September 2011

Left Neglected           
by: Lisa Genova                              
finished: Sept 11             
10 LOVED

This is the 2^nd novel of the author. She writes so well. She writes about parenting what we have all experienced. She is funny, and light, yet with a great story, great meaning great lessons. This book is about a woman how is a Harvard MBA, works 70 hours a week, has 3 children including a 9 month old. A husband that she loves who also works like crazy. They have a high moving, high cost lifestyle. While driving to work one rainy morning and trying to make  a phone call, she gets in an awful car accident and has a brain injury. When she wakes up a week later in the hospital, she feels fine, mostly. What she does not realize is that she can no longer recognize her left side, or the left side of anything. It is a syndrome called Left Neglect. This is one of my TOP books I’ve read this year. All read it!!

Unbroken                 

author: Laura Hillenbrand                      

finished: Sept 11          

8 Good  NF

NF story of an Olympic athlete in the 1936 games. One mile was his event. He was VERY good. Then he went to WW2, was a bomber, his plane crashed in the ocean, he was stranded for 27 or more days, captured by the Japanese, held for 2 ½ years; was tortured. Interesting to see what people have done for our country’s freedom. I am grateful I read it, but at times it was a bit boring and kind of like a history book. The man’s name is Louie Zamperini. Really, a very interesting man.

Heaven is for Real             

author: Todd Burpo                              

finished: Sept 11     

NF  7

I really wanted this to be good, but it was a little better than ok.  It is a true story of a Preacher and his family. The preacher had 3 hard medical issues, then his son had appendicitis that was not diagnosed and almost killed the boy. The boy was in the hospital for 3 weeks. While he was in surgery, he went to Heaven. The book is about the unveiling about that and all that he saw. Unsettling: angels have wings, the Preacher was amazed at the revelations of heaven. Like he had some faith that it existed, but was amazed when his son proved that Heaven really was.

The Other Wes Moore        

author: Wes Moore                                       

finshed: Sept 11  

NF  9

Two boys are born about the same time, same neighborhood. Both lost their fathers very early in their lifes. The 1^st Wes learned about the second when he read a story about his hold neighborhood and a robbery and shooting of a cop. One of the suspects was named Wes Moore. He began to wonder about that other Wes Moore and this is some of both their story. One went on to be a Rhodes Scholar, army, work for the government (Condalisa Rice). The other went on the sell drugs and end up  in jail for life. Interesting, thoughtful story.

The Buddha in the Attic              

author: Julie Otsuka                      

finished: Sept 11       

9

This book is like poetry, but it is not written in that style or rhyme. It just feels that every sentence matters and means something. No skip reading here. It is a small book, but very densely packed. It is about many Japanese women that were matched up with Japanese men in America. The women were in Japan and only got letters and pictures from there intended husbands. As it turned out, the pictures were very outdated and the offered descriptions were not true. The women thought they were marry bankers, or well to do men. In reality the men were farm workers and the women’s lives would be very hard. I was impressed by the women’s sense of sacrifice so their children could have a better life. It is an interesting story, told in a very poetic way. I believe it is historical fiction.

Miss Peregrine’s home for peculiar children   

author: Ransom Riggs      

finished: Sept 11  

REALLY LIKED   9

A grandfather and grandson are close. The Grandfather dies in a hard way. All are sad. The grandson in particular. The grandfather always told the grandson peculiar stories. The Grandson, (oh, I can’t remember his name! Let’s call him Carl), Carl and his father go to and Island by England to try and learn some of the Grandfather’s secrets of his life. I really enjoyed this book. VERY different. It has fantastic pictures. Please read and tell me how you liked it. It is off center, not your usual novel.

The Quickie                              

author: James Patterson                 

finished: Sept 11        

5

A woman believes her husband cheated on her. There relationship has not been good for awhile. A co-worker has been flirting with her, so she decided to call him over and see where it leads.