A Year of Good Reading and Tolerable Blogging Comes to a Close

I think I can safely say I have finished my last book of 2011.  Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad certainly had some warning signals for the Bookworm.  It was described as “intellectually stimulating” and won lots of awards, like the Pulitzer Prize. Though I love to purchase award winning books, I often find the books more about artful prose than story.  (Just like this blog, right?)

I am happy to report that I really enjoyed A Visit from the Goon Squad but still maintain my un-intellectual identity since I don’t understand where the title came from at all.  I was anxious to figure it out and was attuned to the few mentions of the word “goon” as I was reading, but am still clueless.  I would fail the test on this one but would have been proud to have at least finished the assignment.

I look forward to reading more of Egan’s books, but will do my best to pace myself on her collection rather than binge.  Not my strong suit.  Especially on New Years’ Eve…

Bookworm Struggles to Avoid Airport Complaint Temptations; Lashes Out On Reading Material Instead

What better time to read about family dysfunction and severe depression than over the holidays?  And who better to lend it than arguably the cheeriest person I know, Blog Mocker Erin? 

In Prozac Nation, author Elizabeth Wurtzel says “I felt sad” for 362 pages.  There are a lot of ways to describe that sentiment apparently.  I can’t relate to this book at all since I have never been depressed and usually reserve my crying for memoirs, the funeral scene in Love Actually and the results of my frequent bouts of clumsiness.

Arguably the most interesting part of this autobiography was Wurtzels’ reflections on the depression culture, as defined by the 6 million users of Prozac.  Versus, say, the seemingly endless descriptions of her college apartment.  Get a window.

I thought this book was interesting, but not for everyone.  Particularly not for the person who lent me this book and hasn’t read it yet.  Erin, you will not like this book.  I hope this 4 paragraph review and lengthy photo caption save you from reading this book, which for the record was in complete tatters even before I borrowed it.

Only 2.5 hours left at Gate 35A.  At least there are windows.

The most depressing copy of the most depressing book on depression.  Photo taken at Depression Headquarters – Reagan National Airport.  (Just kidding O’Hare, you’ll always be #1.)

Picasso Just Can’t Compare

During Christmas #1 in Virginia Beach with my family, a room full of Bookworms and my brother exchanged books, ate, drank and were generally merry.  Yes, there were plenty of non-book gifts (ahem, see modern classic below) but I have a feeling I will have plenty of good reading material to get me through.  At least until I return to work on Tuesday, January 3.

Bookworm continues to flaunt love for World's Best Dog Norman.
Granddad continues to read books by Condoleezza Rice.

Merry Christmas! 

I appreciate all the love, support and friendly teasing I get from my wonderful blog followers.  May your holidays be filled with family, books and alcohol.  And peace and whatnot.

Love, Bookworm

Possibly The Longest Post Yet; As Usual, Says Nothing

As an attentive blogger, I try to read the recommendations that come my way from readers.  Often it is an opportunity to berate my friends.

Kiley has been a Top Reader of this blog since the outset, and has been trading books with me for about 15 years.  When she recommends a book, I listen.  Unlike when I told Kiley to go to Vet school in 11^th grade and she didn’t listen. Instead she became a graphic designer and then went back to undergrad for science classes and then to Vet school.  But all of that effort was worth it and resulted in my household scoring 6 months worth of free flea medication for The World’s Best Dog (with the Worst Behavior) Norman.

As the better listener of the two of us, I read Kiley’s recommendation A Lucky Child: A Memoir of Surviving Auschwitz as a Young Boy by Thomas Buergenthal.  This was an easy pick for Kiley to recommend to this Bookworm, but a well told story that made me feel pretty bad during a weekend of indulgence. 

I have often wondered how memoirists remember as much as they do about their experiences.  Buergenthal was very clear about what he did and didn’t remember, which I appreciated.  I also liked that the book didn’t stop at liberation.  He described his immigration to America, and even some of the work he has done as an International Human Rights Big Wig.

I have read a lot of WW2 memoirs, leading Andrew to ask me this weekend if I was just reading the same book over and over.  This is interesting considering the source of the question watched the same episode of the Discovery Channel’s Alaska Gold Rush three times this weekend.  For the record, nothing happens on that show.

Recipient of free flea meds loves owner/soulmate.
Mom, this does not occur on any furniture.

Bookworm Can Always Find a Way to Alienate Dwindling Readership By Insulting Twilight

In true Bookworm fashion, as soon as I find a new writer I like I quickly overdose on their whole collection.  So as soon as I read the final, impressive sentence of Freedom by Jonathan Franzen I ran to my favorite local used bookstore to refuel on depressing reads.  Cue The Corrections.

My Official Review is:  It was fine.  Although it followed Franzen’s pattern – well developed, unlikeable characters – for some reason I didn’t love The Corrections.  This could be a classic case of overdosing on one writer too quickly.  Did I learn nothing from my Twilight series binge?

Of course I didn’t.  No one has ever learned anything from Twilight.

Believe It Or Not My Tweets Are Even Less Popular Than This Blog

I love reading a Big Thick Book (defined as 500+ pages) but it requires a tap dance to keep my fledgling readership happy.  As such, I thought I would recommend a fun gift idea for any Bookworms out there.

Just the Right Book is a cool program where Expert Book Readers pick out books based on your recipients book tastes.  (For me:  crying, poor people, true stories)  I think this is such a cool idea, though kinda pricey.  I tweeted about this last year, so I am surprised they still have the bandwidth to offer it again this year.  #sarcasm

Admittedly my awesome Beer of the Month Club membership is cooler, but I am a woman of many interests.  Is there a Dress of the Month Club?  Or Diamond Earrings of the Month Club?

It's fun and rewarding to join clubs.

Bookworm Faces Evening Without Words With Friends

Last night our power was out from about 7:30pm – 2:30am.  Right off the bat I will tell you I am still going to drink the egg nog that was in the fridge during this time.  Please suspend your judgment – I only get my beverage of choice 1 month of the year.  (No offense, Summer Shandy)

Needless to say the work I was planning to do from home was impossible without the Internet.  I also couldn’t play all the 7-letter words I had ready to roll for major points on Words With Friends.  Luckily my mother-in-law is the sole source of all candles and flashlights in our house, so we weren’t just sitting in total darkness.  Nope, we could read just like I used to in the third grade – with the lights off and a flashlight. 

Yes, I was supercool in elementary school obviously.  Between my book-reading and LA Gears, everyone wanted me on their kickball team.

I probably owned this sweatshirt in third grade.
It served me just as well then.  What a style maven!