Booking Through Thursday: Series

This week's question from Booking Through Thursday is:

Suggested by Jennifer:

If you read series, do you ever find a series “jumping the shark?” How do you feel about that?

And, do you keep reading anyway?

First—always first—the Fonz:

Next, the talk of books:

Yup, I'm one of those series deserters. Though usually I don’t think of series so much as “jumping the shark” as “getting old.” Rarely is there a cringe-worthy shark moment; instead, I just don’t really care anymore.

(Re-name the blog The Callous Reader?)

Here are some examples that come to mind:

Anne Perry’s Monk series—I got about ¼ of the way through Execution Dock and decided, “No more.”

Diana Gabaldon’s Claire and Jamie series—I started Drums of Autumn. I didn’t finish it.

Monica Ferris’s Betsy Devonshire series—I checked out Blackwork and didn’t even crack it.

Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series—Sizzling Sixteen didn’t sizzle, it fizzled.

On the watch list: Sara Paretsky, Dana Stabenow, and Laura Lippman

Sometimes I wonder if I’d be so finicky if there weren’t so many other books calling to me.

But some long-standing series—Sue Grafton, you marvel, you!—keep me coming back for more, in spite of how many other books beckon. (See also: Laurie R. King, Earlene Fowler, and P.D. James.)

3rd Quarter Reading Challenge Update

It’s become evident to anyone who’s paying attention (which I’m guessing is: only me) that I do best with those reading challenges that provide only a basic framework. Once the rules get too detailed, I start to chafe. When I’m reading for my own darn self, I like to read whatever I please.

Which is one of the reasons I’m not further ahead with my very own ThemeQuest Reading Challenge. I made the guidelines fairly specific, and now I’m cursing that dang reading challenge creator!

Here are my updates as we cruise into the final quarter of the year.

ThemeQuest Reading Challenge: I’ve still read only 7 of the 10 books about my theme word: “balance.” In August, I started a fiction book that I just couldn’t hack. Am gearing up for another go at balance-related fiction. (I don’t wanna!)

U.S. Presidents Reading Project: I’m humming right along. I’ve read a biography of 21 of the 44 presidents. (Haven’t updated the number on the page yet—am waiting until I’ve posted the reviews.) And I’ve started another presidential biography, which should put me at 22 presidential biographies by year’s end. Halfway to the full number of 44!

Time Travel Reading Challenge: I’m still at 2 of 3. In shame, I have just placed a hold on book #3.

Mixology: I’m still working on the Biography category. I’ve read 7 of 10 biographies. One more currently underway… But the other categories are complete!

In happier news… here are the ones I’ve already completed.

Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction Reading Challenge

2010 Pub Challenge

Mixology: Total number of books, Newly published books, Audiobooks, and Romance

2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge: 75 book level

And to cap things off, I expect to finish reading my 100th library book this week, before October 1 kicks off the start of the next quarter.

And... ooooh oooooh oooooh!!! (fast-forward to 5:49 to hear the original)

The fourth quarter contains Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-Thon!

I need to start planning snacks. (And books, too.)

At first I was a little freaked out

Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things by Randy O. Frost and Gail Steketee

Since I ain’t got the television reception here at Casa Unruly, I’ve never seen that Hoarders show. Hell, even if I had the television reception, I wouldn’t be watching it, because it would make me feel all itchy and stuff. Also possibly queasy.

I’m one of them “Let’s pitch out all this stuff I don’t use!” people. I’m occasionally heartless about it.*

This book explains why other people are not that way.

And yes, it’s interesting (and occasionally disturbing) stuff. And yes, it made me feel a little bit itchy. (I actually delayed starting this book until the weekend approached, knowing that I’d be inspired/compelled/driven to clean a closet. I have my own compulsions, yes, I do.)

This book is written by two psychology professors who have studied and treated hoarders. And they write about hoarders with a very nice blend of scientific observation and plain old compassion.

There are several interesting facts here, such as the fact that hoarders often cannot distinguish between the values of objects—so a magazine clipping seems to carry the same importance as a family heirloom.

Also, it seems that some hoarders fear that if something is out of sight, they will forget about it. (“Dear heaven!” went my thoughts; “Am I saved from this fate only by my [yes, rather compulsive] list-making?”)

The interesting thing that happened as I read is that I began to understand, and that made me a little less freaked out and definitely less judgmental.

Edumacation is a good thing, people. That’s the takeaway from that little revelation.

The very human and mercifully non-academic tone (and the truly academic insights) of this book make it a winner.

* I'm even pretty gutsy about weeding the home library. Unless a book's a potential re-read or a sentimental item (hello, Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden and Agatha Christie shelves and shelves), it's likely to be hauled off to the library book sale. Kind of. (Actually, I'm exaggerating wildly. Those children's mystery series books are my hoard!)

Booking Through Thursday: Current

This week's question at Booking Through Thursday:

What are you reading right now? What made you choose it? Are you enjoying it? Would you recommend it? (And, by all means, discuss everything, if you’re reading more than one thing!)

Recently all kinds of life stuff has been disrupting my usual reading behavior, which has led in many ways to my feeling out of sorts.

But, in spite of all that, I am actually actively reading/listening to 2 books that I'm completely adoring:

Bliss, Remembered by Frank Deford -- which I'm reading because a friend/co-worker recommended it to me. As I mentioned, I am in love with this book. I'll write all about it later, but right now I'm just immersing myself in the story.

Blind Side by Catherine Coulter -- which I'm listening to because a fellow librarian raved about it at a meeting several months ago. Since I'm not much of a thriller reader, I think the audiobook (which is really well-done) is a good fit for me. I've been looking forward to being in the car, which is a telltale sign of a darn good audiobook.

I've got a few other books in progress, but these two are the books that I can't wait to dip into at the end of the day.

Messin' with Texas

Giant by Edna Ferber

Here’s a true confession. Readers, prepare to be appalled.

On page 1 of this book, I thought, “Oh, crap. This thing ain’t skimmable. And it’s 400 pages long!”

And I had less than 2 weeks before our book club* met to discuss it, and I had other things I was more in the mood to read. Yes, sometimes I’m that kind of reader.

This shocking tale has a happy ending, though, folks.

I liked the book.

Here’s what you need to know: The first 4 chapters are a flash-forward, and the rest of the book is a flashback that makes Chapters 1 through 4 actually make sense. Take heart, gentle reader!

When I reached Chapter 5, I think I actually sighed with relief. That’s where the good stuff kicked in.

While it’s true that this book is not skimmable (the language is fairly flowery, which normally I detest), the strength of the story is what rescues this thing.

Leslie was a young Virginia debutante who fell head over heels in love with Bick Benedict, a Texas rancher who bought a horse from her father. And she married him right then and there, and then they hopped on a train and headed back to the ranch.

Where he promptly neglected her (ever so benignly) and allowed his Mrs. Danvers of a sister to terrorize her.

But she overcomes. And she strives to remain true to her ideals, but one of the big questions is: How successful is she at actually doing so?

This is a big old story, fitting for Texas. (Though I guess Texans have hated it since its publication.)

It reminded me, as I mentioned, of Rebecca, but also of Main Street (new wife goes to live among her husband’s people).

Good story. Like Dallas (TV show of the ’80s, oh yes), only way better.

* After reading Revolutionary Road, our book club decided to stay in the ’50s a while, so we selected Giant because it was published in ’52… and because we’d heard of the movie. But now we're headed into the ’40s (The End of the Affair) ’cause we're crazy like that.

Friday—Future Treasures

Book Blogger Appreciation Week is drawing to a close.

Here's the final topic for the week:

We’ve been visiting each other and getting to know each other better…now is your chance to share what you enjoyed about BBAW and also what your blogging goals are for the next year!

This has been a really fun blogging week, even though I wish I’d had more free time to explore more blogs. But—this also reveals one of the things I love about BBAW: Simply by visiting the BBAW site even after the magical, mystical BBAW is over, a person can continue to find great blogs. Thank you, BBAW folks, for archiving the links!

It’s also been great to meet new bloggers via interviews and comments. There is so much creativity out there.

My blogging goals for next year.

Oh, I’m a slacker blogger, people. Please do not speak to me of goals.

But really… here are some modest ones.

- I think I’ll get all wild and post some photos of my bookshelves. Bybee of Naked Without Books! did a bookshelf photos posting, and I’ve been considering it. So here I am, committing to it and everything! There shall be photos of my bookshelves! (Then y'all can squint at the spines to spy on my collection. Let's not pretend we don't do that.)

- Read 100 library books for the “Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge.” (This is a cop-out goal because unless all you-know-what breaks loose, I think I can do it without putting forth impressive effort.)

- If the Mixology challenge is offered again, I’ll set more category goals to meet. (but not so many that it becomes work; God forbid that)

- I’d like to do another reading challenge or two. There are a couple I’ve been thinking about doing, but I just haven’t dived in. (Am I really ready for five books about Vietnam? I didn’t think so, either. Three I could manage. But five… )

- I might host a reading challenge again. (Note the use of the conditional; slacker!)

- I’m toying with the idea of posting super-short re-caps of books I read but don’t feel like writing all that much about. Maybe I’ll throw them in mid-week like confetti. Or I just might throw them like parade candy. We’ll just have to wait and see what kind of inspiration strikes. (Watch out for projectiles. That’s all I’m saying.)

Happy BBAW to all. And to all a good morning.

BBAW - Forgotten Treasure

Today's Book Blogger Appreciation Week topic is:

Sure we’ve all read about Freedom and Mockingjay but we likely have a book we wish would get more attention by book bloggers, whether it’s a forgotten classic or under marketed contemporary fiction. This is your chance to tell the community why they should consider reading this book!

Young Men and Fire by Norman Maclean probably will never completely fade away, because it has two big things going for it:

1. Since Norman Maclean also wrote A River Runs Through It, which was made into a movie featuring Brad Pitt, he’s got that movie tie-in immortality thing.

2. Plus, Young Men and Fire is simply brilliant.

Nevertheless, I intend to be a one-woman promo crew, proclaiming the glories of this book for all my natural life. (And then, too, when I’m bumbling through the afterlife, pressing free copies into the hands of all my fellow readers.)

Written by Maclean in his final years, Young Men and Fire is an exploration of what happened during the 1949 Montana wildfire that claimed the lives of 12 smokejumpers and 1 ranger—but it’s also a meditation on death by a man who was facing the end of his own life.

Doesn’t that just make you want to read it?

But what I mean is this: Maclean’s experiences as a child growing up in Montana and as a forest fire fighter during his younger years, make the smokejumpers’ deaths very personal to him. It’s as though it could have happened to him when he was a young man. But now, though he was spared their fate, still death pursues him.

So he wrote this book, and he wrote it in plain, clear, stark, yet poetic, language that shines with honesty.

And I’m not going to lie and tell you it’s not devastating. It is.

This single sentence, near the end of the book, made me set down the book so I could suck in some air and blink a whole bunch: “This is a tragic statement; it was very steep where they died.” (p. 263)

This book has the power to haunt a person.

For more about Young Men and Fire, check out the University of Chicago Press web site.

And listen to Richard Shindell singing “Cold Missouri Waters,” a song written by James Keelaghan and inspired by Young Men and Fire.

And then read Young Men and Fire.

And join the ranks of the haunted.

Interviewed by a great blogger

Book Blogger Appreciation Week is thrilling amounts of fun.

Take this example: I got interviewed by an amazing book blogger from Across the Pond!

Zoe of the remarkable Playing by the book asked fabulous questions, and some of them required lots of thought -- especially the "autobiography in 8 books" question.

I tell all my secrets... on someone else's blog.

Zoe, thank you for the great questions.

BBAW — Unexpected Treasure

We're on Day 3 of Book Blogger Appreciation Week, and we've got a topic of the day:

We invite you to share with us a book or genre you tried due to the influence of another blogger. What made you cave in to try something new and what was the experience like?

Although I’m a total sucker for books about happiness and gather them to me like flowers for a posy, I was cynical when I saw The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin.

It looked like "stunt nonfiction," which I found tiresome even before it became a force of nature.

But then Raych of the incomparable books i done read wrote a rave review of The Happiness Project, and since Raych ain’t no pushover, I decided to Give That Book A Try.

And… I loved The Happiness Project.

And I raved about it, too.

(Head on over to books i done read and read Raych's review straightaway! Then head on over to your library's web site to place a hold on the book. Seriously.)

Playing by the book Interview

What luck! I got to interview Zoe of Playing by the book, a blog whose tag line is “Reviews of kids’ books and the crazy, fun stuff they inspire us to do.”

Her blog is sheer fun.

It’s packed with photos that capture the joy of reading, and it’s filled with fun activities and music linked to the books she and her daughters read together.

Here are my questions in italics and Zoe's replies in standard font.

I really enjoyed getting to know Zoe and her blog--I think you will, too!

1. On your blog, you write about the books you and your daughters read together. As a child, what was your favorite book?

One of the earliest I loved was called "Flippy the Frog" by Ruth Ainsworth, illustrated by Ronald Ridout. I still have it now and have read it many times to my children. The illustrations are classic 1960s vintage and the words (sung to a little melody I assume my mum made up) continue to make me smile. "I'm flippy the frog and I live in a bog, I go hop hop hop and I never stop"... Later on I remember saving my money to buy the complete the Laura Ingalls Wilder series. I've recently re-read the series and still love it. Older still, I raced through The Dark is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper.

2. Which children’s books (for slightly older children) are you most eager to share with your daughters (and blog readers)?

I'm really looking forward to reading many of Phillip Pullman's books with my girls - I think his storytelling is phenomenal. At the moment I'm reading The Dolls' House by Rumer Godden with my eldest daughter and it will be great to read some of her other books - I have fond memories of Little Plum in particular. So far my blog has been very focussed on picture books - whether it will remain so as my kids get older, or whether it will turn into a place I review primarily chapter books I just don't know.

3. Why did you decide to start blogging?

When my eldest started nursery there was a running joke with her nursery staff - M (my daughter) would turn up every day and refuse to acknowledge that her name was "M" - rather she was Gilbert, Alfie, or another character from one of the books we were currently reading. She just loved playing out the book and pretending to be the people she and I were reading about. M's imaginative play soon became more involved and we were finding other ways to play out the books we were reading, taking inspiration from them to get crafty, messy and try new things. This was great for me as when I had first become a mum I felt quite unsure about how to play with my kids (I remember reading books like Games to Play with Babies by Jackie Silberg to give me ideas and confidence). Books did come to the rescue but not how I thought they would - although tomes like Silberg's were a starting point it was really my eldest showing me she wanted to do more with a story than just read it that helped me learn to play.

As we started doing more things I realised that I wanted to be able to remind myself of the play we were getting up to - I have a very poor memory and wanted to find some way to keep track of what we were getting up to. Thus Playing by the book was born, and now it's hard to imagine life without it!

4. What do you look for in blogs that you enjoy reading?

A clear sense of a love for life, of passion whether that's for books or play or food or whatever. I don't tend to read confessional / diary style blogs but rather ones which can inspire me and get my head buzzing with ideas of things I want to do, read or make.

5. How many books do you read each year?

Kids' books? It must be 300-400. But adult books? Well, here's a confession. I'm not a great reader. To be honest, I have no time in the day to read for myself other than the paper, and by the time I'm in bed I'm so exhausted that often the most I'll manage is to browse through a cook book for some ideas of what to put on the table the next day. In the past year I've averaged about a book a month, and most of them have been non-fiction, such as Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez or I Didn't Do It For You: How the World Used and Abused a Small African Nation by Michela Wrong, although my biggest discovery was finally reading The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - a book that moved me immensely. I'm currently reading King Leopold's Ghost: A story of greed, terror and heroism by Adam Hochschild

6. What book have you re-read the most times? (How many times?)

If we're talking kids' books then there are many that I've read what feels like THOUSANDS of times, such as any of the Richard Scarry books, and books by Shirley Hughes or Julia Donaldson. As for adult books I'm not sure there are any I've read more than once. I simply don't like the experience - I have tried but when I start reading it everything comes back so vividly that there isn't any fun in turning the pages for me. Also life is so short and there are so many worlds to explore in books out there that I'd like to read that it seems almost wrong to re-read a book, even if I know that re-reading a book now that I'm older and have had different experiences in life might give me new insights or pose new questions to me. I don't know why it works like this with me - I love listening to music over and over again and becoming completely familiar with it, but somehow I don't experience that same enjoyment with books.

Do you (Unruly Reader) often re-read books?

UR: Yes, but for the reasons you mentioned (so many books, so little time!) I’m particular about what I re-read. If I re-read, usually it’s because I’m head over heels in love with a book.

7. Do you participate in any reading challenges?

No. I feel bad writing that, especially as I see how many you take part in! But "no" is definitely the honest answer.

What's the best challenge you've taken part in, Unruly?

UR: Zoe, I think you’ve actually created your own style of reading challenge: read a children’s book, create activities related to the book, and listen to music linked to the book. Then blog! It’s a genius construct.

I’m completely new to challenges this year. The one I like best is the “U.S. Presidents Reading Project,” because it gives me a reason to read all those presidential biographies I adore.

8. What’s your favorite book written for adults that you’ve read in the past year?

Grapes of Wrath.

9. What are your top 5 favorite books of all time?

The OED (Oxford English Dictionary) - Honestly it really is one of my very favourite books! At university I studied Linguistics and I love words and seeing how they travel across languages and time.

Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck

Walt Whitman Leaves of Grass

If not now, when Primo Levi

The collected works of Annie Proulx (this doesn't actually exist, but it's very hard to pick just one of her books!)

What are your top 5?

UR: I love how you invented The Collected Works of Annie Proulx! I wholeheartedly support your fondness for the OED—there’s so much to like about it.

My top 5 (and I’m cheating, because some of my top 5 materialized in the 8-books-that-represent-my-life-list you wonderfully requested)

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut’s Journeys by Michael Collins

Jackie by Josie by Caroline Preston

Where Rivers Change Direction by Mark Spragg

10. On your “About” page, you tell us you love dancing to good music in your kitchen. What are some of your favorite songs for kitchen-dancing?

Aah... well, most played at the moment is Travelin' Band by Credence Clearwater Revival - both my girls go crazy for this one. Their second most requested song is Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash! When I'm tidying up the kitchen on my own however, I'll dance to anything by Vampire Weekend or Mumford and Sons, although I also enjoy singing along to lots of country/folk music such as Coope Boyes & Simpson or Earl Scruggs.

Thank you, Zoe, for telling us about yourself, your reading, and your wonderful blog. Wishing you a wonderful Book Blogger Appreciation Week!

BBAW - First Treasure

This year, Book Blogger Appreciation Week has a theme: treasures. (And it's even got its own specialized button!)

For Day 1, here' s our topic:

We invite you to share with us about a great new book blog you’ve discovered since BBAW last year! If you are new to BBAW or book blogging, share with us the very first book blog you discovered. Tell us why this blog rocks your socks off and why you keep going back for more.

This past year I discovered The New Dork Review of Books, and I couldn't be happier about that.

Greg Zimmerman is smart and funny, and he reads good stuff.

Actually, the stuff he reads and reviews usually is the more literary stuff. I like popping over there to see what he's up to, and to just simply enjoy his writing style.

Also, everytime I see his photo labeled "Dork at Work"--in which he's shown reading War and Peace, and which also bears the caption, "(I've never actually read War and Peace.)"--I can't help but smile.

Happiness is...

The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin

It wasn’t until Raych over there at books i done read raved about this book that I even considered it.

(In the book itself, Gretchen Rubin bemoans, then makes light of, being part of “stunt nonfiction.” I confess a disgust for stunt nonfiction, even as I read it. And read it. And read it. Kind of like the way people speak of reality TV… and then watch the hell out of it.)

The thing is: I tell you: Raych was right.

This book is better than I could have imagined.

I kept jotting notes and adding life-improving measures to my to-do list.

Here are my notes to self:

- Reframe unliked tasks by deciding you enjoy them. For example, “I love cooking!” (my own real-life example). It can change your attitude toward the situation. (True.) (Though sometimes I suck at doing this. When I can work up the strength, though, it's True.)

- This is one of my favorites: “Be a treasure house of happy memories.” (pp. 101-106) This is all about experiencing happy moments more thoroughly while they’re actually happening, and keeping reminders of those happy times for later.

- Create a mental “area of refuge” where you can take shelter when bad thoughts and feelings creep in. (They will creep in, and you can fight back, dang it.)

Rubin acknowledges that happiness ain’t easy. She quotes G. K. Chesterton: “It is easy to be heavy: hard to be light.” Again, TRUE. Some days, being cheerful can wear a person plum out.

And she writes that, in all honesty, the most important part of her happiness project was the Resolutions Chart she created and maintained. (The lack of such a thing in my life is how I know I’m not yet serious about getting that darn happy. You’re still looking at the “before” picture here.)

Here are the other things that made this book work: First, Rubin was honest about herself, and that gave the thing a ring of clarity. Second, she mentions a couple of times, and closes with the thought, that figuring out how to be happy during the good times is likely to help a person when the really bad stuff in life comes to roost. While obviously a person ain’t gonna feel blissed out with joy when everything goes to you-know-where in a handbasket, having a few happiness habits already established is likely to smooth some of the bumps in the road. And also, when things are indeed good, We. Should. Figure. Out. How. To. Be. Happy!

I ask you: Why not?

Hey, check out The Happiness Project blog.

It’s good. Choose something you like there, and do that thing, and almost surely happiness will happen. Magical, no?

Sleep-depriving novel

The Report by Jessica Francis Kane

Holy Toledo. What a book.

I read this puppy in two days flat, which included one quite late night because I Could Not Stop reading.

Despite my general antipathy for historical fiction.

This one really pulls a person in.

First, it’s about a tragedy, so I’m a sucker for that.

But it’s also told in such a way that we know there’s more to the story, and it is revealed ever so gradually. So there’s a quiet suspense that builds. Not a big, dramatic, in-your-face suspenseful thing, but the dreadful feeling that the truth has been hidden, the truth is complicated, and the truth is not very nice.

This novel is based on an actual event that took place in London during the Blitz. During an air raid (during which no bombs were dropped), 173 people died in a crush in a stairwell at the Bethnal Green tube shelter.

The novel follows a small cast of characters whose lives intersect on the 30^th anniversary of the tragedy: the man who ran the inquiry and wrote the report about the event, a woman who survived the crush as a child but who retains emotional scars, and a young documentary filmmaker with a personal connection to the event.

The story goes back and forth from the 1970s to the 1940s, and it’s breathtaking.

I absolutely cannot wait for more people to read this book so we can talk.

(Watch out if you see me coming your way; I may try to thrust this book into your hand, and there’ll be no escaping me.)

Read-a-Thon: I'm not afraid of no sleep

Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-Thon is coming around again, and I've done signed up.

Yup, I'm going to read myself senseless for the 2nd official time.

I used to have greater fortitude. I remember summer nights/mornings during my high school years when I'd still be up reading when my dad got up for work. Actually, that felt shameful -- my sloth contrasting with his horrid work hours.

But there's virtue in this Read-a-Thon business!

It's strangely/wonderfully communal, even though we're all shut away in our own little places, reading like our lives depend on it.

But then we scuttle out of our caves, squint, and halloo over to the next mountaintop and find out what our neighborling is reading.

And it is good.

Summer's almost over. So here's a summer book. (Don't say I'm not contrary.)

Summer Blowout by Claire Cook

I was ready for a nice, light, summer book.

But frankly, this book scared me at first.

I just had to hang in there through the first couple of pages, because here was my brain: “Yowser. She just threw a rock at her ex-husband’s car.” (Not, of course, that he didn’t deserve it, leaving her for her half-sister like he did—I just ain’t fond of the scary angry woman on page 2, particularly when there’s a beach scene featuring a mini-dog in a fetching tote on the book’s cover. Weird disconnect there.)

The good news is that after that intro scene, we launch into a nice little grown-up chick lit book. Whew.

So, like I mentioned, Bella’s husband left her, and she is downright honked off at him and at all men. Fortunately, her work as a stylist at her family’s line of salons keeps her busy—and throws her into contact with a handsome, friendly fellow named Sean, whose charms she rejects because of the aforementioned swearing-off of men. As one might guess, he wins her over, and it looks like a happily-ever-after thing is gonna happen.

The story wrapped itself up pretty darn fast, and pretty darn patly. But I’d say the middle of the book—the 90% in the middle—worked just fine.

There were shades of Cristina Bartolomeo and Rita Ciresi here, which is a big compliment.

One of the best elements of this book is Bella’s very large Irish-American family, who masquerade as a very large Italian-American family because her dad is a huge Italophile.

Also, Bella’s addicted to lipstick, and I can’t help but like a main character who has such a pleasant weakness.

Fine, light summer fare.

Booking Through Thursday: Film to Paper?

From Booking Through Thursday, here's this week's question:

Even though it’s usually a mistake (grin) … do movies made out of books make you want to read the original?

Though few movies can live up to the books on which they're based, I definitely get sucked into reading books because they're being (or have been) made into a movie.

For example, our recent book discussion pick, Giant, was driven largely because we knew of the movie. I don't recall how we chose our next book, The End of the Affair, but I think the fact that it had been made into a movie was mentioned as an item in its favor.

We're not one of them snobby book clubs. No, sir, we're down with the people!

But I think what's happening there is that some books have longer shelf lives because the movie keeps the book on people's radar screens for longer.

Two book/movie rules I live by:

1. If I really, really love a book, I Will Not See Its Movie. Ever.

2. Almost always I read the book before seeing the movie, but sometimes I get all wild and out of control and see the movie first. (Hello, English Patient.)

And often, if I do that (see the movie before reading the book), I come away with a more positive opinion of the movie than I'd've had if I'd read the book first. But this is simply a chicken-or-egg thing. Because: Do I like the movie more because it formed my expectation for the story, or -- Did I not read the book first because I expected not to like the book anyway?

Much too philosophical for me.