2011 Reading Log

  1. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

  2. Heat Wave by Richard Castle

  3. Naked Heat by Richard Castle

  4. An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin

  5. American On Purpose: The Improbably Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot by Craig Ferguson

  6. People of the Book: A Novel by Geraldine Brooks

  7. Bel Canto by Ann Pratchett

  8. Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

  9. A Gate at the Stairs* by Lorrie Moore

  10. Heat Rises by Richard Castle

  11. The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin

  12. The Red Tent* by Anita Diamant

We’re beginning to enter the era of when algorithm suggestions started taking over the place of seeing things on sale or on the shelf in library. I have switched to reading on an e-reader as opposed to purchasing many physical books.

Lewis Carroll was on drugs. No one can convince me otherwise. As odd as the animated adaptation of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is, the book is weirder and darker.

I started reading the novelizations of the books mentioned in the Castle television series. I don’t usually read thrillers and detective stories, but I enjoyed these. They are seriously meta, which added an additional layer of enjoyment.

I know I’ve listed Steve Martin’s novel as having read it, but I have no memory of actually reading it, which is strange considering how vividly I remember reading his novella. I really think I listed it and then never got around to actually reading it.

Reading Craig Ferguson’s autobiography was a bit out of the ordinary for me. I enjoyed his humor as a late night show host, but I don’t often enjoy biographies and especially not celebrity biographies. I did like learning about his early life and how he overcame his addiction, though.

I absolutely adore Geraldine Brooks. Caleb’s Crossing in particular is a gorgeous work of historical fiction that really draws the reader into its settings and covers an important period in American history that isn’t covered in most curriculums.

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I recently described Bel Canto as a perfect jewel of a novel. It is such an example of excellence in writing. I haven’t seen the movie adaptation, but I would like to look it up. I’ve heard it isn’t that great, but it would be hard to capture everything that is right about the novel.

I attempted to read A Gate at the Stairs twice and never made any progress. I couldn’t sympathize with the characters and didn’t get a good enough sense of the suspense to carry me through.

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb was fascinating for its exploration of the subculture of celebrity and sideshows in American history. It had some issues, but was an overall excellent read.

I keep seeing The Red Tent in bookstores, and I don’t understand why so many people love it so much. I could never make it all the way through it.