A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS by Khaled Hosseini

Do you see how my reading pace picks up with a WONDERFUL book? I just finished A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS. I read it on the bus and had to push myself to walk over the bridge instead of stealing a few more minutes riding on the train so I could get some extra reading in.



Today I decided that Khaled Hosseni is the new Maeve Binchy (remember her?). His books are filled with characters, plot twists and turns, romance and sorrow and ironic endings.

FROM PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY (I couldn't explain it better).
The story covers three decades of anti-Soviet jihad, civil war and Taliban tyranny through the lives of two women. Mariam is the scorned illegitimate daughter of a wealthy businessman, forced at age 15 into marrying the 40-year-old Rasheed, who grows increasingly brutal as she fails to produce a child. Eighteen later, Rasheed takes another wife, 14-year-old Laila, a smart and spirited girl whose only other options, after her parents are killed by rocket fire, are prostitution or starvation. Against a backdrop of unending war, Mariam and Laila become allies in an asymmetrical battle with Rasheed, whose violent misogyny—"There was no cursing, no screaming, no pleading, no surprised yelps, only the systematic business of beating and being beaten"—is endorsed by custom and law. Hosseini gives a forceful but nuanced portrait of a patriarchal despotism where women are agonizingly dependent on fathers, husbands and especially sons, the bearing of male children being their sole path to social status. His tale is a powerful, harrowing depiction of Afghanistan, but also a lyrical evocation of the lives and enduring hopes of its resilient characters.


I loved this book cover to cover and was sad when the magic was over. Looking forward to Hosseini next writings! I give this book 4 out of 5.


Book Angel Strikes Again
Got another package from Book Angel featuring DANGEROUS ADMISSIONS by Jane O'Connor and WHAT THE DEAD KNOW by Laura Lippman. I'm busy rereading Dolly's Memoir, Rebel Teacher, but as soon as I am done, I will be work on these.

I GAVE YOU MY HEART... by Dixie Cash

I finally recovered from my Harry Potter hangover, and got started on my latest book from my Book Angel. I picked up I GAVE YOU MY HEART, BUT YOU SOLD IT ONLINE by Dixie Cash.

It was a fun read featuring two sexy cowboys, two sassy hairdressers turned private detectives, and a single mom with a daughter who desperately wants her mom to find love (so she secretly posts her mom on an online dating site). The book was full of funny stories like when the ladies get arrested by the small time cops for attending a sex toy party that was thrown by an 80 year old woman.

It was a fun read. Perfect for a beach read. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.




What are my favorite books of all time? Here's what come to mind.

TO: JK Rowlings

RE: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Dear JK Rowlings:
Hey JK! I hope you are doing well and enjoying your much needed break from Harry Potter Mania.

I just finished your book. The last 100 pages were fantastic, and I enjoyed how you tied everything in together. However JK, I'm sorry but 700 pages was way too much for this book. If you decide to do another series, please make sure you get a better editor. Out of 5 stars, I give you 3... (I feel so bad about this after our seven book relationship, but honestly, I don't think my review really matters. You have your die hard fans to keep you rich and famous.)

Best wishes on your future endevors.

Barb



PS..Did you see Brittany on the MTV Music Awards? I missed it, but thanks to the Magic of the internet, we can all see the car crash!

Lost & Found by Jacqueline Sheehan...NOOOOooooo

Sorry...This book (in my opinion) was a dog.

You have Rocky, a new widow psychologist turned small island dog catcher, a neighbor who sees emotions in color, an anorexic teen living between her divorced parents, a sad quiet rescued labrador (named Lloyd) who has been injured by a handcrafted arrow, and... a mystery (sort of).

This just wasn't a book for me. Sheehan scratched the surface with the characters and Rocky was the least likeable of all. The plot was incredibly predictible and didn't really impress me.

I give this book 1 of 5 stars. (sorry Book Angel).

ADAM RUNAWAY - An escape to 18th Century Lisbon

I finally finished ADAM RUNAWAY by Peter Prince. It is the story of a young Adam Hanaway who is forced to go to Lisbon to rebuild the family fortune after the suicide of his father over a major stock failure in England. His adventures in Lisbon begin with a shaky start working in the trading business for his Uncle Felix, and end with him working as a street peddler selling images of saints. He must learn to navigate the culture, which is dominated by the Inquisition, codes of honor and unwritten law.

It was a nice read...Prince did a great job developing all of the characters. I could absolutely image this as a movie. It was an escape from the everyday...nothing to write home about. I give it 3 1/2 of 5 stars.

What a Blessing: THE BIG BOOK OF WOMEN SAINTS by Sarah Gallick

Here's a book written by a friend of mine (and a former coworker from BookSpan), Sarah Gallick. The book published back in April. I've been meaning to write about it for some time, but it is not the type of book you read in one sitting. I like to keep it by the bedside and pick it up now and again for inspiration.

Sarah had been talking about this book for a few years and I couldn't wait for her to finish. The topic of saints always interested me simply based on the amount of work it takes for a person to be canonized. It is quite a process. I love reading stories about people who were not always perfect, but somehow were touched by god and make a lasting impact on humanity (usually, but not always through martyrdom).

Its quite a lovely book. There on 365 woman saints to read about. One for every day. Each page highlights a saint, provides the back story, and interesting factoid, as well as a quote for reflection. Its a easy way to find inspiration when you need it most. I've bought it for several friends as gifts. It would also be a great confirmation gift. I highly recommend (and I am not just saying that becuase Sarah is a friend of mine) I mean it. I give it 5 of 5 stars.




On a side note: I had dinner with Sarah and another friend of ours, Ellen Clark, at a FANTASTIC place in Downtown Manhattan on Stone Street called Adrienne's Pizza Bar. When I say fantastic, I mean fantastic. I am from Staten Island, it is very rare that I am impressed by pizza anywhere else. This pizza is TO DIE FOR. The street was adorable. Check out Citysearch for more info.

My reading list...REPLENISHED

Yippee!

First, I find my current read ADAM RUNAWAY by Peter Prince on my bookshelf. I don't know where it came from (most likely a BookSpan discard shelf), but I know I haven't read it before. I just started it today, and its good.

Then, I get a package with 2 more books: MARLEY & ME by John Grogan and LOST & FOUND by Jacqueline Sheehan. So excited. (Just yesterday I was complaining that I had NOTHING TO READ). I won't say who sent the package...but she's a little book angel with the intials ET.

Suprise read - THE ROAD by Cormack McCarthy

I've pretty much worked through my collection of reads from the old job at BookSpan. This was one of the books that I put on my bookshelf, and forgot about. I read all the "good stuff." Then I got a little desperate. In one last search of the house, I found THE ROAD by Cormack McCarthy. I have absolutely no idea why I picked up this book to begin with--The cover is extremely boring (mine didn't have the Oprah logo), and I never heard of the author, although he has written 9 or so previous novels. With no other choice, this once overlooked book was now a treasure, that would entertain me for my next few bus rides. Why all the backstory? It sort of fits with the book.




THE ROAD is a story of survival. A man and his son traveling through a burnt out America with whatever they can carry in their backpacks and an old shopping cart. They travel through a blackend landscape and head south where it is warmer. Along the way, they find abandoned, ransacked homes, which they search for some left overs rotten food, drops of oil, dirty blankets to help them survive. Items long discarded were now treasures. People are willing to kill for them.

This book reminds me of my recent read SEEING by Jose Saramago. Not only because they are both stories that explore what happens when people must do what they have to do to survive, but also because of the unique style in which they were written.

I give this surprise read, THE ROAD by Cormack McCarthy, 4 out of 5 stars. I know I am in good company...Oprah liked it too.

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Back from Vacay...A LONG WAY GONE

I'm back from vacation and I have to tell you about A LONG WAY GONE by Ishmael Beah. This book is #4 this week on the NYT Bestseller list. It is a very enlightening *true* story of a young boy in Sierra Leone forced to become a solider as means of survival as his family and country is destroyed by Civil War.

Ishmael tells how he is tragically separated from his family at 12 years old, and forced to find his own way with his young friends. He tells how he is brainwashed and drugged to commit the cruel and brutal fighting and killing that is so clearly against his nature.

The story is simply written but gives wonderful first hand insight into the life and mind of a child soldier.

It is hard to believe he is only 25, and has experienced so much in his short life (and now living safely in the United States). It makes you realize what a sheltered life we live in the US, and the evil that lurks in our small, small world. I give it 5 of 5 stars.




If you liked the movie BLOOD DIAMOND starring Leonardo DiCaprio, you might want to give this book a read.



On the NYTs Bestseller list:
HARDCOVER FICTION
Top 5 at a Glance
1. A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, by Khaled Hosseini
2. THE SECRET SERVANT, by Daniel Silva
3. THE QUICKIE, by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
4. HIGH NOON, by Nora Roberts
5. THE TIN ROOF BLOWDOWN, by James Lee Burke


HARDCOVER NONFICTION
Top 5 at a Glance
1. LONE SURVIVOR, by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson
2. QUIET STRENGTH, by Tony Dungy with Nathan Whitaker
3. GOD IS NOT GREAT, by Christopher Hitchens
4. A LONG WAY GONE, by Ishmael Beah
5. LEGACY OF ASHES, by Tim Weiner

Dolly's Book - Just a few more chapters to go!

I've been working with Dolly for over 6 months now. When I first started going to her house, she had pads and pads of chapters to type. I knew it was a big job, but the process was slower than I expected, because I soon learned that there was almost never a chance that I could get away with going to her house without at least one hour of her reading or talking to me, and/or giving me a life lesson (dieting, gambling, dating, fighting or self-defense) to think about.

My favorite day with Dolly was when she called me and asked me to lunch. I told her that I was going to lunch with my friend Jen from High School, and that Jen wanted to help type the book. (Jen was anxious to get a glimpse at the story and I knew Dolly would be happy to know that she wanted to help.) Dolly told me to bring Jen to lunch too. Her treat. Dolly ends the conversation with, "But do me a favor...I want to go to a nice Italian place for lunch." I ask her where she wanted to go, but she has no suggestion.

I pick Jen up at her house at around 12:00 and ask her about "nice Italian places" on the way to Dolly's. Jen names a few, but I know they won't meet Dolly's standards. We pick up Dolly and she is all smiles. I tell her where I thought we should go, and she says..."No, that place is no good. I know a place - Bella Mama's"

We go to Bella Mama's and Jen orders Lasagna, I order Eggplant Rollatini and Dolly orders a steak. We eat the bread and a salad, and then the food comes out. Half way through the meal, Dolly says that she should have ordered the Lasagna. She calls the waiter over, says "Take this Steak back. Bring me Lasagna." The waiter shrugs his shoulders, and 15 minutes later comes out with the Lasagna. Jen and I have already finished our meal and we are stuffed. Dolly tells us we have to eat more. We order coffee and dessert. Now we are really stuffed.

The bill comes and the steak is not included. Dolly calls over the waiter and says " I'm not paying this bill until you put the Steak back on." The waiter says, "but you didn't eat it." Dolly raises her voice, "Yes, I ate it. Put it on the bill." He looks at me, and I mouth "Just put it on." As Dolly pulls her purse out of her bra, Jen and I offer to pay. Dolly says, "Get out of here." When we offer to pay the tip, she says "What are you talking about! What is wrong with you...pay the Tip?" We finish "Lunch" at 3:00.


Back at Dolly's, Jen gets to read the first 8 chapters of Dolly's book. Dolly and I sit across from her watching her read and shake her head in amazement. Dolly keeps asking Jen if she likes it. Jen says, "yes...it is amazing!" Dolly smiles and giggles at Jen's reaction. When Jen finally makes a comment, she gets yelled at..."What do you mean more details!?!!! That's what happened. That's all I can write! You don't get it." I try to defend Jen, but then I get yelled at. Dolly leaves the room and I laugh with Jen that it is just like High School. Jen got yelled at again later in the evening for something similar. I didn't defend her this time. I told her she was on her own.

Around 6:00pm, Dolly tells us that we are eating over for dinner. Jen and I tell her that we can't, we are full. Dolly tells us that we have to eat...her daughter cooked for us. We sit at the table with Dolly's family, and our plates are piled with food. Dolly has nothing in front of her. I say, "Dolly, aren't you eating?" She says, "What are you crazy? I'm not eating. I had a big lunch. I'm full."

Over time, I have managed to put 18 very colorful chapters on the computer...Each one surprises me and gives me more insight into her character. It usually takes me about 3 hours to type a chapter, so that's over 54 hours of fingers to the keyboard. Dolly says we only have a few more chapters to go. (Dolly also promises that we have plenty of material for a sequel. Hopefully we'll need her to do one.) Then we proofread, make corrections and start shopping the book around.

I am really excited. First to see the book finally completed...something that Dolly has been talking about for years. When I told Dolly's husband that she said the book was going to be finished in June, he said, "Oh yeah, What year?" Then I am just excited to see what happens with it. I would love to see it take off.

All my life, I have been reading and reviewing books. Now I am getting ready to go on the other side and try to sell one to the publishers. This is as good as it gets.

THE INNOCENT MAN by John Grisham - LOVED IT

Some authors, you read one book, you have read them all. Once again, John Grisham seems to be able to avoid this trap by taking a trip into the relm of non-fiction with THE INNOCENT MAN.

It reads like an episode of City Confidential



It is really a tragic story of what can happen when the law has an agenda of its own. It is a story of a man who "lost" years of his life, trying to prove his innocence, as he loses his mind in prison. I can't imagine the horror of being put in jail for a crime that I didn't commit, watching the evidence come in stacked against me, and the more I scream that I am innocent...the less I am heard. It must have been a nightmare. Grisham really tells the story and the horror of what happened to this tragic figure in a small town.


I know I am trying to survive life after John Grisham, but I am glad I picked this one up. I give it 5 of 5 stars!

john grisham

grisham

Saturday's with Dolly

For the past 6 months I have been working with my old High School English teacher, Dolly Denaro typing her memoirs, entitled Rebel Teacher.

Dolly is 78 years old and a character in herself and my days with her are interesting to say the least.

I first met Dolly when I was a Sophomore in High School. I had gone on a trip to England on a school trip. Dolly came along...but she didn't go on any of the tours with us, she would go off during the day to gamble. (In telling this story to other people, they usually say, "I didn't know there was gambling in England"...well Dolly sure did). Every night she would meet us for dinner. I'd sit and talk with her while we waited for the group to show up. She'd tell me all about her adventures playing craps . I remember her taking the chaperone's money and promise to double it. And I believe she did.

In my Senior year she cornered me in the hallway and asked me if I was taking her college writing class. I said "I guess so." There were about 15 of us who did. We had Dolly right after lunch. If you saw us in the cafeteria, you'd find a somber bunch. None of us looked forward to her class. We never knew what to expect with Dolly, but we knew one of us was going to get yelled at, and/or receive our paper back with a big red "NO" written across it. My friend Tricia got thrown out of Dolly's class for smiling. She is still traumatized by this.

Dolly's motto was, "In college you will be marked holistically and would get an A on your paper, but I am going to give you the grade that you deserve." We had to write 7 papers..."Teenage Suicide, The Holocaust, Drugs Addiction, Euthanasia..." were the topics I remember. We had to keep rewriting until we got it right (by Dolly's standards). Some of were still rewriting the first paper by the end of the semester. But in college...we all got "A+." We all said "Thank God for Dolly."

Dolly and I got back in touch after 12 years at a Poker Fundraising event at the High School. It was on a Tuesday night. I was there just to check out the event, and Dolly was there to gamble. She showed up late and had to wait for a table to open up, in the meantime she talked to me. I gave her my card, and thought that would be it. I was wrong. The next day she called me...and in her signature way, she "invited me" to dinner. The conversation went along the lines of, "Sanchez, I want to take you to dinner. How about Friday? You pick me up."

The dinner was filled with stories of her life. She told me that while she was teaching at the high school she owned a disco and a bar. She told me about her book, and I volunteered to type it. She said that I'd have to go to her house to do it because she doesn't want anything to leave the house.

So I've been going to her house almost every weekend since we first met. Although its not just typing. Sometimes she likes to read to me what she has written before I type it. I get the color commentary as she reads through..."This really happened, Barbara." I get phone calls at all hours, "Barbara, its Dolly, can I read what I wrote to you?" I had to put a stop to the 6:30am calls, but otherwise I love to hear her stories. She always tells me that once we finish the book, she'll find me a good guy.

Dolly often says that she doesn't know how I came into her life, (why were we at that event...why did she show up late) but she is so thankful for me. Apparently lots of people have offered to help her type, but only a few got past the first chapter. I'm thankful for her too. I really enjoy the time I spend with her.

We've got a few more chapters to go. The book is fulled with colorful stories from her days in Brooklyn and then her life as a teacher. I can see it as a movie as well as a book. I would choose Madonna (from A League of Their Own) to play her.

Dolly's goal is to get her book published (before she dies she tells me) and give her money to the nuns who helped her growing up...the list of people she wants to give to gets longer and longer every time I talk to her. I just want to get her published and then let God do the rest.

On the NYT Bestseller list bores again!

HARDCOVER FICTION
Top 5 at a Glance
1. A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, by Khaled Hosseini
2. LEAN MEAN THIRTEEN, by Janet Evanovich
3. BUNGALOW 2, by Danielle Steel
4. DOUBLE TAKE, by Catherine Coulter
5. DROP DEAD BEAUTIFUL, by Jackie Collins

#1 sounds interesting...the rest...SOS!

I just finished...
THE BOOK OF ILLUSIONS By Paul Auster. I thought he spent too much time explaining things like movies that never existed. Had I not paid for the book, I probably would have let it fall under my bed and left it there. 2 stars. Sorry Paul.

Hidden on my bookshelf...

I'm reading a nice little book called HISTORY LESSON FOR GIRLS by Aurelie Sheehan. It's a coming of age story. I'm enjoying it. I picked it up a while back and never got around to reading it. The cover is beautiful...I don't know how I missed it.



I also read WHO ATE MY CHEESE? Its a business book, that I have had for a long time. It was a quick and simple read, but it was magic, because I am inspired (again) to embrace change at work. I bought copies for the 6 members of my staff. I am not sure how they will respond to it...more on that to come.




Took a quick look on the NYT Bestsellers list. Time to start reading again!
BTW...the hotlinked books are available at ZOOBA.com for just $9.95 ABSOLUTELY NO Shipping and Handling. You can't find a better deal than this!


HARDCOVER FICTION
Top 5 at a Glance
1. CROSS, by James Patterson
2. FOR ONE MORE DAY, by Mitch Albom
3. DEAR JOHN, by Nicholas Sparks
4. NATURE GIRL, by Carl Hiaasen
5. WILD FIRE, by Nelson DeMille

HARDCOVER NONFICTION
Top 5 at a Glance
1. THE AUDACITY OF HOPE, by Barack Obama
2. THE INNOCENT MAN, by John Grisham
3. CULTURE WARRIOR, by Bill O’Reilly
4. THE GOD DELUSION, by Richard Dawkins
5. MARLEY & ME, by John Grogan

Warning: This book is POWERFUL

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom- I read this book a few years ago, but it touched me in a way I can barely understand today. It is a simple story. I started the book on the way home from work and just about finished it on my way back in the next day. By the time I got to my stop on 42nd street, I had about 5 pages left to go. I was a wreck. I had tears running down my face and I couldn't stop crying. I sat on one of the benches across from Radio City, and sat there and read to the end. It was 9:15 and I was late for work.

It wasn't the story itself, that was very simple. It was how the story made me think about my life and the people in it. Those who had been a part of my life for long periods of time, and those only for a fleeting moment. Was it my deceased Aunt that I took for granted, that I loved and hated at the same time? Was it my Granny who died when I was nine, someone who my mother loved so much that she cried when her parents told her that she could not take Granny out for a day in the park (because she was too sick)? Or Was it someone that I passed on the street who I never considered, was it someone I was mean to, without knowing I was being mean?

Anyway, I finally made it to work at BookSpan. I had to walk by my boss's office to get to mine. As I passed a few of my coworkers saw I was late, and I was upset. I closed my office door and collected myself. When I went into my boss's office a few minutes later, everyone in the room wanted to know if I was okay. I told them for the first time in my ten years reading books for this company, I cried. I had heard it happening to my colleagues, but never experienced it myself. I said: " You know this book...be careful, it is very powerful"


Three years later, The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom still touches me. I think about it often. This weekend when I volunteered in a nursing home serving Thanksgiving Lunch to seniors and their families. One woman asked me to help call her son who was picking her up, I got the front desk to make the call, hoping the number was a real number, it was, and she was so thankful. For me...Big deal, I made a phone call (to her it was a BIG DEAL).

Today I had dinner with a woman who was my HS English teacher, Dolly. She's was a character then, and hasn't changed in 15 years. I saw her at a recent poker event at my high school. A week later she calls me for dinner. I was shocked. We had a great time. She told me stories of her childhood and then read me chapters from a book she is writing. I felt so lucky. Big deal (to her and to me).

I think I gave my copy of the book away. I have to get another one. I think I want to read it again. THat's how powerful it is.

I read the latest by Mitch Albom, FOR ONE MORE DAY. I liked it, but not as impressed as this one. I give it a 2 out of 5. Albom did okay with this one.

First of all...I gave away my old books to Goodwill

That's right You had your chance for FREE BESTSELLERS (you pay only S&H). Too bad.

Second of all, I have been having a very hard time finding a book that is worth my time. I ended up with Kidnapped: A Novel (Irene Kelly Mysteries). I don't even know where to begin. Hmmmm....in a word: "Confusing". Too many characters...while I could follow the story, I couldn't follow who was who. Afer a while I wanted to give up. But I kept on reading. How everything just fell into place. Instead of saying "what a smart book" I said, "Thank God I finished." There are two reviews on Amazon with five stars. I strongly disagree. I give this one 2 out of 5 stars.

You can get it on Amazon...or Zooba...I say...skip this one.




Here's what is going on the NYT list... Looking forward to reading the Woodward.
HARDCOVER FICTION
Top 5 at a Glance
1. FOR ONE MORE DAY, by Mitch Albom
2. THIRTEEN MOONS, by Charles Frazier
3. MOTOR MOUTH, by Janet Evanovich
4. THE BOOK OF FATE, by Brad Meltzer
5. THE THIRTEENTH TALE, by Diane Setterfield

HARDCOVER NONFICTION
Top 5 at a Glance
1. STATE OF DENIAL, by Bob Woodward
2. CULTURE WARRIOR, by Bill O’Reilly
3. I FEEL BAD ABOUT MY NECK, by Nora Ephron
4. SAVING GRACES, by Elizabeth Edwards
5. MARLEY & ME, by John Grogan

A book you won't forget...

I picked up WATER FOR ELEPHANTS: A Novel by Sara Gruen at the airport on my way to Ft. Lauderdale. It was a good thing because it rained quite a bit, and I had lots of time to read.


This was a pleasant surprise. In this novel, Jacob Jankowski, now in an old folks home, reflects on the his time with Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. His memories are triggered by the arrival of the circus in the area. His remembers his Circus life during the depression--a hard life that he fell into when his parents were killed in a car accident and he was left with nothing to survive on but his incomplete vet training from Cornell. Dwarfs, danger, love and loss, and a smart elephant named ROSIE, all in one great book. If you like to watch the show Carnivale on HBO, you'll enjoy this look of life under the big top. I give this one 5 out of 5 stars. I'd like to check out her previous title RIDING LESSONS AND FLYING CHANGES if I get a chance.


PW SAYS:
"With its spotlight on elephants, Gruen's romantic page-turner hinges on the human-animal bonds that drove her debut and its sequel (Riding Lessons and Flying Changes)—but without the mass appeal that horses hold."

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS AND FLYING CHANGES are available on ZOoba.com for $9.95 each NO SHIPPING AND HANDLING!!!