My mother has neuropathy raging through her body. Over the summer of 2021 she developed a series of problems including ANOTHER infection in the foot where she has already had another toe amputated. This surgery involved amputation of her big toe, second toe, and a large bunion. These have been determined to diabetes relatated which was perplexing to me as her blood sugar is under control, her A1C is still borderline acceptable---so I read this book as part of my research.
This book while entertaining and a quick read is all over the place. Too many threads, too many plot lines, too many locations...over righteous good guys...stereotypical agents...typical bad guys. An enjoyable read that could have been a lot better.
Earlier this year I read a book, The Cave and the Light, and excellent book about how the civilised Western world has cycled between Plato and Aristotle since the days of the Ancient Greeks. It kindled an interest in my overstuffed brain--why are humans so obssessed with moral character, the right to happines, the good life... I have always thought of virtues and morals to be constructs of the human mind-- a part of culture not a part of nature. I am doing my best to read all sides of this story--even if I already know that science based evidence will ultimately win the day.
A teeny bopper romance. I will say I liked it so much more than my other recent teeny bopper romance--Tell Me Three Things. I connected more with Eleanor and Park and their disfunctional lives. It was a darker story and was a fast read.
I have never been a fan of abusive relationships protrayed as love stories. Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights being horrifying examples. I have never been a fan of older men writing out their "fictional" fantasies about their attraction to young girls. I will never read Lolita (even though it would be a perfect fit for this category). There is an abundance of "great" literature that glorifies the abuse of women and young girls by claiming them to be romantic but tragic love stories. But I digress...
How I hated to see this trilogy come to an end. These books were the perfect type of escapism necessary for reading material in 2020. I am looking into reading more of her books.
Love me some Maeve Binchy and I managed to squeeze in two of her books in 2020. I know that I read this back in the 90's but I didn't remember anything about it--so it was like reading it for the first time. Big and sprawling--a comfortable curl up in a blanket with a cat, a cuppa, and a snack.
The conclusion to Blackout which I had read earlier in this arc of reading. I love Connie Willis and I loved being right in the thick of the London Blitz. Some complain that her books are too long--I say the more time with these characters and Ms. Willis the better.
Look at me--I managed to sneak in another classic--one that I have always meant to read but never did. It is about a woman's infidelity. It was shocking for its time--especially that a woman wrote about infidelity in the late 19th century. Pretty readable for a classic--hate me if you must but I found the ending a bit of a cop out. I wanted the author to give her main character more strength of mind--but maybe that is just a side effect of looking back through 21st century goggles.
I really do wish that the word spirituality could be freed from its religious tethers. This book did help me understand the science and reasoning behind the concept of the "Self" as a separate "I". But besides advising one to mediate, and well, duh, and I do agree with his reasoning but this book left me saying--meh. The quest continues...
This book fits into this epislatory category as it is written as series of interviews conducted by an anonymous interviewer --the man who pulls the strings to keep this project alive. It had me hooked from the beginning and I will definitely be reading the whole trilogy.
A page turner about two sisters and a secret revealed on-air during a morning news show. I enjoyed it while reading-couldn't but it down- but felt that a lot of the drama was contrived for effect especially later in the book.
Not usually my sort of read but it did keep me hooked. It fits into this epislatory category as it consists of a mix of emails, IM, and regular storytelling. It was hard to feel emmpathy for the main character as she whined throughout the whole book about how rough her life was as she struggled through her days as a privileged-white-rich teenaged girl going to a private school in Los Angeles- and attracting the attention of the 3 hottest guys in school. It was a bit much---the author considered this to be semi autobiographical---I'm thinking I would have preferred reading her own story.
This is a book that I have wanted to read ever since I stumbled across Kathleen Norris's Acedia & Me. This book totally changed my understanding of depression and cleared up many of my miscomprehensions. A completely readable long haul door stop of a book but sadly enough still as relevant today as it was groundbreaking back in 2001 when it was first published. I am finding it an unexpected resource that is going to help me further understand my thought that --in relationship to a quiet meditative mind the gift of language seems to be a bit back handed. Always reading always learning.
Pun intended. Last year (2020) I read a very long arc of books that began with Dark Matter and slowly rose up through the shadows to the light of day and the Noon Day sun. I was naively hoping that this arc would mirror the pandemic and that it would be in the rear view mirror when I finished the category. Yes, yes...silly me. So I was in the need for "A Tale for the Time Being" a book that had been on my TBR bedroom shelf for years. Sometimes, the universe makes a book wait until its perfect time being.
I really loved this book mostly because of the mix of quantum physics and zen buddhism. I loved the parallel story lines with Ruth reading Nao's diary. I will most likely keep this book as it deserves further reading and has encouraged me to search out and read some of the books that she recommends. Never stop learning and reading. I also enjoyed a previous book of hers--My Year of Meats.
Surprisingly I read this the whole way through even though I am self-employed and run a tiny yoga studio. While I am 1000% sure I would never get hired to work for Ray Dalio- I am equally sure that I would neither like it or make it as his employee and not just because my math skills are minimal at best. However, the principles governing a human mind are alway fascinating to read about. I will keep this on my shelf for awhile as he has an excellent suggested reading list at the end of the book.
This is the second book I have read by Ms. McDonald and this one is in fact her first novel. She improves as a writer with each book. This is not as deep and introspective of a read but more of a page turner and it certainly kept me enthralled even though the plot relied on some cliches that today are quite over used.
This is part of my yogic reading journey. It is necessary for me to read this book again and take notes, use the exercises, and practice the breathwork.
It combines the ancient practice of Pranayama with more modern techniques and gives a readable and understandable look at the Yoga Sutras surrounding the practice. A totally fascinating read.
I read books about Pranayama throughout the whole of 2020 in an attempt to understand breath and breath work through multiple perspectives. This was my selection for mainstream yoga--much easier to understand the Light on Pranayama. It is chock full of useful information and I plan to incorporate a lot this into my teaching practice--especially once mandatory mask wearing is lifted.
I will need to read this again and take notes.
I was so delighted that this book was published in 2020--a bright spot in a dark year. The author is a journalist who chronicled his journey to find a solution to his chronic breathing problems. It is well worth the reading time and serves as a snyopsis of all that is out there to read about the art of breathing.
Authorative reading on the Buteyeko method, which I read to gain more understanding about this method after coming across it in Restoring Prana. 2020 was an eye opening year when it came to my breath and while I have made much progress I still "suck" when it comes to holding my breath out of my body. But I am pleased that I have reversed the direction of my breath and have slowed it down a great bit.
From the man who founded Manduka--maker of my forever mat. Not a Pranayama book per se but instead about the subtle body and as breath work is one of the prime movers of subtle energy in the body--it fit in extremely well in this arc of reading. It is chocked full of useful information and is a book I will read again and take notes this time around.
A novella composed of letters from Lady Susan to a variety of others--family members, friends, lovers, etc. She is a very repellent character and if you can get past that and simply enjoy the Jane Austen of it all then it makes for reading time well spent.
Forwards by: Rudolph Ballentine, M.D., & Alan Hymes, M.D.
A Yogic Book on Pranayama first published in the early 1900's and reprinted with updated science. Am planning on reading again and taking notes.
Julia Child is a personal role model and one of my heros. The year before I had finally read her memoir--I was sobbing at the end. This collection of letters brought Julia to life through her marvelous friendship with Avis DeVoto (a woman worthy of hero worship herself).
When I was in the sixth grade, much to my teacher's dismay, I wrote a book report on Vincent Bugliosi's "Helter Skelter" and the allegations that the lyrics of the Beatles inspired the Mason murders. So when my grown son asked if I would read this book so that he would have someone to discuss it with--I quickly said yes and dived right in. I read this during the summer of 2020 and while the title didn't quite fit into my reading arc--it certainly fit into the chaotic times. Absolutely fascinating read--I completely understand how the author became totally obsessed with his research.
I read and loved Ms. McLain's "The Paris Wife"-- in fact I think I may have read it twice by accident. So it was a no-brainer that I picked this book up out of $2 bargain bin as soon as it was spotted, and put on a TBR shelf. How delightful to find it nestled away just in time to perfectly fit into this category. It is without a doubt one the best books in this category--and this category is chocked full of must reads.
I am slowly but surely making my way through the works of Jean Rhys. Dark tales about down on their luck women who are beholden to men for money and shelter, I used to "hope" that she was making this lifestyle up--but no it seems it was a standard and acceptable way for women to "make a living" in the early half of the 20th century.
This book laid around in one of my many TBR stacks for years, it is the first in a trilogy. Sometimes books have to wait for their appropriate moment. 2020 and this category made it a perfect choice. In fact all three of this trilogy made the cut. Excellent reading. Hope she circles back to these characters one day.
Another dusty book found lying in one of my many TBR stacks. I have read many of Ms. Willis's books and I have loved every one of them...so glad this one (and it's sequel) stood up to counted as must reads for this category.
I am a fan of Ms. Mantel's Wolf Hall trilogy about Thomas Cromwell and a copy of the last installment is waiting on a shelf #TBR. There is no denying that she is a fine author with excellent writing skills. I wanted to enjoy this book much more than I did.
More on the same theme, single down on her luck girl, looking for a man to support her, lots of drinking, depression, and desperate behavior to no good end. She is a good writer but I shouldn't want to ever live in her world.
A marvelously incandescent book that sends a ray of human kindness through a very dark period in the history of humanity. One of my top 10 reads for 2020. Read it if you haven't.
Second book in this trilogy. A series that gets better book by book.
I have really enjoyed all of Ms. Kostova's books. One of the few modern authors who portrayed a vampire as evil and not a romantic anti-hero in her novel "The Historian". I will happily continue reading whatever she writes next.
I picked this book up at Half-Priced Books warehouse sale (boy those were the days) and it sounded so fascinating. I had such high hopes and was delighted that it fit into this category of reading. Part of this book is indeed absolutely fascinating but then it shifts. About half way through he starts repeating himself, working the same material into chapter after chapter. Maybe I should have been forwarned since the author's name on the book cover is at least 3 times the size of the actual book title.
I am came across this book while I was reading The Familiars by Stacey Halls as part of my Bewitching Reads category. The book takes a completely different look at the Pendle Witch Trials-- through the eyes of a different historical character. These books were totally different reads but I will say I did prefer this book.
I don't often read "classics" but when I do I hope to always find gems such as this one. Very readable for a "masterpiece". Wallace Stegner was a contemporary of Avis Devoto and was great friends with her husband. I mention this because I love when my categories and book choices serendipitously collide. At the beginning of 2020 as I finished my reads for the category "To the Letter" I read As Always, Julia which is a collection of letters between Julia Child and Avis Devoto. I highly recommend both of these books for separate reasons.
This is the 23rd Kate Scarpetta novel. I generally never read out of order but this sounds good and was already in one of my many TBR stacks. I haven't read any of her books since the 1990's and I can't remember why I stopped-nor can I remember why I bought this copy. While this proved a quick read--reading this far out of order gave me some issues. I had a hard time relating to and/or empathizing with the "good" guys and even though she gave an enormous amount of back story it was still hard to connect with the characters- with many seeming to be simply pasted in-they are in all the books so they need to be in this one as well. Reading this one-- did cause me to remember that her books had a tendency to be repetitive after awhile and maybe that is why I stopped reading them.
This is an author I have never read but after seeing her name mentioned numerous times on Bookish Twitter and after reading JacquiWine's wonderful review I could resist no longer and this title considered one of her best works was a perfect fit. I enjoyed the book although it was a little bleak with few totally sympathetic characters. I will read more of this author.
A long-overdue and dramatic reinterpretation of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots by one of the leading historians at work today and a book I cannot wait to start. I do a lot of Royal reading--most recently the Tudors. I am understandably keen to read more on Elizabeth I's biggest rival. Even though this was a book of door-stopping length it kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. A woman of whom it can be truly said "If it weren't for bad luck I would have no luck at all."
A Maeve Binchy title that I have not read--what a perfect way to round out this category with heart. I did enjoy this book. It followed a bunch of co-workers at a heart clinic and patients with little stories about their interconnected lives.
This is the second book I have read by this author. It was good but The Dilemma is better--it also shows that the writer is improving her writing chops.
This author had bookish Twitter all abuzz in 2019 so I wanted to give one of her books a spin. Creepy and weird-not a bad thing. I wanted to like it better than I did.
I read this book during the chaotic days that followed the US 2020 Presidential elections, starting on the day that for all but the "delusional" the election was called in favor of Joe Biden. It has started my love affair with this author and I have since read 3 more of his books and I really need to read more.
I read this book during the chaos of the 2020 US Presidental elections as I was in need of some very distracting reads. This filled the bill perfectly--I even loved the perfectly bureaucratic ending.
Books that I read and reviewed just because I wanted to...
I found the author Kate Vane via Twitter, we follow each other, and recently I read a book review she posted on her website. I liked her review as it was honest without being hurtful. So I decided to read her latest book.
Rating systems do not allow for partial stars so I am giving this book 4 stars, although in reality I would rate it in the range of 3.5-3.8. In other words somewhere between “I liked it and I really liked it”. I am comfortable leaving my rating at 4 based on the writing strength and the keen ability of Ms. Vane to draw characters and to set scenes.
I found the promo blurbs to be a little misleading so I am creating my own— because this book is different from what you are led to believe—I am not alone in this comment.
For the record, I thought it was going to be a crime mystery wherein a journalist for the BBC, would unravel the “who-done-it” before or by working with the police. And it is sort of…but this book refuses to pigeon-hole itself into one genre and I like that as it makes for a more interesting read. I am also a fan of books that flip through time with alternating storylines involving the past and the present.
Restoring Prana: A Therapeutic Guide to Pranayama by Robin Rothenberg currently reading
Written In My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander #8) by Diana Gabaldon currently reading
The Lingering by SJI Holliday completed 2/2020
Breakers by Doug Johnstone completed 1/2020
Jane Doe January by Emily Winslow completed 1/2020
The Monsoon Ghost Image by Tom Vater completed 1/2020
Click here to read my in depth review
Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth completed 1/2020
The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell completed 1/2020
Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris completed 1/2020
The Mitfords by Charlotte Mosley currently reading
ETERNAL EVE The History of Gynaecology & Obstetrics
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow
Lady Susan and Other Works by Jane Austen read 1/2020
To date I have only read the title novella.
