A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller

A View from the Bridge: A Play in Two Acts by Arthur Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A terrifying and tragic play about family dynamics, immigration, law, and the denial of your own sins. I read and saw the play in 2010 when I was actually working on immigration law so I could relate to the aspect of how harsh the law is on both documented and undocumented immigrants.



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Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You know how a lot of humor books are just a little funny? Sedaris is no joke. This is so funny. It's even good on a reread. No matter how many times I read the Halloween scene, I always laugh. It's so great.

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Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I think it's the perfect novel. The perfect sermon. The perfect prayer.

“These people who can see right through you never quite do you justice, because they never give you credit for the effort you’re making to be better than you actually are, which is difficult and well meant and deserving of some little notice.” ― Marilynne Robinson, Gilead

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Have Space Suit—Will Travel by Robert A. Heinlein

Have Space Suit—Will Travel by Robert A. Heinlein
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a cute children's book, and is a better, earlier version of A Wrinkle In Time." This is the kind of book I'd be excited to see my kids reading. That said, as a kid, I didn't actually enjoy it much (and I did enjoy A Wrinkle in Time). So maybe it's a children's book for adults?

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Marked by P.C. Cast

Marked by P.C. Cast
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Kind of trite and silly but definitely entertaining if you like vampire or magic books. The main character is really judgy about drinking, drugs, and sex, which is annoying, but to be fair, a lot of teenagers are, and it might make this book more appropriate for younger teens. Extremely difficult to rate because there was nothing either very good about or anything particularly objectionable. 2 stars? 3 stars?

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Authors Beginning with C

As I explained in a previous post, I'm finally dealing with the hundreds of books I took home when Dad passed away by going through them by author last name. Dad's books by authors beginning with the letter C.... not a lot of stuff I'm super excited about here.

These are the ones I decided to keep- fiction and nonfiction mixed...

This is the "no" pile.

Kevin and Ericka's previously owned fiction*

Kevin and Ericka's previously owned fiction (cont.)


Kevin and Ericka's previously owned non-fiction


My e-books, all free fiction in this case.

Any arguments in favor of some of the ones we're donating? Would you like one of those? Or against any of the ones I'm keeping?


*I left out Kevin's poetry books because he keeps those on a separate shelf and I don't want to disturb their order. Maybe I'll do an extra post about the poetry at the end.

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really like the concept of using poetry to tell this story and works perfectly. The feelings the main character Josh expresses are very relatable young adult feelings.

My only complaint was that the very short story decides to deal with a major life issue and that seems too big for this smaller narrative. I would have enjoyed this more if the author had just remained focused on the feelings and coming of age story of the twin brothers.

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Reading Resolutions 2015

I didn't read quite as many as I'd hoped last year, but in my defense I had a baby! Here's my shorter reading wish list for 2015:

• Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (started)
• Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates
• Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munroe 
• Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
• The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Also fun reads (bonus):

• the rest of Game of Thrones 4-6 
• the third Magicians 
• Enders Game 

The Big Short by Michael Lewis

The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is fascinating and depressing and enraging in equal parts and everyone in America should read it.

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