My memory is like a sieve with a rip so I'm not sure I could really pull together reviews for each and every book I've read in my hiatus. Instead, a recap (5 at a time):
Book 32 - New Zealand with a Hobbit Botherer by John Gisby
For those of you who don't know, I am planning a trip to New Zealand for the near future (you may or may not see a hiatus on the blog during November 2010) and I've been spending a lot of time reading whatever I can find about it (and trying to figure out if I can count the Frommer's that I read from cover to cover). My traveling companion happens to be mildly obsessed with the Lord of the Rings Trilogy so this booked seemed like a good fit. It was about what I expected - fairly interesting, full of good tips on traveling in NZ, and moderately well written. (210 pages - 3.5 stars)
Book 33 - The Blindside by Michael Lewis
I know what you're thinking... Sandra Bullock? Bear with me. I happened to catch The Blindside on a JetBlue flight earlier this year (and by happened to catch I mean shelled out $6 to watch) and I really enjoyed it. I, too, was shocked! I liked it so much that when I saw that it was based on a book, I added it to my library queue. In another flagrant betrayal of the way the world usually works, the book served to reinforce the worth of the movie. From what I can tell, the movie is an accurate and credible representation of the book and the true story and is not as sensationalist as it seemed it might be. Michael Orr's story is incredible, unbelievable, fantastical even - but the book is great. I've recommended it all over the place since I've read it - to football fans and non football fans alike. It's an amazing story, well written, etc. Definitely worth the read (and the watch). (324 pages - 4.75 stars)
Book 34 - The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food by Judith Jones
Why, what's this? A food book by Julia Child's editor? Yes, please. After reading My Life in France recently, I was pretty much in love with everything Julia Child - her writing, her food, her editor. Even things remotely related to her - other food writing namely - were intoxicating. It was a mild obsession, truth be told. I picked up Judith Jones' life story and it did not disappoint. It helped carry the dreamy preoccupation I had developed and allowed me to linger further in the picture of a Paris that I will never get to visit. Delightful and warm, you can see why Julia and Judith were so well suited to each other in the literary sense, and I loved the sense that one could not tell whose voice it truly was. The mesh of Julia and Judith in this and other books is just wonderful. (282 pages - 4.5 stars)
Book 35 - City of Thieves by David Benioff
This book was given to me years ago by a dear friend (I am a notorious non-reader of gifts btw, I have to wait until the moment is right!), whose opinion I trust when it comes to great literature. That said, it clearly took me some time to get around to it, something I would not recommend! This book is great. It was a completely unexpected, beautiful book. It was funny and smart and heartbreaking. I loved it so much that I immediately went to find Benioff's other books (which I haven't read yet but still). I should listen to my friends, sometimes they're right. (258 pages, 5 stars)
Book 36 - The Man Who Ate Everything by Jeffrey Steingarten
Picked this up at a local used bookstore because of my recent penchant for food books (what's not to like? food + reading?!). I have to admit that I had trouble getting into the book; it took me awhile to be interested in what Steingarten had to say. It wasn't so much that he's not an interesting guy but it felt dated. The book is over 20 years old and it felt that way. Is it weird to think that food writing can be dated? Maybe, but it felt a bit like I was reading about the latest trends in Sega Genesis. Sure, it might still be interesting but it didn't feel as relevant. That said, I am still interested in reading his newer book - It Must've Been Something I Ate. (528 pages - 3.25 stars)
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