I finished off Stardust on the train ride home from Manhattan and it just made me hungry for more!  I'd read Coraline and The Wolves in the Walls by Gaiman and I had assumed (that was my error) that this book would be written similarly.  Well...I was wrong.  The biggest difference is that the other two books are written for children while Stardust is most definitely for adults.  Figured that out a few pages in when there was a very graphic sex scene.  I say this because I don't want any of you guys following my blog to get a shock when you run out to read this book (run, readers, run).  However, I don't want this to deter you from this most excellent read.  It has everything: magic, love, adventure, and unicorns.  If you're in the mood for a quick fantasy read, then this is just the one for you!

On to the next book!  Full disclosure: I'm a Star Trek fan.  I generally prefer The Original Series (Kirk, Spock, Bones, etc) and I tend to stick to the books that fall within that universe.  I've read several (some written by William Shatner!) but there are SO many more out there to read.  I've decided to have a go at Star Trek: Cast No Shadow by James Swallow.  I'm not going to lie.  I picked up this book solely because Spock was on the cover.  That old saying "Don't judge a book by its cover." just doesn't hold water with me. I'm forever grabbing stuff because it catches my eye.  This particular story seems to center around the Klingons and a disastrous occurrence on one of their moons.  This explosion seems to have cause a bit of a ruckus among the Klingons (hard to believe because they're so peace loving usually) and violence is on the horizon.  What's going to happen?  Will the United Federation of Planets be able to bring peace to the lands? Why is Spock on the cover?!  I can't wait to uncover the answers to these questions!!!

Read your way to awesome!!!

Beautiful words, ugly history

I had extremely high expectations going into The Help  and I have to say that I was not at all disappointed.  I find it amazing that this was Kathryn Stockett's debut novel.  It is such a beautiful book.  As a white girl from the South, I have always had my back up about the sensitive topic of segregation.  I feel such disgust and shame that  human beings could treat other human being in such a deplorable fashion.  My mother was brought up by a black woman, Mary Lou, and I was fortunate to have met her as a small child.  (Imagine my surprise when I saw my own picture at her house!)  My mother had not only kept in touch with her but passed on pictures of me to this woman who had featured such a large role in her childhood and who she loved so strongly.  Their relationship was a positive one but just like in the book it wasn't always like that.  I once got to see Rosa Parks in Montgomery on an anniversary of her famous bus ride.  I felt like I was standing in the presence of greatness and this book kind of makes me feel something similar.  Yes, it is fiction.  However, the time period of the story and the emotions which are evoked by the narrative are very real.  These characters could have lived in Mississippi in the 1960s and these events could have unfolded just as the author describes them.  Poignant, heartbreaking, hilarious, and tense are words I would use to describe this read. GO NOW AND READ IT.

Okay, now that I've completely blown your mind I'd like to discuss what I'm going to read next: Stardust by the incomparable Neil Gaiman.  I felt like I needed something carefree and whimsical (and short because this thesis is killing me) this go around.  The basic gist of the tale is that a young man goes on a magical quest with a fallen star as his traveling companion.  Gaiman is known for his fantastical writing style and his attention to detail as well as his willingness to talk with anyone about the joys of reading and writing.  He's a pretty magnificent guy.  I can't wait to start it up (full disclosure: I started it months ago but got distracted)!!

I hope that you guys are loving this zany weather but my biggest hope is that you're all reading!!

And they said it couldn't be done!

Of course, "they" refers to everyone who said that I should be more focused on my thesis than reading for pleasure. I say to them, "PHOOEY!" :o)

Now, to recap (because it's been awhile) I've been reading Ben Macintyre's The Napoleon of Crime: The Life and Times of Adam Worth, Master Thief which chronicles the life of the man who inspired Arthur Conan Doyle's Professor James Moriarty of Sherlockian fame.  I admit that I chose this book primarily because of that fact alone.  However, I've recently discovered just how much I enjoy non-fiction that discusses Victorian England and this book was chock full of data about this fascinating era of history.  Also, there was a large dose of Pinkerton history which  found fascinating as I read that book all those months ago about the history of the Pinkerton agency.  So, if you're interested in true crime, Victorian England, or maybe you just like non-fiction this book is just the one for you.

I'm what one might call a bookaholic.  This essentially means that I am constantly buying new books and adding them to my "Must Read" list which is steadily growing longer.  This also means that when I finished reading The Napoleon of Crime I was at a loss as to which book I should start on next.  I employed the help of my best friend and she decided me on The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  Unless you've been living under a rock I'm sure you've at least heard about the movie which was adapted after the book.  In essence, the book is about "the help" or the African American women who raised white children in the South.  What were their lives really like?  Well, I can't wait to find out!

I hope you guys are cracking open those books because you never know what mysteries you'll find within its pages!!

IT'S WORLD BOOK DAY!!!!!!

Go to this most excellent website and get your reading on!

Mystery Solved: Fantastic Read!

While traveling via the big metal bird, I finished up A Study in Sherlock: Stories Inspired by the Holmes Canon.  It was a great read! If you're a fan of Arthur Conan Doyle and his infamous Consulting Detective, Sherlock Holmes, then you'll enjoy this book.  I think the one that I liked the best was written by Thomas Perry and entitled "The Startling Events in the Electrified City" which talked about what really happened when President McKinley was assassinated.

Now I've decided to start up The Napoleon of Crime: The life and times of Adam Worth master thief by Ben Macintyre.  Adam Worth, an infamous thief, is the title character of this book and the sole reason that I chose this was that Professor James Moriarty (of Sherlockian fame) was based off of him.  I think this will be just what I need to get through the long airplane ride back to NYC.  Of course, the update might be a while in coming as I have to work on my thesis for the next several weeks.

Keep those pages turning!!

I laughed, I cried, I questioned my sanity...

Well, I can tell you this about It's Not Me, It's You by Jon Richardson: it's dark humor.  I definitely found parts of it humorous (I even laughed aloud at several points) but I did not agree with the majority of his beliefs about relationships or indeed the human condition.  It is the author's belief that we should strive to make every day perfect and in order to do that we must all be focused on doing everything the right way.  I emphasize this because I don't think it's possible that there is a right or a wrong way to do certain things.  An example would be eating a meal.  He has a system whereby there are a specific number of mouthfuls and the last bite is absolutely perfect.  I believe that food must be eaten clockwise and that each round must be finished with a swallow of drink.  The difference here is that I don't begrudge others for not following in my footsteps because I know that would be insane (and in fact typing here that I have to eat in this manner makes me realize I might be insane anyway).  I don't want to discount all that he has to say because I think that he is generally trying to make the point that he tries inordinately hard to be happy and to make others happy and yet he fails spectacularly in both regards because he is such a perfectionist.  If you want to get a taste of his humor before you delve into this read I recommend watching this clip: http://youtu.be/iQvQqw1j8vk

If you know anything about me, you know that I LOVE Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his characters Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson.  I have loved virtually every incarnation of these characters and have read several articles and books which were based off of his works.  After finishing the above, I decided I would start A Study in Sherlock: Stories Inspired by the Holmes Canon.  This book is a collection of stories by a variety of authors including Neil Gaiman (totally why I picked this up), Colin Cotterill, Jerry Margolin, and Alan Bradley just to name a few.  These authors have all written stories which have some Sherlockian aspect whether it be a continuation of a story only mentioned by Doyle, an alternate universe with these characters, or modern day mysteries at 221B Baker St.  I cannot wait to delve into this book and uncover the mysteries that lie within!!

Enough of this seriousness!

FINALLY, I'm finished with The Emperor of All Maladies.  The book was fantastic but lengthy.  I don't recommend starting this book unless you have a lot of free time on your hands (and an interest in the intense subject matter that is cancer).  I DO recommend it if you're looking to gain insight into a disease that effects 1 in 2 people on this planet.

Of course, now that I've finished this book which covered such a serious topic I'm ready for something a little lighter.  I recently watched an episode of the Graham Norton Show and he had on a comedian named Jon Richardson.  This guy is so neurotic that he makes me feel normal.  He recently penned a book entitled It's Not Me, It's You which of course I immediately placed on my wish list.  Fortunately, I received it for Christmas and that's what I'm going to crack open next.  The book describes his quest to find his other half despite the fact that women are repelled by all of his eccentricities (and he is constantly disgusted by their complete lack of disregard for staying tidy).  I can't wait to deliver my take on it!

In the meantime, keep reading!