The Historian

I just started reading Elizabeth Kostova's new book, The Historian. So far (40 pages in), this book is excellent & written in the tradition of Dracula by Bram Stoker rather than an Anne Rice-type vampire novel.

Very excited!! Will post full opinion after reading it in its entirety...

After finishing The Historian, I can say that I'd like to buy it even after having finished it! I'd checked it out from the library, but it's so good that I know I'll enjoy re-reading it! The suspense keeps building throughout the book and again, anyone who enjoyed Bram Stoker's style will enjoy Kostova's also. DO NOT let the length discourage you!

Very highly recommended for all vampire buffs and for those who enjoy reading classics and/or historical fiction.

The Stranger

A group of my friends and I decided to get together to discuss a few "serious" books and The Stranger by Albert Camus is the first book on our list. I'm not sure if I enjoyed The Stranger or not, however it has provided me with a LOT of food for thought. Incidentally, it's also the basis for The Cure's song, "Killing an Arab."

Recommended - for an hour to 2 hours to read, even if you dislike it, it gives you a lot to think about philosophically and spiritually. To me, that's time well spent.

My Wars Are Laid Away in Books

This book is a biography of Emily Dickinson. A very thorough biography. That being said, if you're interested in the growth of prominent literary figures, this would be a great biography to pick up. It is a slow read. I began this book for a free Barnes & Noble University course about Emily Dickinson and her poetry last October, read ax. 250 pages during the month-long course, and set the book down. Determined to finish during this course's July session, though! Despite being slow to read, the author presents a lot of background information and also points out topics of scholarly debate.

Highly Recommended for those interested in Ms. Dickinson. Recommended for the studious, but otherwise would recommend Connie Kirk's biography of Emily Dickinson, for those who just want the basics.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Wow. That's my first thought after reading this. Second, I know now why Angelou is famous for her writing. Rather than bring the book to any sense of conclusion (probably very frustrating to high school students reading it across the country as we speak), she instead gives the reader the feeling that change is not slowing down for her, but that that's all right. To borrow from a questionable source in relation to this book, there's a sense of "Tomorrow's another day." Throughout the book it's not the events or people in her life that seem to be the focus - it's her opinion and views of herself that are the subject. We as readers are most likely secondary to her literary quest. All in all, I am looking forward to reading the next segment of her autobiography to learn more about this fascinating icon of modern womanhood and black womanhood.

The Double Helix

This book was fantastic! I wasn't sure whether or not it would be hard to understand, but there was very little about the technical aspects of Watson & Crick's discovery of DNA's form. The book is a very quick read and I thought, very exciting. :) The book is written as a scientific memoir about how Watson & Crick made their Nobel Prize-winning discovery.

Excellent!!

Bridget Jones

Last week I finished reading Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason. Both this and Bridget Jones' Diary are very lighthearted & can be very amusing. I think Bridget Jones' Diary was especially funny to me because at the time I was single and many of Bridget's neuroses were mine as well. The Edge of Reason was much better than I believe the movie is (though I haven't seen the movie) because it's not a waffling situation - it's more of a comedy of errors.

Recommended fluff. :D