, whoops.. this was a nonficion book about a trip around the world with his brother. i really loved this book, (although secretly, i love all of the sparks books because they make me smile) but i thought it was very well put together an i was really touched by it. i would recommend it.

memoirs of a geisha - arthur golden ****
i thought it certianly lived up to the hype. a beautifully told story. although, the movie wasn't nearly as good.

timequake - kurt vonnegut ****
i'm a sucker for kurt vonnegut, i don't think i could not love anything he's written, although of the books i've read of his, this was probably my least favorite.

the shop on blossom street - debbie macomber ***
a feel good book, i'm glad that i read it.

skeleton canyon - j.a. jance **
another placeholder book, but not bad.

death du jour - kathy reiches **1/2
i really shouldn't read semi-scary books when i live by myself practically in the middle of nowhere...

deja death - kathy reiches **1/2
oops, i did it again.

breakfast of champions ****
dear mr. vonnegut, you are my hero.

the gazebo - emily grayson ***
feel good read, very sweet.

a walk in the words - bill bryson ***
hysterical account of the authors hike on the appalacian trail. i plan to read more from this author.

you shall know our velocity - david rogers ***
interesting.

choke - chuck palahniuk ***1/2
for the most part, with the exception of fight club, i have really liked this authors books. but they are very odd.