Jan 2020 Catch Up

Since my last post in 2015, I have read a few books, some on the original list, some not.

Here is the documented list of those that were read while I was not blogging any of the reviews or notes.

Read from 2015 to 2018.

Jane Eyre

Pride & Prejudice

No Country for Old Men

The Road

The Great Gatsby

To Kill a Mockingbird 

The Count of Monte Cristo 

The Adventures of Huck Finn

The Lord of the Rings

Ender’s Game

Animal Farm

Read in 2018

The Great Gatsby

Dune

To kill a mockingbird 

Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy 

Dracula

The Way of Men

Read in 2019

Start; Punch Fear in the Face

The Hobbit

7 habits of highly effective people

Nudge

White Fang

Casino Royale 

Start With Why

The Joy of minimalism

Frankenstein - Spotify 

The Fred Factor 

Iron John

Last of The Mohicans 

Tom Sawyer

I am not planning on posting reviews for any of these books, but would like to post reviews for those books going forward.

Book #35 Little Women

Little Women.

I read this book after I gave up on Anna Karenina, read The Great Gatsby, and before I read The Godfather.  So all in all, this books stands out as a bright shining light of wholesome goodness in a sea of selfishness, sin, disregard for human life, and violent villanry. I was not really paying attention when I selected this book to read in the middle of these others, but Wow! what a contrast.

The book opens with the struggles of a poor family of 4 sisters and a mother who are facing a cold Christmas while their father/husband is away serving in the American Civil War.  Each of the sisters have their own differences, but draw strength and support from one another.  As you progress through the book over several years, the transition of the sisters is inspiring and uplifting.  The 4 sisters are fairly evenly spaced in age between young girls and teenagers.  Each of them has a bit of "coming of age" about their individual development through the years covered in the book, despite the varied ages they are coming into.

This was a feel good book, you laugh, you cry, you connect with the family.

Jan 2020 - decision to post.  I will be re-reading this book before watching the recent film adaptation.

Book # The Godfather

Not to worry friends, I have already started my next book (Call of the Wild) for which I have not seen a related film.  That being said, this is another book that has had a movie made that very closely mirrors the plot and dialogue.  This is most likely because Mario Puzo the books author is also co-writer on the screenplay.

I don't really want to give away spoilers in my blogs, but I think it is time to add a little more meat to these posts, so if you plan on reading the book, please do.  I would recommend this book and thoroughly enjoyed it.  The great storytelling of Mario Puzo is moving, dramatic, surprising and enthralling.

Jan 2020- decision to post.  I still remember the thrill of this book and the fullness of the characters.

If you are even slightly interested, please give this book a read.

Book #2 The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby.

I listened to a full cast reading of this novel that was just fantastic.  It was very involving, dramatic, and sort of a time machine for me throwing me back into the 1920's.  For me, this novel/short story was very representative of how I picture the stereotypical 1920's.

I loved how this book only contained a handful of characters, but each one of them was a separate distinct personality and created interesting interactions with the others.  Also I was fascinated that each of the people involved had a secret second life.  Maybe even the story had two secret lives.  One that a warning against fast and loose living, one that reveled in it.  One tragic event, that I will not disclose, brings all the standard lives and secrets lives together, lets the pieces fall where they may.

This was a very quick read, easy to follow, probably one that could easily be re-read and possibly better appreciated the second go around.  I would highly recommend it and can tell why so many have this book in their top 50 and why it is considered a classic.

Book #17 Anna Karenia

I read the first of 8 or however many sections of this book before deciding I didn't want to complete the book.  I have no desire or need to lose myself in a romantic novel whose main characters are involved in an adulterous affair.

I will not be completing this book and I am open to suggestions for a replacement for my list of 50.

Book #20 The Count of Monte Cristo

So today is the day that I try to catch up on my blogging.  I am several months behind on posting this blog, but want to go ahead and write it so I can mark it off the list and move forward.  I am probably going to finish another book this week or next and I don't want to be 3 books behind, so here we go...


The Count of Monte Cristo, or what I can remember of it.  Let's do it this way to keep it simple, here are three things that are still with me months later and several books later.

1.  Dramatic timing.  The timing of the events in this book invoke feelings in the reader that sensationalize Edmund's life and actions.  One of the finest examples is the transition from a pre-wedding feast to abandonment in prison on a remote island in just a matter of a few pages.  Such great highs and hopes for a life of success as a newly named captain, contrasted against the instantaneous ruin of innocent imprisonment with no justice or knowledge of your crime.  This timing makes a great read.  Some other examples of fantastic dramatic timing are in the delay of the count's revenge.  He withholds his justified revenge for so long, it is like the constant sharpening of sword that will eventually bring his enemies down with the precision of a surgeon.  The last example of this dramatic timing that I want to give is of the revenge.  Each of the count's enemies receive their due in a swiftness of ruin that mirrors that of the imprisonment of Dantes.

 2. Precision.  The Count spends most of his time preparing just exactly what is needed to exact his revenge.  I can't remember exactly, but it is something like 10 to 15 years collecting evidence and people, building ships, buying things not for sale all to have a perfectly suited destruction for those who sent him to prison or restoration for those who showed him kindness.

3. Giant puzzle in a good way.  I usually don't like doing puzzles, but I do like when they have been completed.  After I finished the book and now reflecting on it, I have a new view to appreciate the construction of plot.  Each piece fits together so well into the next and into the picture as a whole, it is like a giant 1000 piece puzzle of a masterpiece.  Excellently crafted and despite being a longer book the plot doesn't drag and words aren't wasted.

Overall 10 out of 10.  It will be a while before I can circle back to reading this book, but I will read it again.

Book #7 Pride and Prejudice

Well, once again I haven't blogged in quite a while, but I am back. I recently discovered audiobooks on Spotify and will be taking every advantage I can to listen to books on my list of 50.  Listening to these books while driving is a quite economical use of my half hour commute. Not to mention keeping my mind engaged makes the drive seem much shorter.  Anyway, enough about reading and on with the book review.

This novel was quite enjoyable, I have seen the film (the one with Keira Knightley) several times as it is one of my wife's favorites.  As it seems to be a similar theme with the books on the list and my past experiences the book provides a much deeper richer perspective.  One of the finest examples of this deeper richer perspective is the ability to understand minor characters.  The younger Bennet sisters actually have personalities and effect on the plot.  In the movie, their effects may have been felt, but motives were not understood or too briefly addressed to be remembered.

The passion that Jane Austen brought to the novel is most undoubtedly why Pride and Prejudice is a classic.  The main story is the development of a romantic relationship (which seem to be rare in the marriages of others in the book) between a snobby rich man and a poor woman who seems to leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth after first encounter.  Several subplots of marriages, potential marriages, and various approvals and or disapprovals of said marriages and potential marriages help move Mr. Darcy and Ms. Bennet together.  These subplots expose their true character and desires to one another.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone looking for a romantic novel set in London in the 1800's.

Since finishing Pride and Prejudice I have also finished The Great Gastby.  Also I finished The Count of Monte Cristo before I started Pride and Prejudice, so I am behind on my blogs and will be working to catch up soon.

Thanks for reading,
RP