An early summer read - just finished!

I read of review of this book in the LA Times. I was intrigued - being a die-hard GWTW fan of some renown. I ordered it and was initially a bit disappointed.

Upon finishing it however, I decided that I had enjoyed reflecting on the social implications of GWTW, book and movie.

And it was quite interesting to read the commentary on other films of the same era - I have added a few they mentioned to my NetFlix queue.

Don't buy it, but get it at the library - or borrow my copy!!

More book recommendations!

Here is another book recommendation site: this one is automated. Kind of cool!

Check it out here.

Recommended summer reading

For those of you who want a supplement to your Newbery (with one "r"!) books, my friend just posted a list of recommended summer reads that she heard on Morning Edition. Check it out here!

Reading, reading

In spite of the end of the Hornblower series, I have been keeping myself busy. I read a not-very-good A Reliable Wife - it had rave reviews, but I don't recommend it. Kind of trashy and very "dark" - I really did a skim job on it just to figure out "who dunnit!"

Now I'm enjoying The African Queen - by C.S. Forester - as good as the film.

At the same time, I'm reading The Biography of Horatio Hornblower - by somebody Parkinson - it's an "official" biography of a fictional character - and pretty good reading. An interesting construct.

I'm getting ready to attack the Newberry list!!

Let's get this party started!

So if you are in for "Phoebe's Summer Book Club" (prizes to follow-I swear!) I am starting this week with Newberry Medal winner #1.

1922-The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem van Loon

I am curious to read this book since I know absolutely nothing about it. Should be fun!

Summer Reading Club Challenge

I am officially inviting all of you to join my Summer Reading club. I think I will call it Phoebe's Summer Reading Club-that is, until I come up with a catchier name.
The goal for Summer 2009 is lofty, but I think I will be able to reach it. I am going to read all of the Newberry Medal books in chronological order. I am excited for this adventure for many reasons. First, I am looking for new reading material to introduce to Henry- he definitely inherited the Terrill Reading Gene. I am always at a loss for new books for him. Second, I was surprised at how many book son the list I hadn't even heard of, I thought I had read most of them. Third, I think it will be interesting to compare all of the books over the years. I will be looking for trends, quality, genre, etc. Anyway, I am getting ready to roll on this one.
Are you game? I'll try to post regularly to this blog and Goodreads to keep you all updated on my progress. I am sure you will be waiting anxiously for my reports.

Almost French

I just finished this work of boringness. Has anyone else read it? Sarah Turnbull is an Aussie expat living in France with her French husband. I guess I should have known that it would be a letdown, since that topic isn't really all that innovative to begin with--she just happened to write about it. She's got about as much sentence variety as Stephenie Meyer and she lives quite the glamorous life compared to most transplanted people (she name drops like CRAZY ["my interview with Kristin Scott Thomas," "my interview with John Galliano," etc.]; it gets really old after a while).

On the upside, it was nice that I could identify with some things, like how it's really hard to find a good restaurant in Paris, even though it's a city renowned for its cuisine. And... that you get addicted to the idea of owning a dog after you live here. And that it's a hard city to drive in? Come on, Sarah!

Overall, I wouldn't recommend it. You can just interview me after I get home and get the same idea.