When I saw this novel from Water for Elephants author Sara Gruen, I had to get it. I was not disappointed. This is the story of great ape researcher Isabel Duncan, who reporter John Thigpen meets the day before her lab is blown up - seriously injuring her - and the apes are spirited away. The novel is the story of how Isabel, John, and others work to find the apes, get to the bottom of the story, and find justice for everyone (human and ape) involved.
One of the things I like best about the novel is that Gruen's characters are real. Nobody's perfect - in fact Isabel seems more comfortable with apes than with humans - but all have a certain charm and humor, particularly John. I also liked Isabel's intern, Celia. I also enjoyed John's interaction with people from all walks of life - including his encounter with what's obviously a meth lab. That's just one of several humorous moments in the novel.
I also really liked the characters of the apes - bonobos to be exact. Gruen does a lovely job of giving them personalities and humanity, and of making them truly important characters in the story.
Ape House: A Novel
Monday, April 30, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Fifty Shade of Grey
Okay, I know everyone has heard about this erotic trilogy by E.L. James - this is the first book. Because it's had so much publicity I had to read it. I have to say, it was just okay for me, and I doubt I'll read the other two books.
In case you haven't heard about it, the book is about graduating college student Ana Steele, and insanely wealthy businessman Christian Grey, who meet and develop a relationship when she interviews him for the student newspaper. Christian is "fifty shades of fu--ed up," hence the title. He's also into BDSM as the Dominant (look it up if you don't know what that means). The story is told from Ana's point of view, so the only glimpse we get of Christian's inner self is from what he tells Ana.
The characters aren't bad - James does a very good job of making a screwed-up control freak into a likeable character, and Christian is definitely hot. But Ana, while interesting, is a little unbelievable. I'm not sure which part I found more unbelievable: that she's a beautiful 21-year-old virgin who's never masturbated, or that she's a college student who doesn't own a computer. Anyway, she has spunk and courage, which I like, but she also has an "inner goddess," which I found annoying.
Okay, the sex. I haven't read erotic fiction in years, and to be honest, after the first couple of sex scenes I found myself skimming over them and reading ahead to the actual story. Some of them were obviously necessary to show the nature of the BDSM world, but some of them just felt gratuitous to me.
The book ended rather abruptly in my opinion, but I guess that's supposed to make me run out to get the next one. I doubt I will, simply because I don't want to spend the money, and I don't particularly care how things work out for Ana and Christian.
Fifty Shades of Grey
In case you haven't heard about it, the book is about graduating college student Ana Steele, and insanely wealthy businessman Christian Grey, who meet and develop a relationship when she interviews him for the student newspaper. Christian is "fifty shades of fu--ed up," hence the title. He's also into BDSM as the Dominant (look it up if you don't know what that means). The story is told from Ana's point of view, so the only glimpse we get of Christian's inner self is from what he tells Ana.
The characters aren't bad - James does a very good job of making a screwed-up control freak into a likeable character, and Christian is definitely hot. But Ana, while interesting, is a little unbelievable. I'm not sure which part I found more unbelievable: that she's a beautiful 21-year-old virgin who's never masturbated, or that she's a college student who doesn't own a computer. Anyway, she has spunk and courage, which I like, but she also has an "inner goddess," which I found annoying.
Okay, the sex. I haven't read erotic fiction in years, and to be honest, after the first couple of sex scenes I found myself skimming over them and reading ahead to the actual story. Some of them were obviously necessary to show the nature of the BDSM world, but some of them just felt gratuitous to me.
The book ended rather abruptly in my opinion, but I guess that's supposed to make me run out to get the next one. I doubt I will, simply because I don't want to spend the money, and I don't particularly care how things work out for Ana and Christian.
Fifty Shades of Grey
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
The Baker's Daughter
So I started reading this book but had to return it to the library, but I really wanted to finish it, so I had to reserve it again. I got it back and finished the last few chapters the other night.
The baker's daughter of the title is Elsie Schmidt, who was a 16-year-old in Germany in 1944. Her family were good Nazis - her sister was a member of the Lebensborn program (look it up) - and Elsie was all but engaged to a high-ranking SS officer. Then she meets a young Jewish boy who changes her life forever.
Fast forward to 2007 El Paso, Texas, where Reba Adams is a reporter working on a feature story about Elsie's German Bakery - yep, that Elsie. Reba is "sort of" engaged to Riki but is uncertain about what she wants in life and where she's headed, and she finds herself drawn to Elsie and her daughter, Jane.
The novel goes back and forth between the past and the present, and between Elsie's story and Reba's. The author, Sarah McCoy (a Hokie!) does a nice job of juxtaposing Elsie's and Reba's journeys and maturation. And the characters are beautifully drawn, particularly Elsie, Reba, Jane, and Riki.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel about finding one's way out of a difficult situation, and figuring out what's important in life. I'm glad I was finally able to finish it.
The Baker's Daughter
The baker's daughter of the title is Elsie Schmidt, who was a 16-year-old in Germany in 1944. Her family were good Nazis - her sister was a member of the Lebensborn program (look it up) - and Elsie was all but engaged to a high-ranking SS officer. Then she meets a young Jewish boy who changes her life forever.
Fast forward to 2007 El Paso, Texas, where Reba Adams is a reporter working on a feature story about Elsie's German Bakery - yep, that Elsie. Reba is "sort of" engaged to Riki but is uncertain about what she wants in life and where she's headed, and she finds herself drawn to Elsie and her daughter, Jane.
The novel goes back and forth between the past and the present, and between Elsie's story and Reba's. The author, Sarah McCoy (a Hokie!) does a nice job of juxtaposing Elsie's and Reba's journeys and maturation. And the characters are beautifully drawn, particularly Elsie, Reba, Jane, and Riki.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel about finding one's way out of a difficult situation, and figuring out what's important in life. I'm glad I was finally able to finish it.
The Baker's Daughter
Monday, April 16, 2012
Righteous Indignation: Excuse Me While I Save the World!
I don't read a lot of political books, and I'm not the most conservative person around, but a friend recommended this Andrew Breitbart book so I picked it up. I have to say I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed it.
For those of you who don't know, Breitbart was the new media activist who coined the term "Democrat-Media-Complex." He broke the Anthony Weiner sexting story. He brought down ACORN. Even if you don't share his political views, he tells an entertaining - and believable - story of how the media controls the news and only tells us the story that they want us to hear. He also gives a really nice history lesson about how and why the Democrat party has moved further to the left.
Do I believe everything in the book? Mostly. All books of this type are certainly influenced and, ahem, slanted by the author. But as a person who has first-hand experience of unions, higher education, and politics, I think he's mostly telling it like it is. I may be one of a handful of people who had actually read Saul Alinsky before reading this book, let alone ever heard of Alinsky.
Sadly, Breitbart died unexpectedly earlier this year, at the young age of 43. It's a shame, but hopefully there are others out there who will continue his work. Because what he was doing, to me, isn't about which side of the aisle you're on. It's about your right to get the real news, not the news that one side wants you to have.
Righteous Indignation
For those of you who don't know, Breitbart was the new media activist who coined the term "Democrat-Media-Complex." He broke the Anthony Weiner sexting story. He brought down ACORN. Even if you don't share his political views, he tells an entertaining - and believable - story of how the media controls the news and only tells us the story that they want us to hear. He also gives a really nice history lesson about how and why the Democrat party has moved further to the left.
Do I believe everything in the book? Mostly. All books of this type are certainly influenced and, ahem, slanted by the author. But as a person who has first-hand experience of unions, higher education, and politics, I think he's mostly telling it like it is. I may be one of a handful of people who had actually read Saul Alinsky before reading this book, let alone ever heard of Alinsky.
Sadly, Breitbart died unexpectedly earlier this year, at the young age of 43. It's a shame, but hopefully there are others out there who will continue his work. Because what he was doing, to me, isn't about which side of the aisle you're on. It's about your right to get the real news, not the news that one side wants you to have.
Righteous Indignation
Sunday, April 8, 2012
American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House
I'm still reading this really interesting biography of Andrew Jackson, but I realized it's been awhile since I posted so I thought I would write about it. Jackson was elected president in 1828 and served two terms, and this book concentrates pretty much entirely on those years, paying little attention to the rest of Jackson's life.
Jackson was our first "of the people" president. He was an orphan who grew up poor and he was a war hero. You could argue that he was the first really Republican president after Jefferson, one who believed in the sanctity of the union above all things. He was a strong-willed and strong-minded person with a deep love for his country and for God. It's an interesting story, particulary if you're into politics.
I had started reading The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, but I just couldn't get into it. I found the language very old-fashioned and just thought it was tiresome.
American Lion
The Age of Innocence
Jackson was our first "of the people" president. He was an orphan who grew up poor and he was a war hero. You could argue that he was the first really Republican president after Jefferson, one who believed in the sanctity of the union above all things. He was a strong-willed and strong-minded person with a deep love for his country and for God. It's an interesting story, particulary if you're into politics.
I had started reading The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, but I just couldn't get into it. I found the language very old-fashioned and just thought it was tiresome.
American Lion
The Age of Innocence
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