Reading Reviews- July 2013

With 100+ degree temperatures, what else is there to do except stay inside and read :)


The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

     I did not love reading this book, but I did love this book.  It is a beautiful story of how books are used to connect the author with his dying mother. Stories help them discuss some difficult issues.  It fed right into my love of reading and discussing books.  My major issue was he has led a very privileged life and that made it unrelatable to me (i.e. associations with Harvard on mentioned on every page, he read the Hobbit while his family was vacationing in Morocco, boarding school).
Verdict: Read and discuss book. Just maybe not this one hehe

Late Bloomers by Debra Eve

     The author puts together true stories of people, who found their niche after the age of 35.  My favorite story was of 71 year old Wu Ying who started a Hip Hop Grannies dance group. They are actually really good check it out Here!
Verdict:  The author publishes these stories as a blog at LateBloomer.com. If you are over 35, like myself, you can find some inspiration.

Farm City by Novella Carpenter

     "I have a farm on a dead-end street in the ghetto."  With that first line the author draws you into to her urban farming adventure. From veggies to honey bees to turkeys, ducks, rabbits and pigs, it is amazing what you can do with an empty lot in Oakland, Ca. I do admire her risk-taking and she pulls off some crazy plans.
Verdict: A story well-told and a look into what it is like to raise (and kill) your own food.

The Essential Urban Farmer by Novella Carpenter and Willow Rosenthal

     Unlike the free-spirited tale in Farm City, this provides a in-depth practical guide for starting an urban farm.  It starts with designing your farm, then crops and finally animals. The ultimate goal is to help you produce your own food in whatever space you have.
Verdict:  I see a container garden on my patio in the near future.

Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

     I read this book many years ago, but I just started listening to the Freakonomics podcasts so I wanted a re-read.  They discuss the material in the book a lot on the podcast, so it was not that interesting a read because I already knew what the data would show.
Verdict:  I like the podcast better.  The most recent podcast was called "Government Employees Gone Wild." Very amusing and you learn something.

Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin

     The first book in the Game of Thrones saga and I read it before. I said I didn't like it and didn't see what all the fuss was about? Then I watched Season I & II and liked that, so I gave the book a second read.  I love it! The TV show is very good, but I actually think the books are better. I really don't know what my problem was the first time around.  My theory is that in the first read, I was overwhelmed by all the characters, places and history. Once I saw the show, I had a much easier time enjoying the story, because I understood the context.
Verdict: The books are looooooong, but well worth the effort. They give much more detail and background than the show.  I will be reading the other 4 books (and watching Season 3, when it comes out).

A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin

     This is book 2 of Game of Thrones.  With much effort I read it in a day and a half.  Towards the end I started to skim it because it was bogged down with detail (and I saw Season II).
Verdict: Long but still worth the read

A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin

     Book 3 of Game of Thrones. It starts off very slow and is full of (unneccesary) detail, but about mid-way it turns into a roller coaster of happenings.  No character is "safe."  The author has no problem killing off main characters and the book leaves you wanting to read the next one!
Verdict: The last half of the book is very exciting!

Life after Life by Kate Atkinson

     The reviews on this book were very good, so I was excited to read it. I only got a few pages in and decided this was not my cup of tea. I found myself bored, even though the concept of the book was very interesting.
Verdict: Either you love it or don't get it. I didn't get why other people love it?