Category: 4 Star Books

1001 Books For Every Mood by Hallie Ephron

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1001 Books for Every Mood by Hallie Ephron: Book CoverFinished 10-4-09, rating 4/5, non-fiction, pub. 2008

I loved this book of book lists and recommendations.  Ephron chose to list one book per author and the format is easy and fun to read.  There are bits of trivia included too.  Of the 1001 books she has listed, I have read 65 and 33 of those are on my personal Top 100 list.

Since this is essentially a book of lists I chose one book from each category to add to my own TBR list.  Some of these books I already own!  So, for this review I am going to list every category -grab a cup of coffee and get comfy- and the book I chose so that you can get a taste of what’s in here.  And I’ll have an electronic list.  I’ve starred the books I already own.

Are you in the mood…

For a laugh…Sick Puppy by Hiaasen

For a Good Cry…Mama Day by Naylor

For a Wallow in a Slough of Despond…Miss Lonely Hearts by West

To Behave…Domestic Manners of the Americans by Trollope

To Misbehave…Fear of Flying by Jong*

To Go Over the Edge…American Psycho by Ellis

To Love…Gone With the Wind by Mitchell*

To Love Again…Foreign Affairs by Lurie

To Celebrate Friends…The Chosen by Potok*

To Celebrate Siblings…Founding Brothers:The Revolutionary Generation by Ellis

To Remember Mama…The Joy Luck Club by Tan*

To Remember Dear Ol’ Dad…Independence Day by Ford

To Blame Your Genes…The Source:A Guidebook of American Genealogy by Szucs

To Celebrate the Season…The Stupidest Angel by Moore

To Hug Your Dog…Travels With Charley by Steinbeck

To Sift Through Clues…No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Smith

To Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid…The Turn of the Screw by James

To Dream…The Alchemist by Coehlo

To Be Astounded…Mists of Avalon by Bradley

To Hit a Home Run…The Kid from Tomkinsville by Tunis

For Action…The RElic by Preston & Child

For Grand Adventure…Life of Pi by Martel*

For Apocalyptic Vision…The Stand by King

For a Walk on the Wild Side…Aminal Farm by Orwell*

For Thrills…The Silence of the Lambs by Harris

For Chills…Into Cold Blood by Capote*

For Intrigue…The Faithful Spy by Berenson

For Theatrics…Show Boat by Ferber

To Play the Game…Paper Lion by Plimpton

For a Musical Interlude…Bel Canto by Patchett

For Romance…I Capture the Castle by Smith

For Revenge…Life & Loves of a She-Devil by Weldon

For Heartbreak…Kate Vaiden by Price

For Heartburn…Fast Food Nation by Schlosser

For Adolescent Angst…All the Pretty Horses by McCarthy

To Indulge your Inner Child…A Little Princess by Burnett

To Clean your Plate…The Debt to Pleasure by Lanchester

To Satisfy your Curiousity…A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bryson

To Indulge your Senses…Perfume:The Story of a Murderer by Suskind

To Laugh & Cry at the Same Time…A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Eggers*

For Hubris…The Bonfire of the Vanities by Wolfe*

For Greed…She’s Come Undone by Lamb*

For Historical…Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All by Gurganus*

For Hysterical…Lucky Jim by Amis

For Shock…The Virgin Suicides by Eugenides

For Outrage…Roots by Hailey*

For Hope…The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Gaines*

For Inspiration…A Prayer for Owen Meany by Irving*

For Redemption…Deep End of the Ocean by Mitchard*

For a Shot in the Arm…How to Win Friends & Influence People by Carnegie*

For a Kick in the Pants…Nickel & Dimed by Ehrenreich*

To March into Battle…Machine Dreams by Phillips

To Run Away from Home…Under the Tuscan Sun by Mayes

To Join the Circus…The Aerialist by Schmitt

To Take a trip…A Walk in the Woods by Bryson

To Take a Trip in the Fast Lane…Around the World in 80 Days by Verne

To Trip Down Memory Lane…A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Smith

To Trip the Light Fantastic…My Life by Duncan

To Soar…The Right Stuff by Wolfe

To Set Sail…To Say Nothing of the Dog by Willis

To Slide Down the Rabbit Hole…The Eyre Affair by Fforde

To Bend Your Mind…The Illustrated Man by Bradbury

To Get Philosophical…Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Pirsig*

To Strike it Rich…Blink by Gladwell

To Get Wasted…Valley of the Dolls by Susann

To Get Sober…Charming Billy by McDermott*

To Suffer…Train by Dexter

To Suffer (No) Fools…The Emperor’s Children by Messud

To Survive…Kindred by Butler

To Trust No One…Tortilla Curtain by Boyle

To Grieve…The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Edwards

To Turn On…Lady Chatterley’s Lover by Lawrence*

To Turn Off…The Art of Doing Nothing by Vienne*

To Revel in Words…On Writing Well by Zinsser

To Revel in Wit…Leaving Home by Buchwald

To Revel in Art…The Girl with the Pearl Earring by Chevalier*

To Save the World…Change the World by Quinn

To Defy Expectations…The Diving Bell & The Butterfly by Bauby*

To Reinvent Yourself…Frankenstein by Shelley*

This was a library copy.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s, by Truman Capote

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Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote: Book CoverFinished 10-02-09, rating 4/5, fiction novella, pub. 1958

“I could hear Doc Golightly’s footsteps climbing the stairs.  His head appeared above the banisters and Holly backed away from him, not as though she were frightened, but as though she were retreating into a shell of disappointment.  Then he was standing in front of her, hangdog and shy.  “Gosh, Lulamae,” he began, and hesitated, for Holly was gazing at him vacantly, as though she couldn’t place him.  “Gee, honey,” he said, “don’t they feed you up here?  You’re so skinny.  Like when I first saw you.  All wild around the eye.”

I love the movie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and wanted to read the novella it originated in.  This is a short story that is edgy and provocative in a way the movie was not.  There were many passages that were in the movie word for word, but oftentimes they were completely out of context.  The movie was romantic and Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly was flawed and vulnerable, but not so with this amazing story.

Paul writes the story of his time spent with Holly Golightly years after they have seen each other for the last time, when he puts her on a plane to Brazil.  He decides is finally time to document the refreshing Holly and his love for her.  They lived in the same apartment and saw each other in passing for a while before their friendship blossomed.  His position was to view her from afar for the most part as the friendship stopped and started often.

Holly Golightly was an independent woman who knew what she wanted and didn’t let things like facts get in the way.  She was a phony, but a good phony.  Truman Capote wrote a beautiful novel  and even though it differed quite a bit from the movie, I loved it on its own merit.  If you are a fan of the movie you really must read this.  At around 100 pages it won’t take you long.

Death Takes the Cake, by Melinda Wells

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Death Takes the Cake by Melinda Wells: Book CoverFinished 9-29-09, rating 4/5, mystery, pub.2009

Book 2 in the Della Cooks Mystery series.

“With what I’ve got planned, you’re going to be the Miss America of Cake!”

I felt a sharp intake of breath.  “No.  Absolutely not.  I won’t wear a bathing suit on television!”

He eyed me speculatively.  “What’s the problem?  You still look good.”

Still…

“If I hadn’t read your TV bio, I wouldn’t have guessed you’re in your forties,” Addison said.  “Maybe late thirties- but you should think about doing a little glamorizing.”

Chapter 1

Della is a 47-year-old widower with a cable tv cooking show, her own cooking school, and a new venture to sell her fudge to the masses.  Her life is already busy, but when her boss tells her she’ll be baking in a reality show with a $25,000 prize she knows it could help her pay off some of her debts.  Until she learns it is being sponsored by Reggi-Mixx, the most awful cake mixes on the market and owned by her old college nemesis, Regina Davis.

The competition begins and as soon as Della shows up to her test kitchen she discovers Reggie, face down in a bowl of batter, dead.  She is a suspect, but only until the police find a more likely one, the husband of her best friend, Liddy. 

Della’s standard poodle, Tuffy and rescue kitty, Emma are there to provide support, as is her boyfriend NDM, who has now been elevated to being called his given name, Nicholas.  All of her friends are back and this is a perfect continuation of the series.  Della is still awesome and the mystery is a good one with real consequences for her and Liddy.

I actually enjoyed the cooking in this one a little more and there are recipes in the back.  You can see how to make those holiday fruitcakes edible and learn how to make an awful cake mix taste good with Della’s Orange Dreamsicle Cake.  One of the other reality show contestants is a Mary Kay consultant and I should note that we are not all quite so…pink.

I want to thank Melinda for sending me a copy of her book.  I loved it!

My review of book 1 here.

While My Sister Sleeps, by Barbara Delinsky

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Cover ImageFinished 9-17-09, rating 4/5, fiction, pub. 2009

“Let’s take it step by step,” the doctor said.  First, stabilization.  Beyond that, it’s really a question of waiting.  There’s no husband listed on her tag.  Does she have kids?”

“No.”

“Well, that’s something.”

“It’s not.”  Molly was desperate.  “You don’t understand.  I can’t tell my mother Robin is lying here like this.”  Kathryn would blame her.  Instantly.  Even before she knew that it truly was Molly’s fault.  It had always been that way.  In her mother’s eyes.  Molly was five years younger and ten times more troublesome than Robin.

Chapter 1

Molly and Robin  are sisters.  They live together, work together, depend on each other.  Robin is a world class marathoner and Molly has spent her life helping Robin accomplish her running goals.  Their mother, Kathryn, is a strong-willed woman with love for Robin and little understanding for Molly.  The dad, Charlie and brother, Chris are the silent support.  When Robin has a heart attack when running the family must come to terms with the grim possibility that Robin may never fully recover.

This is the story of a family facing an unspeakable tragedy.  Robin is only 33 and her family is shell shocked.  Molly tries to figure out what Robin wants and Kathryn vents on anyone who comes her way, even the good Samaritan who saved Robin’s life.  When Molly discovers a long kept family secret and does something about it, Kathryn is horrified.

Molly was a great character, sort of a good friend who has no idea how great she really is.  Her mother expected her to support Robin in her lofty goals and she always felt like a disappointment.  Which leads to Kathryn, who I really wanted to shake for most of this book.  I did become less frustrated with her as the story continued, but she was not a feel good character.  I liked Charlie, but Chris and his troubles were really my least favorite parts of the book.  He had way too many excuses to not try to make his marriage work.

There was a lot going on in this book and it was a fast and thought provoking read.  The characters were all well drawn and the secrecy, favoritism, and medical issues all made for an engrossing read.  It was also the story of personal growth and the full circle of life.  I really enjoyed it.

A Worthy Legacy, by Tomi Akinyanmi

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Cover ImageFinished 9-13-09, rating 4/5, fiction, pub. 2008

Know this: that you needn’t wait for others to try out something new in which you believe.  Be the very first at anything you can, and do not let frustrations or defeats hinder you; only then will you have a sense of accomplishment

On Using Our Initiative

This is the story of a wise old grandfather, his impending death and his final words for his family that have come to be with him in his final hours.  He wants to leave his family with the wisdom of his years and the granddaughter, our narrator, takes them all to heart.

Let me start by saying how personal this felt to me.  The narrator had a special relationship with her grandfather, as I did, and her description of his death left a tear or two in my eyes because my grandfather died in much the same way.  Surrounded by his family who were all there to tell him it was okay.  I had my hands on my grandfather’s pillow when he drew his last breath and it was a defining moment for me at an age when I could fully appreciate the beauty in his passing.  Although he passed on no grand  words on the meaning of life, his life, well lived, was testament enough.  I could write a whole post on this, but I think I ‘ll go back to the review.

There is little story here and at first I was disappointed, but there was such honesty in the wisdom of the grandfather that I quickly became involved.  I could post  wonderful quotes from every chapter in the book, but that would ruin it for you, so I won’t.  He covers all of the things you’d expect like time, happiness, power, character…but my favorite was the one page on fears. 

I thought this was a wonderful and short read at around 100 pages.  I obviously identified with the story and the advice given was heartfelt and thought provoking.  This is not the book if you are looking for a story, but if you are willing to be drawn into the thoughtfulness of words left behind by someone facing death then you should give it a try.  I am positive I will pick it up and read it again in the future.

If I Stay, by Gayle Forman

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If I Stay by Gayle Forman: CD Audiobook CoverFinished audio 9-6-09, rating 4/5, YA, pub. 2009

I don’t read many young adult books, haven’t since I was a teenager, but I saw so many positive reviews of this one I thought I’d give it a try.  I’m so glad I did!  It is the wonderful story of  Mia and her very cool family and friends. 

Mia is in the car with her family on a snowy Oregon morning when  the unthinkable happens.  She wakes up on the side of the road looking at the wreckage of her life.  Then the reality of her new  life is and memories of her past collide and she must decide if she stays.

It is easy to get pulled into this story.  Mia’s family is so fun and loving and supportive.  Aging rockers, her parents are the sort that every kids wants growing up.  And Mia’s boyfriend, Adam, is the perfect boy for a first love.  Music is the main thread through the book highlighting its healing power and the ability it has to bring people together.

It really is hard to describe this book without giving too much away and I don’t really want to spoil it for anyone.  I loved the heartfelt story and the compelling and accessible characters.  A great YA book that many will appreciate.  I did.

700 Sundays, by Billy Crystal

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Cover ImageFinished 8-18-09, rating 4/5, memoir, pub. 2005

Now you can’t pick the family that you’re born into.  That’s just the roll of the dice.  It’s just luck.  But if I could pick these people, I would pick them over and over again because they were lunatics.  Fun lunatics.  What a crazy group of people, and great characters too.  It was like the Star Wars bar, but everybody had accents.

Chapter 2

Actor and comedian Billy Crystals writes a touching memoir of the 700 Sundays that he had with his father before before his death when Billy was 15.  Although this is a tribute to his parents, it is also a celebration of his family.  He has an impressive and accomplished extended family and his love for them is evident on every page. 

His family owned Commodore Music Shop in midtown Manhattan and because of the connections made there Billy grew up surrounded by artists.  He included snapshots of these meetings and relationships.  My favorite may have been when the great Billie Holiday took him to see his first movie and he watched Shane sitting on her lap.  These stories added to the book, but were not the focus. 

One page I was laughing out loud as he discovered his newfound manhood and on the next I was in tears as I read about the last time Billy saw his father.  There was humor (most of it successful), but it really reached out and touched my heart as I raced to the end. 

I will admit that there were several chapters at the beginning that I found boring, but the second half of the book made up for it.  A man who loves and appreciates his family, like Billy, is one to admire.

It is relatively short and includes photos of the people he’s writing about.  He also performed this book on Broadway in a one man show and I wish I’d had the chance to see it.  I highly recommend this memoir of his memories with his father and mother.

Stitches, by David Small

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Stitches by David Small: Book CoverFinished 6-30-09, rating 4/5, graphic memoir, pub. 2009

David Small is an award winning children’s book illustrator and he shows the horror of his youth in this graphic novel.  His childhood was full of lies, secrets, emotionally distant parents, and illness.  How would you feel if you were told you were taking a routine trip to the hospital only to overhear much later that it had really been cancer surgery?  The story is told with few words, but page after page of stark black and white illustrations perfectly express the sadness of his Detroit upbringing. 

This was my first graphic novel and while I loved the story and artwork, I found that I outread the pictures.  I tried to make myself slow down and take everything in, but it wasn’t easy, it was too easy to keep the pages turning.  But the images stuck with me after the book was done.   The ugliness of his grandmother (inside and out) and the indifferent attitude of both of his parents was shocking and sad.

I really enjoyed this fast read and although I’m not sure when I’ll read  another graphic novel I am happy that I read this one. I want to thank my friend Golda for giving me this book on my trip to New York in June.  I’m giving this dramatic memoir with its haunting artwork a thumbs up.   

This will be released in September 2009.

Sliver of Truth, by Lisa Unger

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Cover ImageFinished 8-4-09, rating 4/5, fiction, pub. 2007

There’s always a cost for denial.  How high a cost depends largely on the importance of the truth being ignored…What I’m saying is that our actions, our choices have consequences that are sometimes impossible to predict.  But when our actions and choices are based on fear and denial…well, nothing good can come of that.  Ever.  I had learned this the hard way.  Was still learning.

Chapter 5

This is the sequel to Beautiful Lies  and I think you need to read Beautiful Lies first.  Not just because I always have to read books in the order they were intended, but because this book will make a whole lot more sense if you do.  As a matter of fact, if you haven’t read BL, add it to your TBR list and skip this review until after you’ve read it.

Ridley Jones is back to her normal routine a year after her world fell apart.  Her relationship with her parents is strained, as is life with her boyfriend Jake.  She is still working as a freelance journalist in New York City, but her life takes another dramatic turn as the FBI show her photos that seem to prove that her biological father, Uncle Max, is still alive and being hunted for his crimes.  Being used as bait does not sit well with Ridley and lots of bad choices are made.

I love the rambling first person narrative of Ridley.  It draws me in and makes me care.  Ridley is a complete mess, but one with courage and heart.  She makes lots of bad choices and has questionable taste in men, but I am always rooting for her.  She is wonderfully flawed.

I didn’t love this as much as I did Beautiful Lies, but it was a solidly entertaining follow up.  Some of the story and inner dialogue felt a touch repetitive, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying Ridley’s journey.

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

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Cover ImageFinished 7-31-09, rating 4/5, fiction classic, pub. 1843

“Bah!” said Scrooge, “Humbug!”

He had so heated himself with rapid walking in the fog and frost. this nephew of Scrooge’s, that he was all in a glow; his face was ruddy and handsome; his eyes sparkled, and his breath smoked again.

“Christmas a humbug, uncle!” said Scrooge’s nephew.  “You don’t mean that, I’m sure.”

“I do,” said Scrooge.  “Merry Christmas! what right have you to be merry? what reason have you to be merry?  You’re poor enough.”

“Come, then,” returned the nephew gaily.  “What right have you to be morose?  You’re rich enough.”

Scrooge having no better answer ready on the spur of the moment, said, “Bah!” again; and followed it up with a “Humbug.”

Stave I

Ebenezer Scrooge is synonymous with old, mean miser.  He cares more about money than people and he makes no apologies for it.  Then he is visited by the ghost of Marley and his world turns upside down.  During that fateful Christmas Eve, he was visited by three more spirits -past, present, and future.  These visions of what was, is, and may yet be leave Scrooge a changed man.

I do not know how I have made it 37 years without ever reading this slight classic novel or seeing any of the movies (if I don’t count the Jim Carrey one).  Actually, I never needed to because our culture has so blended this tale into it’s Christmas fabric that we all know about Scrooge and his cautionary tale.

My husband and I read this aloud to each other over a few weeks time and while some of the language made it challenging, the Bah! Humbugs! at the beginning and the Whoops! at the end made the reading fun.  It was a challenge to see who could read it with more flourish.  I think Jason won.

We both really liked this book.  Jason liked seeing a changed man at the end and my favorite part was Marleys’s appearance as the door knocker.  It was a fun read (even in July!) and I’m glad I finally read this novel, my first experience with Dickens.  I enjoyed the writing so much that I am looking forward to reading more of his books.  I’ve had a few on my shelves for years, just sitting there  intimidating me.  No more!