The Gospel According to Larry by Janet Tashjian

18Feb12

I think this is also a young adult book.  It’s harder to know these things when you buy them on a Kindle.  This is sort of a high  school version on Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.  And yes, I only started it yesterday- I looked down and all of a sudden I had read over 100 pages.  It has some pictures and I think there are a lot of chapters that start over on a new page… I’m not that fast of a reader!

Anyway, this book is about a high school student who starts an anonymous website ranting on American culture- materialism, celebrity worship, consumerism, etc.  Things get a little out of control.  Considering it was written 10 years ago, I guess it came before the craze to “go green” that it depicts.  It is somewhat prophetic I guess in that way- in that the whole ranting kind of gets turned upside down- just like people will buy many myriad of things in an effort to “go green” which is a little against the point.

This book is nowhere near as much philosophical genius as others I have read (from Zen to various Donald Miller books) but it’s not a stupid Twilight book (sorry fans, but I have read (and finished) one as well…).  Does have a point.  So I’ll give it 4/5 stars. (post by Meghan)

 

 

 

 

 

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Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

16Feb12

This is the first book that I got from the library on the Kindle app for the ipad.  Great to be able to read it for free and still read on the ipad.  However, when you get the email to download it you only have 3 days.  And then once you download you have three weeks and then it is no longer available.  Today marked the end of my three weeks and I finished it today.  Don’t know that I could get a longer book done in that time (this one was 400 pages).

Anyways, this book has been on the bestseller lists and came recommended to me.  It was ok but maybe not exactly my favorite type of book.  I do like sensational true stories, but this one included a lot of details that seemed excessive at times.  I think the book could have been much shorter, but it sort of felt like the author had done the (extensive) research and wanted to prove that she had.

The book is about Louis Zamperini who was an Olympic runner but missed his prime running days when WWII came along.  If you have heard of this book, you probably know some small details of it- in the war Louis ends up in a downed plane and has a long story of crazy events and survival that follows.

Maybe just as impressive is that the guy is alive still at age 95 (not a big surprise, how else would the lady write the book) and still going strong.  I was a little disappointed that post 1950 not a lot of details are given.  I guess they just aren’t as sensational.  I actually was thinking, well the good part is done and I don’t know if I want to read the last 50 pages but then a turn happened, so I decided to keep going.  So maybe I wouldn’t have made it if there was more to the “end” of the story.

If you like war stuff, then you should definitely read this.  If you like cool true stories, then I guess you should read it too.  I’m only going to go with 3/5 stars though.  (post by Meghan)

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Let Justice Roll Down by John Perkins

18Jan12

I didn’t read this book in a day.  Was reading it in between the others and just finished it today.  I have had it on my list for awhile but I thought it was more academic.  Not that that’s a reason not to read it, just more brain power required and different frame of mind.  But it really is more of an autobiography by John Perkins.

Some background.  I think I first really heard of John Perkins through CCHF, Christian Community Healthcare Fellowship, which he helped start.  CCHF is also how I found this clinic in Memphis that I am rotating at right now.  And the guest house that I am living in.  Which housed the bookshelf which housed this book.  So it is fitting that I read it here, in this place.

It is also fitting because we have been learning quite a bit about race since we’ve been here.  Largely from the Civil Rights Museum where MLK, Jr was shot.  And talking to people.  We are about 15 minutes north of Mississippi, where John Perkins grew up and the majority of this book takes place.  He had a rough childhood, albeit probably pretty typical for a black person in the South in that time.  Unfortunately.  He went away to California, but then felt called to come back and be in community with his fellow men in Mississippi.  He is very gifted in doing life and thinking about it and sharing about it.  He is a modern day prophet (or saint as the book cover would say).

I have seen Dr. Perkins speak a couple times at conferences and he is much less to the point than in his writing, but definitely has the spirit in him.  Frankly, after learning what we have while here, he is lucky to be alive.  But our world is so much the better for him surviving and preaching on forgiveness and restoration.  And justice.

It’s hard to evaluate someone’s life in the star system, so I guess I’ll say 5/5 for an amazing man. (post by Meghan)

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Catching Fire and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

18Jan12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I guess I should’ve posted about all three together, but I didn’t plan on getting the other books so quickly.  With instant downloads on the Kindle, it’s almost too easy.  I think I liked the first book the best of the series, but they all read very quickly.  I think taken as a whole, I see their “young adult”ness more.  Can’t really say why, just seems more appropriate.  I kind of got mad at the second book and third book sort of put it all together but I think things got a little more predictable.  I guess it sort of stopped being new like it catches you in the first book.  I would give the second and third books 3/5 stars.  (post by Meghan)

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The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

02Jan12

I’m glad I finally got a book read before the movie came out. I actually didn’t know there was going to be a movie when I started this one, but as I was reading I thought, they surely are going to make a movie of this. It would make a good one I think.

I guess this is considered a young adult book, but I’m not entirely sure why. I guess because the characters are teenagers and there isn’t (much) violence or romance. This book is a part of a trilogy so you know some things going in to it and of course it ends in a completely inopportune moment.

This is a fantasy of sorts- it takes place at some point in the future when what was once America no longer exists and the country that has taken its place hosts these “games” every year where it is a battle to the death. It isn’t too much fantasy that it is unbelievable. Enough that I actually really liked this book and will likely quickly read the others. Definitely would recommend it for anyone that hasn’t really read much since Harry Potter or Twilight and looking for the next hot series. 4.9/5 stars (post by Meghan)

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Wishin’ and Hopin’ by Wally Lamb

06Dec11

Finally, I finished a book.  I think I read this one quickly half out of frustration of not finishing anything lately.  I have gotten into starting a book, reading 100 pages and stopping.  Happens when I try to read too much non-fiction.

This one is about a fifth grade boy in the 60′s going to Catholic grade school.  It sort of reminds me of The Christmas Story movie.  Not really too much of a plot, just a series of things that happen and culminates with Christmas.  Could be a classic I guess, but kind of one of those- not as great since I didn’t watch/read it as a child.  But this just came out, so I guess it wouldn’t work for this.  Maybe if I had grown up in the 60′s and could get caught up in the nostalgia of it. I think it is a comedy, but I only really laughed out loud once.

Not a bad book, just not anything particularly great about it.  Reads quickly.  Sort of gets you in the mood for Christmas I guess, but Christmas doesn’t come until over half way through the book (despite being billed as “A Christmas Story”- I think that must be like a marketing ploy or something).  This book does have the distinction of being the first one I read on the iPad.  And I got it pretty cheap from the Amazon Kindle store, so that was nice.  Although, now I can’t loan it to anyone and I’m not sure if I want it sitting on the iPad.  A virtual bookshelf is not near as impressive or nostalgic as a real one…

3/5 stars.  (Post by Meghan)

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I’ve been reading.

15Nov11

But I haven’t been blogging. I’m not sure how many hours I spent on airplanes over the last couple months, but it’s more than I care to calculate. The airplane time, coupled with the fab iPad birthday gift have led me to be above average when it comes to the One Book, One Month Challenge. I doubt that will become the norm. Anyhow, here goes, in the order in which I read them…

Quitter by Jon Acuff

 I’ve been a fan of Jon Acuff for awhile now, and this book did not disappoint. Jon (I call him Jon because in my mind we are friends) is really good at integrating his personal experiences with good advice for those who happen to be frustrated with their job/career. This book is all about the journey from a day job to a dream job. If I had to sum it up in one sentence, it would be: Don’t quit your job… yet. (That may or may not be something I need to hear on most Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.)

5/5 stars

All That Is Bitter & Sweet by Ashley Judd

Somewhere along the way, I decided I like to read autobiographies. Honestly, I’m not quite sure why I chose this one. I think it may have been because Amazon recommended it to me. And who questions Amazon? What I didn’t realize until I started this was how much of it would be about Ms. Judd’s (see, I don’t have the same connection with her I have with Jon) social justice work. I knew she was involved in humanitarian efforts, but didn’t realize to what extent. I enjoyed reading about her travels and experiences as an ambassador with Population Services International. The book kind of went back and forth between that and her experiences growing up in the shadows of her famous mom and sister. It was a good read, but I don’t know that I’d consider it a page-turner.

3.5/5 stars

Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

Who didn’t fall in love with The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in the mid-2000s? When I heard there was a new book coming out years later – where Tibby, Bee, Carmen, and Lena were [gasp!] 30 – I knew it was a must-read. I may have cried on an airplane while reading this. (Sorry for the awkwardness, person next to me.) I also yelled, albeit silently, at this book. About halfway through I was really mad. But by the end, all was forgiven and I felt comfortable knowing that these girls’ friendships would live on long after I finished reading.

5/5 stars

Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close

Can you tell I went through a chick lit phase in August? I read a review of this book in my People magazine. I was compelled to read it after the review. It probably used the phrase “coming of age.” I won’t even pretend it has substance, but it was an enjoyable read. It’s about some girls who move to New York post-college, and all their shenanigans. One girl, in particular is rather frustrated with the number of times she’s been a bridesmaid and complains, in a humorous way, about bridal showers and all the other festivities that accompany weddings. (Right now you are really surprised that I read this, right?)

4/5 stars

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

This has been a very popular book over the past several months, so I can pretty much leave it at “what everyone else said.” It’s a fantastic and eye-opening read. Don’t be intimidated by its thickness. After I read the book, I saw the movie and thought it was adapted well. But as usual, the movie can’t quite do the book justice. So if you haven’t read it yet, jump on the bandwagon!

5/5 stars

Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh

Tony Hsieh is the CEO of Zappos, and this is his story. I particularly appreciated his drive, passion, and how he persevered when most people would have given up. He basically started with nothing. This dude loves him some Zappos. Much of the story of how Zappos became what it is today has to do with the company’s culture and values. It’s hard to imagine what it must be like to work for a company with such a customer-focused, hard-working, yet fun environment. I am guessing most people who read this book will wish they worked for Zappos.

4.5/5 stars

And that, my friends, is all! Up next: the Steve Jobs biography. But it is really long, and I have no airplane trips currently scheduled, so it might be awhile.

(Posted by Steph)

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The Help by Kathryn Stockett

23Aug11

I really didn’t know this book was a movie when it was first recommended to me by Jess.  The copy she loaned to me was big and hardback, so I thought it would sit on the shelf for awhile.  But it intrigued me and I had a big vacation coming, so I decided to give it a try.  And it was great.  Great in a “I can’t believe things were like that” kind of way.

The book is written from multiple points of view- two different black ladies working as house help in the 1960′s and a third woman who is white.  I was surprised that the author is white since more of the book is written from the African-American point of view.  I guess it sounds authentic, but what would I know.

If you haven’t seen the trailer, it is about a white lady who writes a book with a dozen black maids, telling about what it is like to live in the racially segregated south in the ’60′s.  Interestingly, Jeff and I also started watching Mad Men at about the same time and it is from the same period and depicts more of the relationship between men and women, also not a position of equality, but not near as bad as the racial disparities.  I know things are not equal these days either, as was pointed out by Blink that I read prior to this, but if these are true depictions, we have certainly come a long way.  Does make me appreciate the way things are and think twice about wishing I grew up in the 50′s or 60′s.

Now I have the dilemma of whether to watch the movie.  Usually I don’t really want to because so much is changed and I like it better in the book when they have more time to tell the story.  This was really good and I do sort of want to see what they did with it, but then I watched the trailer and can already tell they changed stuff, so maybe not.  If you aren’t up to the book though, I would probably recommend the movie (even without seeing it).

Great read, was able to get through it quickly even though it was long.  4.5/5 stars (Post by Meghan)

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Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

08Aug11

I finally read a book by Malcolm Gladwell.  Likely prompted by Jeff reading What the Dog Saw.  He hasn’t blogged about it yet (hint, hint) .  It was good.  Reminded me of an extended version of Radiolab (awesome NPR show/podcast) or a TED talk.  Random cool information that makes you think.

Ironically, this book is sort of about not thinking.  Or at least trusting our instincts when appropriate.  It talks about prejudices that we have almost on a society level but that we can somewhat override them if we “practice.”  So whether it is thinking a woman shouldn’t be in the workplace (something even a career woman could hold deep inside) or African Americans are more likely to be a criminal (as they are convicted of crimes by the court much more frequently than whites) if we spend time counteracting these prejudices with a mental training of sorts, we can attempt to create instincts that are more trustworthy and in turn rely on them when it matters.  And stuff.

Good book.  Will likely read more at some point.  4/5 stars.  (post by meghan)

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This Won’t Hurt a Bit (and other White Lies) by Dr. Michelle Au

14Jul11

This Won’t Hurt a Bit, by Dr. Michelle Au, MD, was a long-awaited read for the followers of this Columbia-trained anesthesiologist’s witty blog, http://theunderweardrawer.blogspot.com/ .   Au originally created the blog early in her medical training to  illustrate and make light of the good, bad, and ugly of medical training.  A former humor columnist at her alma mater, Wellesley College, Au has a gift for comics and intelligent, yet accessible writing (my favorite: “The 12 Types of Medical Students” – google it sometime).  I suppose the blog provided a way for her to continue sharing this wit with the medical community and simultaneously keep her sanity amidst focused schooling.

As the tagline suggests, this book is a medical memoir of sorts, where Au details her journey through medical training (premedical to real job) and the “highs and lows” of attempting a work/life balance therein.  From the ridiculous to grotesque, hilarious to sobering, Au capably takes the reader through this story.

The book is extremely enjoyable, especially for the one going through this onerous, amazing, sometimes sadistic process of becoming a physician.  Though written more like a doc and less like a Pulitzer, Au is a great story-teller and has an impressive vocabulary that occasionally required a dictionary (well done, Wellesley scholar).

I highly recommend for anyone in medicine and for those who are traveling the journey with a medically-inclined loved one.   For everyone else, it is a fun, accessible rea d that will keep you laughing.

4/5 Stars (posted by Jordan)

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