Sarum by Edward Rutherfurd (#14, Historical Fiction)

Right after I finished Irving, I picked up Edward Rutherford’s Sarum, a novel I have checked out from the library at least three times over the last five years and have always failed to even crack the spine on. 1000 pages is a pretty huge time commitment and I just never had that much time on my hands to devote to a novel I was maybe only minimally interested in. (That said, Diana Gabaldon's novels are always the exception and I will pretty much always be able to dive into her 1000 page novels about Jamie and Claire, without hesitation.)

But alas, when you become a traveler, you find yourself with many free hours to kill on trains, planes and buses. Suddenly a 1000 page fictional history of Salisbury, England isn’t all that daunting anymore. And reading a history seemed quite apropos as I was flitting about Europe, visiting places similarly brimming with history. I especially enjoyed the descriptions on how the masons built the massive cathedral; we had just climbed to the top of the Cologne Cathedral a couple days before I read that passage and it gave me a better picture of just how much skill and craftsmanship went into building those structures.

Not only did I enjoy the incredibly detailed descriptions of life in England over the last 3000 years, I really became obsessed with the genealogy. It was really interesting how Rutherfurd creates two strong family lines and then passes down the family characteristics to each generation. It made me wonder about my family tree and what might have happened to my great-great-great grandparents. Who were they, what did they do and where did they live? If only we all had detailed descriptions of our family's legacy.

The Cider House Rules by John Irving (#13, Contemporary LIterature)

I know, I know--I haven’t posted a book on here in a couple months. It has been so long that I think I may have forgotten a book or two. I started a post about Geraldine Brooks’ People of the Book but somehow got sidetracked and never went back to finish it. And then I traveled to Germany for a month and didn’t have solid blocks of time on the Internet to be able to post while I was over there. And then having been back stateside I have been so busy working and catching up with life that I have let my participation slide. But fear not three faithful booknymph readers…I am back! I haven’t stopped reading—I have just run out of time to post about my literary exploits.

Right before I left for Germany I made a trip to Longfellow Books, one of the coolest used bookstores in Portland, and grabbed three throwaway paperbacks to accompany me on my travels. I didn’t really give much thought to what I would want to be reading and the three novels I found were The Cider House Rules by John Irving, Sarum by Edward Rutherford and Suite Francaise by Irene (insert). Sadly I never made it through Suite Francaise but the other two I did thoroughly enjoy reading.

I have never been a fan of John Irving but when I saw The Cider House Rules on the shelf at the bookstore in a handy dandy small paperback edition, I felt compelled to pick it up and read it. And so against my previous prejudice, I gave Irving another chance—he did not disappoint. I loved this novel and spent the four-hour ride to and from Cologne buried in the world of Homer Wells. Irving is a great writer and I have no idea why I wrote him off after I read Widow For One Year back in the summer of 2004—clearly my reading tastes have changed. I will definitely be reading some of his other novels.

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan (#34, Fiction)

Another book club pick. As I have stated time and again, I am always a fan of historical fiction/fiction/nonfiction blend. There is nothing better than reading while also learning about someone, something, or someplace.

In Loving Frank we learn about the life of Frank Lloyd Wright and his mistress Mamah Borthwork Cheney. I just finished the book last night and have yet to do my standard Internet search about the life and work of Frank, but, WOW, do I have some questions!

But, about the book. I really enjoyed the first hundred pages. The characters pulled me in, the story was intriguing, and you really feel the pain of Mamah, and the arrogance of Frank. I wavered back and forth about what I would do in their situation. Clearly, these days divorce and families being torn apart is almost typical, but at the turn of the 20th century, a woman not in love with her husband had limited options.

I think the whole philosophical discussion behind the women's movement got a bit boring for me. Mamah is on a constant journey to find justification and validation for her actions, for leaving her children. At the end she seems to have an epiphany that she doesn't have to choose, she can have love for Frank and love for her children, but it seems that during that time period women were almost forced to choose.

But, wow. THE. ENDING. Did not see that one coming.

The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World by Michael Pollan (#33, Nonfiction)

Michael Pollan examines the history of and coexistence between humans and Apples, Tulips, Marijuana and Potatoes in The Botany of Desire. I will never think of Apples the same way, and may hestitate before I eat a potato from this point forward.

At times boring, and others extremely informative, and even laugh out loud, it is a book worth reading if you want to think about the place fruits, vegetables and flowers hold today. And it makes you think about how they got there, and whether they are what they are because of their own Darwinian survival of the fittest, or because humans do what they want, when they want, where they want.

Pollan doesn't just examine the biological history of these objects, he looks at them from a philosophical angle as well -- hard to imagine, right? But, I actually found myself folding down a few pages to mark various quotes and excerpts from the book. (will insert those later)

Once again I am on a health kick. Maybe even trying out being a vegetarian, not that he suggests it, but more because of the implications of living off our current food system. It is just not right that companies have patents on fruits and vegetables, that it is illegal to reuse some seeds, and coming up with a potato that generates its own internal insecticide is going too far.

Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson (#32, Fiction)

Out Stealing Horses is one of those books where major events happen, events that could be the central point, or apex, of the novel, but in the end they are just another part of life--never fully resolved or explained.

I definitely don't recommend this one if you are looking for an exciting book. It's a great story, and the writing is very well done, and there are some dramatic things that take place, but it's all sort of anticlimactic.

Although, I'm not complaining. Sometimes it's nice to read a book and just read along without waiting for "something" to happen. I was happy enough to follow the narrator through his solitude and memories from his past.

A Lady's Pleasure by Renee Bernard (#31, Porn)

I debated whether or not I would document the fact that I read this book. I initially said I wasn't... but, I've put up every other book I have read for the past 2+ years, no need to get shy now.

I have nothing to say about this book. This was picked for a themed book club. It was amusing for about two seconds, then meh. What little kid says, "when I grow up I want to write trashy romance novels"? Apparently Renee did.

I don't know the exact statistics, but based on my anecdotal evidence from working at Barnes and Noble, the majority of genre purchases are SciFi and Romance.

Shocked and appalled.

But, book club was great as usual and sadly I think we spent more time discussing this one than any book to date. We may also have had a read aloud session ... maybe...

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (#30, Fiction)

Oh the potential. I bought this book in hardcover because I was so excited about my second round with Carlos Ruiz Zafon. And the disappointment. Expectations, too high? Maybe. I really loved The Shadow of the Wind, and so did almost everyone in book club who read it, which is a huge feat with our diverse taste in books.

My new thing is to read reviews, and The Angel's Game consistently comes up short of The Shadow of the Wind. But, to give Zafon some credit, the point at which the plot in his new book diverged on a more diabolical and mystic path is where he lost me. In Shadow you feel the mystery, and you wonder about supernatural forces, but in the end it's all real--spooky, but none of that sci-fi stuff. Not so much the case in this one.

I do really enjoy his writing and general style. Funny, clever, descriptive.

I hope his next book can do a better job of tying things up at the end... I'm still confused!