Nightstand (September 2011)

I am happy to announce that I read everything I showed you in my picture last month (except for the books I own which are still in progress.) I pretty much never do that.

Adult Fiction

• Delusion by Peter Abrahams
  My second book by Abrahams, this one actually lived up to the designation “suspense”. I enjoyed this tale of a woman whose life unravels when a new bit of evidence releases a man who has years before been convicted of murder on the basis of her testimony.
• Big Girl Small by Rachel DeWoskin
  When I reviewed Big Girl Small earlier this month, I couldn’t decide whether or not to recommend this book about a teenaged little person who finds herself the topic of a national scandal. It’s got some very mature content–and I’m not sure that the good is enough to outweigh the bad.
• Job’s Niece by Grace Livingston Hill
  The least romantic GLH I’ve read so far. Included a very interesting page on dispensationalism. Yes, Carrie, I do enjoy these-and it is somewhat incongruous.
• The Birthright and The Distant Beacon by Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn
  I’m almost done with my library’s collection of Janette Oke–this is the last series (I think). I’ve been enjoying the series, but I’ll be glad to be done.
• Amy Inspired by Bethany Pierce
  Sherry gave a rave review, Barbara a rather more subdued one. I agreed with both.

Adult Non-fiction

• Dave Barry Turns 40
  I’ve gotta be almost done with Dave Barry’s 817s. Gotta.
• Cats of Africa by Bosman and Hall-Martin
  Lovely paintings and drawings by Bosman, interesting text by Hall-Martin. It’s a coffee-table type book, but stuffed full of information about the 10 species of cats found in Africa: the cheetah, the leopard, the lion, the caracal, the serval, the black-footed cat, the African wild cat, the swamp cat, the sand cat, and the African golden cat.
• Beaten, Seared, and Sauced by Jonathon Dixon
  A project memoir focused around the author’s chef’s training at the Culinary Institute of America. Reviewed here.
• What’s So Great About Christianity? by Dinesh D’Souza
  Definitely a fascinating defense of Christianity. I’ve excerpted liberally in the following posts: The Future of Christianity, Christianity and the West, and Christianity and Science
• Spousonomics by Szuchman and Anderson
  An absolutely fascinating book applying the principles of economics to marriage. A single woman, I’m not the target audience for this book. But I laughed my way through (Szuchman and Anderson are hilarious)–and even ended up applying my new-found knowledge of loss aversion to my computer-building trials.
• American Spartans: the US Marines in combat from Iwo Jima to Iraq by James A. Warren, read by Dick Hill
  A fascinating history of the modern corps. I was rather amazed at the Corps’ ability to adapt to the wide variety of combat conditions they’ve faced throughout the past century. I was also rather amused at how the reader’s “Marine quoting” voice was gruff with a Southern accent.
• The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters
  I may pick this cookbook up again when I have more time to spend cooking. For now, the only recipe I used from this book was a chicken salad. I chose it because its instructions read: “First, make a mayonnaise.” Those instructions were definitely not for a beginner. The end result was rather blah, but I’m not sure if that wasn’t my fault since my mayonnaise broke and I had to mix in an additional egg yolk to get it to re-emulsify. Like I said, I might have to pick this book up again to see if it’s actually any good.
• There Must Be More than This by Judith Wright
  Should have been titled “There must be more than this book”. Wright tries to teach people how to live a life of “more” by getting rid of their “soft addictions”, but her formless “more” leaves something lacking. True fulfillment can only be found in Christ. All other quests for “more” fall short.

Juvenile Non-Fiction

• The Holocaust Heroes by David K. Freman
  Another title in the Holocaust Library series. Not sure whether they’re getting less good as I read more or whether it’s just the repetition of the same material (within the same series of books) that’s making me perceive these last couple as not as well written.
• The Nobel Book of Answers edited by Bettina Stiekel
  A collection of essays by Nobel prize winners. Some are okay, most are vapid, all are patronizing. “How Do I win the Nobel Prize?” by Mikhail Gorbachev is a real winner (NOT!)

Juvenile Fiction

• Anatopsis by Chris Abouzeid
  I have a full review of this dystopian novel in my notebook. Unfortunately, I haven’t yet transcribed onto bekahcubed. So, for now, I’ll say that I give it four stars–and kudos to the author for writing a non-morally-neutral book with witches and warlocks (and gods and demigods, for that matter.)
• Close to Famous by Joan Bauer
  A great little story about a girl with big dreams and big secret–and who manages to accomplish big things, with the help of some neighborhood kids and the famous movie star who hides out down the street.
• Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block
  In my handwritten review, I write that of all Block’s books I’ve read so far, this is the one I’m most likely to recommend. Alas, I haven’t transcribed this review either. Which means I’ll only warn you that it’s a vampire novel and, like the rest of Block’s work, it’s rather edgy.
• What I Saw and how I Lied by Judy Blundell
  I gave this YA novel set in post-WWII America four stars, recommending it for more mature and thoughtful audiences because of its weighty subject matter.
• The Hooded Hawk Mystery by Franklin W. Dixon

Children’s Books

• Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Babe Ruth Baseball by David A. Adler
• Picture Books Bi-Bl
  I read a few dozen of these, including the ever-amusing Chicken Cheeks by Michael Blake.

As always, there are still more books in progress or in the wings, preparing to be taken up for the next go-round!

Don’t forget to drop by 5 Minutes 4 Books to see what others are reading this month!