Judy

Interesting points of view on the Catholic clergy and child sexual abuse crimes that exploded during the last decade or so. The main narrator is the sister of a Catholic priest accused of inappropriate contact with a young boy, but the book also looks at the case through the priest's police-officer brother, the mother of the young boy, and the priest himself.

I felt sympathetic towards all the characters, so I thought the novel did a good job of making the reader aware that these abuse-by-clergy scandals have many different sides and painting any one person as the “villain” is simplistic.

“She had emigrated and now she lived so far away that only her thoughts could carry her back.”

I am loving this series of novels detailing the immigrant experience of Swedish settlers coming into Minnesota during the 1850s. It's obvious the author did extensive historical research to capture the lived experience of this family, and he was skilled in writing to connect the reader with the emotional aspect of the characters. The differences between how men and women tended to adapt to their new home in America is well-drawn, and there are lots of opportunities to compare what the emigrant/immigrant experience was like then with the way it might be now for others.

The writing feels more authentic and lyrical with it being translated from Swedish and I think it really added to my enjoyment of the novel. Book #3 is on the fast-track to my currently-reading pile.

This book just didn't stay with me like Bohjalian's books usually do. It started out strong, but fizzled about 1/2 way through.

While he allowed each character in the story to be a narrator for a time and excelled in creating personalities that rang true, by the middle of the story, I was bored. The intricacies of the legal arguments and all the dialogue between the lawyers just didn't strike me as interesting enough to follow.

An adequate attempt at bringing the real-life dressmaker to Mary Todd Lincoln into awareness, while also highlighting the historical events of the Civil War and later years.

After a strong start at introducing the reader to Elizabeth Keckley, the freed slave who is also a talented seamstress, the story seems to lag by the middle of the novel because more emphasis is placed on patching in the historical events, rather than developing Elizabeth's character and voice.

The author's other books in her Elm Creek Quilt series seem to be more successful at balancing the need for historical accuracy with developing the characters, but in this stand-alone novel, I felt rushed past the inner life of Elizabeth while various events took place–Mrs. Lincoln's histrionics about being denied a widow's pension, her schemes to “guilt” people into providing for her, Elizabeth's dealings with her memoir, etc.

This book was okay as a glimpse into Mary Todd Lincoln's personality and her historic presence in the White House, but I was disappointed by the story's turn towards a shallow list of events in the Civil War historical timeline.

A reflective book that describes how the lives of two very different women collide and change in an upper Midwest farming community of the early 1900s. I thought it was going to a pioneering story showing brave, fearless women on the plains—but I was wrong. More of a realistic portrayal of the ways people differ in the ways they approach life and the views of the world they adopt to justify their decisions.

Great little book that would make a fine addition to the syllabus of a high school or undergraduate science survey course. The author teaches this course, “Ignorance” at Columbia University and the book is an outline of the major topics students in the course examine in seminars and lectures from working scientists. (Do you want an “A” in a class called Ignorance or an “F”?)
Refreshing interviews and insights into the idea that science is doing its best work when it doesn't know the answers. Science is not a search and destroy mission of finding facts and ending uncertainty. The art of science is being humble about approaching the scientific process and allowing ignorance to become a creative spark and motivational force.

1 on my list of best books I've read in 2014. A life-transforming book that will inform my perceptions and values from now on.

Quick little read compiled from discussions in a capstone MBA class at the Harvard Business School. On the last day of class, the author asks the students to apply the theories they've studied to a special case–themselves. The discussion is framed around answering 3 questions:
How can I be sure that
*I will be successful and happy in my career
*My relationships with my spouse, my children, and my extended family and close friends become an enduring source of happiness
*I live a life of integrity

The theories the students have studied are attempts to predict what will happen to a company, but now the students discuss how these theories might guide their own decision-making about themselves to arrive at a successful, fulfilling life.

I appreciated the straightforward purpose of the book and the obvious depth of commitment and integrity the authors shared through their anecdotes and thoughts. Emphasizing that finding the likeness, commitment, and metrics you're going to use to measure your life is a process, not an end, also makes this book an uplifting and motivating addition to my personal development library.

Having known absolutely nothing about the Armenian genocide in 1915, this book shocked me. It reveals a story of inconceivable cruelty and dehumanization of an ethnic group, grounded in meticulous research of the author's own family. The author switches from several narrators experiencing the genocide firsthand, as well as the viewpoint of a family member in 2012, writing the previously unknown history of her Armenian grandparents.

Although many of the events are graphic and disturbing, I wasn't repelled by the book. The characters are so well-drawn and compelling that I wanted to keep reading and learn what happens to each one. My understanding of the Ottoman Empire, World War 1, and the whole Eurasian area under dispute then and now, has been widened by this story, and I'm adding some nonfiction accounts to my reading to satisfy my need to know more.

The book tells the story of three young Israeli girls who have graduated from high school and are preparing to enter their two-year military service in the Israel Defense Force. The remote Israel-Palestine border town where they live hasn't prepared them for the surreal and often bizarre experience of modern military life, especially when men and women train and serve together. The book switches between all three girls as narrators of their experience, making the book into a character study of each girl and their individual struggle to understand and assimilate their experiences.

The switching points-of-view and disjointed timeline of the plot, switching between past and present, makes the story difficult to follow at times and takes some effort to get into. But, life in the military with a multilayered bureaucracy and gender issues weighing in, is difficult to understand and often makes no sense or is simply ridiculous. Maybe this is why the 25-year-old author, who served in the IDF, knows what she is writing about and is adept at making that surreal quality a theme that drives the story.

I'd suggest this book to readers interested in a behind-the-scenes look at the IDF during the 2006 Lebanon war and how Israeli individuals might have experienced the conflicts. But, the book is more about the human consequences of war and prolonged conflict, rather than an accurate study of the event.

I've been a follower of Jason's podcasts for over a year and was so glad when he finally wrote a book that compiles so many of the personal and professional self-management tools he's shared in the past. I credit his book for a lot of positive habits I've introduced into my day recently, especially the habit of writing down the chatter and mental lists cycling in my head that used to cause me so much anxiety and overwhelm.

It's well-organized and has lots of actionable ideas to take away with just a little time spent reading. Nothing overwhelming or time-consuming, just some good ideas and encouragement to just try a few adjustments to what you do in a day.

Pretty creative application of research in both economics and neurobiology, two scientific fields that are generally separate from each other in terms of research questions and experimental models. The author makes the case that high testosterone drives a lot of the risky and/or intuitive leaps the financial trading floor is known for, and that introducing different rewards and motivations might be a step towards making the financial markets less volatile and more rational. While the book is centered on financial markets, the research the author explores has applications to many other environments.

If you're interested in how these two scientific fields might complement each other and possibly drive some public financial policy changes, this might be a book to read. But it is also an example of good scientific writing for anyone curious about our basic human need to be certain, even when it's impossible.

After getting hooked on the Downton Abbey series on PBS, I was motivated to search out the real story of the family, and this book is definitely a must-read for any fan of the show. Letters, diaries, newspaper stories, photos and other primary sources are all compiled to give a thorough picture of the Countess, her family and the disappearing years of Edwardian England.
My favorite aspect of the book was the description of Lady Almina's wartime efforts to create a long-term care hospital and rehabilitation center for wounded soldiers at the castle. Her methods of nursing soldiers and training nurses are instructive and relevant even today.
Even if you haven't seen the PBS series, you'll find this book an easy, enjoyable read.

Giving the author another chance to match or exceed her “Vampire Lestat” series, but I was left unsatisfied. I was pulled into the story pretty quick and relished the descriptive flow of action and character that Anne Rice is known for, but about 3/4 of the way through the book, I felt like I was reading a draft of something that could be much better. It felt like I was reading a draft outline of what she was planning on revealing through action and story, but she decided to tell it by having one or two characters discuss their backgrounds. Disappointing to me, but she obviously is setting the reader up for a new series with the man-wolf society.

Probably a good read for those who like paranormal stories in a more literary style, but not someone searching for one of the Lestat novels that you keep thinking about years later.

I was moved to begin reading this after I read an essay about the author written by his wife after his death from ALS at the age of 62. The book is a compilation/transcription of a series of conversations between the author and Timothy Snyder, each prominent historians, but of different generations. I consider it one of the top 5 books I've read this year. A challenging book to read if you're European history-challenged, like myself, but I could follow the line of reasoning and argument despite the unfamiliar territory.
The book follows Tony's development from his early years growing up in a Marxist family, through his experience with Zionism and his education as a French intellectual. The Cold War years through the fall of the Berlin Wall all contribute to his exploration of liberalism and social democracy ideas, and he has become well-known for his brilliant and, at times, controversial historical writing. He puts each period of his life into a context of what was happening politically, economically, and socially, then discusses with Snyder the questions he was seeking to answer at that time and where his answers led him. Snyder does the job of drawing out and getting clarification for these ideas, and we are treated to a real sense of two amazing minds playing off each other.

I'm glad I read this book just for the glimpse into what being a historian is like, the purpose of history and what's possible with good scholarship and writing. I'm also thrilled that I was introduced to both these authors, and they have other books for me to check out.

After watching the mini-series adaptation on NetFlix for this novel, I had to read the book and see how the two formats compared to each other. I'm already a big Margaret Atwood fan, so I knew I wouldn't be disappointed in her book. I felt there was the right amount of switching between different characters' points-of-view to tell the story well, yet keep you guessing as to the reliability of the character's words. Atwood also has a gift for inserting dry, deadpan humor in the story that makes you connect to the story, avoiding any hint of moralizing or preachiness about the way the world worked then...or the way it does now, especially around women's roles and attitudes toward them.

I usually end up liking a book much better than the movie, but I have to say that in this case, I got a lot out of watching the movie as well as reading the book. If you've only read the book, or only watched the movie, I would suggest you try the alternate version. I had a more enriching experience of the story as a whole through both mediums.

While I did give this book 2 stars for hooking me right into the story, after the first third of the book, I found myself rolling my eyes at some of the overwritten, hit-you-over-the-head “profound” connections she makes to events in her past history.

The last third of the book read like she was trying to make the book longer by adding a bunch of hazy off-trail experiences to match the time it took her to hike the last leg of the trail. It felt like I was reading a reality TV show, planned out to astound you with the senselessness of a person's thoughts and actions so you could maybe feel like at least you're not THAT bad.

I had higher expectations for the book as a whole, but at least I did find out about the Pacific Crest Trail–a trail system I had no idea about.

Can't believe it took me this long to get around to reading this classic novel by one of my favorite authors! It was unbelievable how Montag's thoughts about the noisy-ness of the world and life in general STILL is relevant and applies perfectly to our lives NOW. I think that is what floored me about this book. The TV wall-screens in the book that everybody is sucked into is the Internet of today!
I guess it's a downer to read this now and realize that everything the book (written in 1953) worries about for the future is happening now (or already has) or is in the process of happening.
Won't forget this book ever.

A very intricate plot, dribbling out information in the form of a journal/confession written by a captured British female pilot during WWII. The writer of the journal has been captured by the Nazis in occupied France and she is supposed to be writing down all she knows about the British war effort–codes, bases, etc. In defiance, she keeps writing about her friendship with another female pilot, how they came to be part of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, and just enough possibly relevant information that her SS torturers keep her alive rather than sending her off for “experimental uses” at the concentration camp in Ravensbruck.

Lots of plot twists and “a-ha” moments make you want to go back and read the book a second time as soon as you're finished, but the characters are developed enough that the conclusion still feels emotionally wrenching. I initially was hesitant to read this because it is labeled Young Adult. I'm not sure why this label was used because the themes and characters appeal to adults as well. From what I understand, it is being made into a movie.

The author has done a lot of research on these WAAF pilots and because she is a pilot herself, the flight mechanics and dialogue all ring true. A bibliography at the end gives you plenty of books to add to your TBR pile if you want to know more.

I've been reading this author's Elm Creek Quilts series since the beginning and have enjoyed the historical research combined with authentic, fascinating characters the majority of her books have highlighted. However, this last one just didn't measure up to her previous work. While the information about Prohibition and wine making in Northern California during the 1920s was pretty interesting, the characters were flat and the plot predictable and rushed. The whole idea of having quilts and quiltmaking as a thread binding the series together was broken with this one. I think quilts were mentioned once or twice, and there are references to quilts from other books, but it definitely wasn't strong enough to feel part of the theme.

I'd suggest people who have already been engaged with this series to read it, just for continuity, but skip it if this is might be your first acquaintance with the author's books.

Combining the magical themes of an old Russian fairy tale with the harsh realities of homesteading in the Alaskan wilderness in the 1920s, this novel manages to sweep the reader into the sights, sounds and feelings associated with the experience of snow and the other-worldliness a snowy landscape can evoke. The characters in this novel are wonderfully imagined and fulfill the job of moving the story forward despite a familiar plot. Although I knew this was inspired by a children's fairy tale, the story is told in a way that makes it universal. I found myself wrapped up in the theme of the significance of family and friends, how essential these aspects of life are especially when you are in survival mode.

Interesting portrait of six “average” people who decide to tackle the 2009 Ironman Triathalon in Arizona. Focusing on people who aren't actually athletes makes the whole idea seem do-able and I enjoyed the human interest aspect of the narrative.

I've read a lot of books on procrastination and improving personal productivity, so I was pretty skeptical of this book having anything new or surprising to reveal. But, I was wrong. What I appreciated about this book was the reassuring tone and the ideas for cultivating an attitude of self-compassion as a concrete step towards tackling your willpower challenges.

Since the book was developed from the author's wildly popular continuing education course at Standford, the format and progression of the chapters lends itself easily to planning your own “willpower challenge” project.

The pacing and unusual setting/time period for this story are the aspects of this story that really hooked me. Skilled use of description and dialogue created an absolutely believable world that stayed with me even when I closed the book. Hope the author continues to write more like this.

This book was a page-turner and the extensive research on setting, real people, and time period encouraged me to seek out primary sources to check the facts. If a work of fiction does that for me, I consider it a successful book.

However, the three-star rating comes from the conclusion that fell flat and disappointed me after spending so much time with the book.