I thought I would at least recap some of the books I’ve read so far this year. I’ve managed to finish 8 books so far in 2007. Here’s the list:
- Mergers and Acquisitions by Dana Vachon—I hate to say it, but this book seemed like a Bret Easton Ellis knock-off.
- Third Girl From the Left by Martha Southgate—I really liked this book. It’s told in three parts, each from a different characters perspectives. Good writing and good story.
- Bento Box in the Heartland by Linda Furiya—Memoir of growing up the only Asian people in the 60s in Indiana. Not bad, a little bland.
- Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee—Great debut novel told from the perspective of first generation immigrants from Korea. The main character graduates from Princeton, but has trouble finding a “real” job that pleases her parents.
- Mistress of the Art of Death by Arianna Franklin—I liked this historical mystery set in Medieval Cambridge. It was a fun read.
- A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah—This one was not so fun, more in the heartbreaking category. You might have read the excerpt in the NYT Magazine a few weeks ago. It’s also the next Starbuck’s pick or something.
- Dark Star Safari by Paul Theroux—It took me a while to finish this book, not because I didn’t like it, but because I kept getting interrupted. It’s Paul Theroux at his crankiest. I like the guy, at least he knows he’s a crank, right?
- Twins by Marcy Dermansky—Man, this book is crazy. I loved it. Each chapter alternates between the twins’ perspectives. One appears good and one appears bad, but that’s all surface. It’s a fucked up story and I finished it in a day.
Bookdwarf 
“Mistress of the Art of Death” sounds like an interesting book. You’re doing a lot better than I am; I’ve only managed to finish four books this year, and the fifth one, “The Island of Dr. Moreau,” I hope to finish tonight.
“Reading is not a race…reading is not a race…” I’ll just go stand in front of the mirror and chant that a few times.
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Yay for mini-reviews!!!!
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Brandon, how is the Island of Dr. Moreau? I’ve never read it, but have always thought it looked good.
I try not to race through books. I feel lucky that I have all these trips to take where I get several uninterrupted hours on planes in which to read.
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I’m with you on TWINS. The beginning is really engaging and written in a very fresh voice. As the novel continues, though, I found myself doubting where the author took these characters. Still, a great debut for that author.
You should check out THE YEAR OF ENDLESS SORROWS. I’m currently reading it. It’s another coming of age novel you might enjoy. 🙂
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I agree about Mergers — the kind of crap book by Dana Vachon. I understand the hype but I think that may be all it is. I would read Glamorama or Liar’s Poker….or the back of a cereal box….instead.
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