TeacherDad -- 75 in 2010

I went for 50 in 2008, and ended up with 81 (a nice long summer vacation helped the total along); same goal in '09 but a much lower result -- 51 (student teaching and MA courses)... so what can happen in "TwentyTen" ? Is 75 possible? Is 100 out of reach?

I read a lot of children's/YA that I keep track of and comment on a blog here, and I am always appreciative of suggestions and recommendations!

Welcome!

Not a lot of work for substitutes + no more night courses or football (coaching and watching) = lots of time for reading...

#1 The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski (loved it, 5 stars!)

#2 East, West -- short stories by Salman Rushdie

#3 Ben, in the World by Doris Lessing (never read her before last year, but she quickly jumped to the upper numbers on my all-time faves list)

#4 Road Dogs by Elmore Leonard (a quick, almost "guilty pleasure" author/read for me, I can always count on him)

#5 The Girl Who Could Fly and #6 By The Great Horn Spoon -- juvenile fiction

#7 You Shall Know Our Velocity by Dave Eggers

Welcome Joel
I enjoyed my visit to your weblog.
Anita

Welcome to the group!

Ug. Hate being sick, but the necessity of rest does help with the stack of books on the nightstand:

#8 Eating The Dinosaur essays/stuff by Chuck Klosterman

#9 Caught Stealing by Charlie Huston (a Gen X Elmore Leonard?)

#10 The Time Travelers -- 4 older SF short stories

plus a few pages here and there in Churchill, a few more chapters in Outcasts United, and every magazine & comic within reach...

oh, and Thank You for the Welcomes!

Hi there...also loved Edgar Sawtelle. In fact, just sang his praises on my thread a bit ago (Donna Reads and Reads).

I haven't heard of the Velocity book by Dave Eggers, but sure did have high esteem for his What is the What and Zeitoun.

#11 Born On A Blue Day by Daniel Tammet -- an autobiography by an autistic savant with epilepsy and Asperger's. Quite a lot to overcome, but Tammet had great family support and is able to function productively on his own and help/inspire others. Interesting how he "sees" numbers with shapes, colors, and textures and is able to memorize pi to thousands of places. Unfortunately, a bit of a boring read.

Speaking of numbers, just realized I've forgotten to number the books I've read so far...

#10: I thought Born on a Blue Day was interesting - wonderful supportive family considering there were multiple autistic children, but not terribly well-written.

I was wondering if Born on a Blue day was going to be Boy Called It-like, but thank goodness his parents liked children (what did they end up with -- 10???)...

Hi and welcome! What did you think of Eating the Dinosaur? It's been on my list.

#12 Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy -- juv fic, Newbery Honor

a good story, challenging with lots of unhappy endings, but recommended for higher readers; touches on racism, religion, standing up for your beliefs, and puppy love. And clams.

#13: I liked Eating The Dinosaur -- a little grumpier than some of his others, with some strange/funny interludes, but definitely worthwhile!

# 13 Outcasts United -- a coach and her team of refugee soccer players

#15: Did you like that one? I had it home from the library once but never had a chance to read it before it was due back.

My copy was due back a few days ago, so I owe $1 or so on it, but it was worth finishing -- as a youth sports coach I appreciated the struggles and victories of the teams, but it's the stories of the families' experiences, both back in their native countries and when they settle in the U.S., that were the most interesting.
I'd say 3.5 out of 5 stars...

Thanks for the input, Joel. Sounds like I need to recheck it out.

# 14 It's Only A Game -- humorous biography by quarterback/analyst Terry Bradshaw...

# 15 Kira-Kira -- (YA) Another sad story where someone dies; I need to grab a few Wimpy Kid Diaries next to break the trend and keep me out of depression!

#19: I will have to look for the Bradshaw book. I grew up being a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan: Rocky Bleier, Mean Joe Green, Franco Harris . . . Thanks for the recommendation, Joel.

waiting for The Wife to get out of a did-she-really-say-3-hour-long? hairdresser class got me a bit of sunburn and 2 more books:

# 16 Losing Joe's Place YA

# 17 The Power of Nonviolence essays about/for peace

The Power of Nonviolence looks great. Adding it to the Wishlist.

Hi TeacherDad, great to meet another substitute teacher, here in South Australia we are called Temporary Relief Teachers, or TRT's. Quiet time of year for me too, so lots of reading time. The Power of Nonviolence looks interesting, thanks. Cheers !

Hi Oz! I'm working for 3 different school districts, each with a different title for us: Substitute, Visiting Teacher, Guest Teacher. As the old joke (sort of) goes, I don't care what you call me, just don't call me late for work!

# 18 Singing My Him Song by Malachy McCourt -- part 2 of the Irish actor/bartender/brother of Frank's autobiography; a little disjointed time- and subject-wise in places, thoughts tend to just appear or end for no reason, but still entertaining and thought-provoking...

Like the sound of 'guest teacher' !
Speaking of ya fiction I read The Remarkable Secret of Aurelie Bonhoffen, by Debora Abela, Australian writer who gave a talk at a school I was at, enjoyed it and students whom I have recommended it to also enjoyed it. Have you read any David Almond ?, a great English writer, I recommend Skellig, Heaven Eyes, and Clay.
Cheers.

Thanks -- more to add to the wish list!

# 19 Tangerine -- YA genre mash-up (creepy spooky? sports? coming of age? dysfunctional family? race/class? citrus grower how-to?) that sucked me in from the beginning and made me read it, and enjoy it, all in one day.

#28: My local library has that one and as the reviews intrigue me, I will give it a go. Thanks for the recommendation.

Tangerine sounds good TeacherDad, will try it, thanks.

Don't know if I should count this one as 1/2 or even bother. I could finish it in less than another hour, but that's 40 minutes of my life I can never get back...

Actually, that's too harsh, it wasn't that bad: Winters' Tales by comedian/actor(Mork's son) Jonathan Winters -- very, very short stories, some twisted, some macabre, some from an animal's pov, some just plain dumb.
I read a bunch hoping they would improve, but it appears the "best" are all towards the front cover and it goes downhill from there...

I think I will pass on Winters' Tales. It does not sound at all appealing to me.

I hope your next read is better!

Never cared for Jonathan Winters anyway. I find him a tad creepy, and not in a marvelous Tim Burton sort of way.

Not that I know anything about him, but I wouldn't have been surprised if he had a hidden dark & creepy side... I closed the book, no second chances, and have moved on to John the Revelator, an Irish coming-of-age with religious spookiness...

# 20 John the Revelator -- Irish coming-of-age with lots of religion; interesting since I'm also reading Joyce's Portrait of an Artist... This one has the modern touches of sex and violence, and a lot of crow (as in the big black bird) dreams/imagery/symbolism, which I don't always catch. But still good, very touching mother & son relationship and a powerful ending...

# 21 The Cub Scout Handbook -- Son #3 has become a Cub Scout, and as an "Akela" I need to know the salutes, pledges, and how to tie a barnacle knot...

#35: I will have to give that one a try. Thanks for the recommendation, Joel.

"as an "Akela" I need to know the salutes, pledges, and how to tie a barnacle knot..." Good for you. I just attended a Blue and Gold ceremony a couple weeks ago, at which my husband and his mother were honored for being in on the beginning of a Troop 50 years ago---he as an adorable little wolf cub, and she as a founding "den mother" (a term which I understand has fallen out of favor these days.) It was fun to watch the Akela doing his thing.

# 22 Unseen Academicals Not the out loud chuckle-est Pratchett book I've read, but very clever and entertaining, and while it's about that other "football", brought to mind Teddy Roosevelt's efforts to clean up or eliminate all together our dangerous national sport...

>37 laytonwoman3rd: They're all "Den Leaders" now, moms and dads all lumped together... I remember den meetings at our house 30+ years ago with my mom trying to corral a dozen wild scouts!

>38 TeacherDad:: I remember...my mom trying to corral a dozen wild scouts!

I'm glad those days are in my past, but there are some good memories. I recently found my oldest son's Cub Scout Handbook. I think it means more to me than to him so I'll keep it for awhile.

2, I went for 50 in 2008, and ended up with 81

I did the exact same thing in 2009. =D

I won't come close to those numbers with my new addiction taking over reading time:

http://www.ustream.tv/theowlbox#more

eating rats, fuzzy babies, and now the new Discovery "Life" series... my books may get dusty!

#41: I could very easily get addicted to watching the owl!

# 23 The James Boys: A Novel Account of Four Desperate Brothers -- so who knew outlaws Frank James & Jesse James* were related to psychologist William James and author Henry James??? What a set of famous siblings!

Funny story mixing history and fiction, outlaw violence with French literature with nascent psychology (and some words I had to look up)...

*not sure who these will actually connect to...

# 24 Can I Keep My Jersey? -- the diary & observations of a true journeyman professional athlete; some of the itinerary/workout detail gets boring, but his take is definitely different from most sports bios, and his reactions to the mix of religion and mega-millionaire athletes are pretty funny...

This isn't the book I had started for the week, but I had to abandon Stephen King's Gunslinger, reluctantly and disappointingly, after the story's hero killed 39 men, women, and children in a single chapter. That chapter, along with the movie 2012, pushed me well over my lifetime violence quotient and into a rambling, confused rant... In essence, I'm boycotting violence.

#44: Can I Keep My Jersey? looks like one I would enjoy. Thanks for the recommendation, Joel.

BTW: Thanks to you, I am totally hooked on Molly and Magee. I appreciate you passing that link along.

Glad you enjoy the owls! I'm trying to ween myself from obsessive viewing, and wondering if Molly's treatment of the rats breaks my anti-violence vow (of which i keep messing up the link)

#46: I do not think in Molly's case it counts as violence since for her it is a matter of survival - after all, she and the owlets have to eat and they are carnivores. In the case of 39 men, women and children being butchered in a single chapter, I do not think survival is the key.

# 25 -- actually 3 books, but like m&m's you can't count each one 'cause they're small: Ribsy and Ramona and Her Father by the great (and soon to be 94!) Beverly Cleary, and 1947 Newbery Medal winner Miss Hickory.

#48: I was never a big Ramona fan as a kid, but I loved Ribsy as well as Cleary's The Mouse and the Motorcycle.

# 26 Pigtopia -- Frankenstein raises pigs and makes friends with the little girl, only to see it all come to a grisly end. Sort of. This sweet but tragic story is told from two pov's, the lonely teenage girl that befriends the neighborhood "freak" and the scared, abused man. First chapter was hard to read, a la Faulkner's Benjy, but then the girl's voice balances the confusion; despite knowing there had to be an unhappy ending, the finish still surprised me. Recommended, 4/5 stars.

# 27 Things Not Seen (Juvenile Fiction/YA) Invisible Man story, with the unseen hero being a sarcastic (as a parent I'd say rude) teen boy who wakes up invisible. Interesting, with cute love story angle.

# 28 Crash another JuvFic, started while on a sub job several weeks ago (when they read I read); selfish ego-driven bully jock picks on new hippie Quaker vegan neighbor, until his grandfather has a stroke and the meaning of life begins to wake the boy up.

HEY!! Hi there.. found and starred.

Back at ya mckait! :)

# 29 Diary of a Bad Year -- surprisingly, my first Coetzee, and not one most people would recommend to start with... part commentary, part novel that really adds up to a short story, written in sections that divide up the page and can be somewhat confusing. But worth it in the end.

Speaking of J.M. Coetzee what is his best/what should I "start" with?

#54: I liked his The Life and Times of Michael K that won the Booker Prize several years ago. To date, that is the only one of his I have actually read.

Thanks, I'll see if the library has that one today. Finishing up People of the Book, which isn't thrilling me but I'll stick with it another chapter or two...

#56: Sorry you are not enjoying People of the Book more. It was one of my favorites a couple years back. Oh well, not every book is for every body.

I'm liking the past chapters more than the modern chapters; maybe it's a gender thing? I'm not giving up on it...

No, it's not a gender thing. I thought the modern story was forced and just put in there to tie the rest together. I don't think you'd miss a thing if you skipped those parts.

# 30 it took a while to finish but People of the Book is finally on the list; liked it but didn't love it, the modern stuff seemed way too Dan Brown-ish and the history part just wasn't meaty/deep enough for me...

Now to finish the stack of folktale books I've read intermittently over the past few weeks, and maybe possibly finally start The Book Thief ?

The Book Thief is excellent. I hope you like it, Joel!

just found your thread. I note that you read YA. Another LT member (Anita) started me on this journey. I find that YA books pack a whallop and some are filled with incredible journeys.

Whisper, I try to balance/bounce back and forth between adult and YA/juvenile, I seem to go on jags in one direction then swing back to the other side for awhile...

I've had Book Thief on the nightstand, the desk, even the backpack for over a year, not sure why I haven't gotten to it yet...

If find that some books do sort of remain in my peripheral vision but once I take it in hand and dive in I realize that it was just waiting patiently for me to start and I'm glad I finally did. Give it 20 pages and see if you aren't grabbed by it.

Isn't that funny? How some books are on your radar but just never in your hand? I have had that happen plenty of times.

I am not exactly in a reading funk... but I am having a bit of trouble settling on a fresh read. I know what I should read next but....

Funny thing, I still haven't started it! Got caught up in Cold which is interesting but I can't read too long w/out shivering, as well as still working on the folktales...

# 31 Freak the Mighty (juv.) The story of two outcasts teaming up to save maidens and go on quests... involves dictionaries, bionic bodies, bullies, grandparents, and fathers in prison for murder. I really enjoyed the book, in no small part to the "live audiobook" version for the first 1/2 of the book: my son read it aloud from the back seat as we ran errands one day.

I do want to check and see which came first, this book or Irving's Prayer for Owen Meany, there are some similarities...

p.s. I actually did start Book Thief! So far so good...

#67: Freak the Mighty sounds too good to pass up. I will have to look for a copy.

Congrats on finally starting The Book Thief. I hope you like it!

# 32 The Book Thief One of those "wish I'd read this a long time ago so I could have just read it again" books -- sad, sweet, important story of a little German girl and her family during WWII. Highly recommended.

#69: If you are of a mind to read more of Markus Zusak's books, I would recommend I Am the Messenger, although it is definitely more of a young adult bent.

I am glad you enjoyed The Book Thief, one of my top reads a few years back.

Messenger is the book that led me to Book Thief, I need to find something else he's done -- anything new?

Not that I know of, sorry!

#71: Zusak wrote three great YA books about the Wolfe brothers which I thought were excellent. The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, and When Dogs Cry. Nothing new yet, but there might be a new YA by the end of the year. Bridge of Clay is a teen novel by Australian author Markus Zusak, to be published by Doubleday and released on February 3, 2011

Another book about the Wolfes is called Getting the Girl which I have not read.

I saw the Getting the Girl at the bookstore today, shopping for my soon to be 16 yr old, but didn't have time to "test read" much... thanks for the ideas!

# 33 My Last Skirt (juv) ...no, it's not about a guy on a wild night before getting married. Fictionalized true story of a "petticoat soldier" during the Civil War -- she becomes he to get higher paying work, one thing leads to another and she's in the Battle of Vicksburg. Touches on immigration, war, women's rights. Well done.

This may be more fancy than functional, but it's fun to play with:

http://bluerectangle.com/book_reviews/book_review/bookulating_Suggest-O-Mometer/...

every bookstore needs one!

Wow. That was fun!

I just found your post. I'm also a teacher, and also trying to balance some YA with adult reads. I just picked up The Book Thief from the bookstore last weekend, so it's near the top of my TBR pile. I've heard nothing but good things about it so far.

I agree - that was fun! I am going to post it over in the Kitchen.

A lot of children's/YA lately: The Black Pearl, Skulduggery Pleasant, Sarah Bishop, Honus and Me, The Magician's Elephant, and the latest Newbery When You Reach Me... plus The Duel, a Lincoln/Kennedy-type comparison of Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton

I really enjoyed When You Reach Me being a huge Wrinkle in Time fan. I hope you like it too, Joel.

I have had The Magician's Elephant in the BlackHole for a while now, so I will be interested in seeing what you think of that one.

Hi, I wonder why I am put off by the label YA!? I think I expect the books to be simpler in plot or character but they dont seem to be at all. I 'accidentally' read one a while ago and was surprised when I found out it was classed as Young Adult.

The 10 pm Question by NZ author Kate deGoldi was a great story written from the perspective of a pre-teen boy with a few worried thoughts going around in his head. It's great to get inside the head of a kid again!

How did you like Skulduggery Pleasant, I read it recently as I went to an evening with Derek Landy who was quite funny. Apparently the books get darker as the series progresses, but I have to say he has very dedicated and passionate fans out there.
I thought it was OK, I prefer Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl books, but will get round to reading the next couple in the series.
I wasn't that taken with The Magician's Elephant, I thought it was a children's book that would appeal more to adults than children.

#74 Zusak's Getting the Girl is the US title of When Dogs Cry.
#82 Megan - The 10pm Question is a good read. I did wonder when I read it if it appeals more to adults than teens though.

I'm finding a lot of children's books have a much older appeal/sensibility than how they are categorized; many Newbery winners are of no interest to most readers below a YA reading level, and YA's are written to attract adults as well.

I thought the potential in Skulduggery, especially character development-wise, was not met by the video game violent result... imho; for some reason I have not read any Artemis Fowl, except graphic novels.

# 34 The Alchemyst I went against my policy of not reading books that are part of never-ending series; Son #2 read 3 or 4 of them in a week, so to free myself of his constant badgering... it's nothing special, but I do like the historical/mythological references.

Somehow May became Juv/YA book month, but for June I am becoming an adult again: picked up several Thurber volumes, and Steinbeck's Moon Is Down is on the nightstand.

#85: I hope you like The Moon is Down, Joel!

I'm sure I will; I'm sure I've read it before, being a big Steinbeck fan and getting the book 20+ years ago from "The One I Let Get Away"

# 35 the first book to make me mad in a long time... in fact, possibly the only book to ever make me mad: A People's History of American Empire, the graphic novel-ized version of Prof Howard Zinn's history of U.S. wars (and the money/power grubbing bastards that cause them). Especially conflicting to read over Memorial Day weekend.

#88: I think it is safe to say that I will be skipping that one!

# 35 Raising the Perfect Child Through Guilt and Manipulation -- humor and parenting advice (definitely need humor when parenting!), many laugh out louds, and I appreciate the "keep your kids nerds so they won't get in trouble" angle...

That was my one step away from the kid's lit zone I seem to be in: Zia (Island of Blue Dolphin's sequel), Max the Mighty (Freak the Mighty's sequel), and the wonderful The Wednesday Wars, which I'm going to count as book #36... seems like there was one more in there, but can't think of it now. I haven't even added these to my book blog, just a tad behind...

Glad you liked The Wednesday Wars, Joel. I really did too.

I have Freak the Mighty home from the library now. Thanks for the heads up about the sequel.

None of these are technically "finished" yet, and one probably never will be, but wanted to get them listed so i don't forget them in my flurry/frenzy reading them all so I can start my father's day gift -- I have 1 week before I can act surprised and start The Passage...

Travels With Charley, American Nerd, American Taliban, The Thurber Letters -- so what am I doing typing instead of reading???

# 37 is from one of my Top 5 Authors of All-Time: John Steinbeck and Travels With Charley... pub'ed in '62 I thought it might be dated, but I found it very timely and interesting as he traveled the US and commented on telephones, urban sprawl, race relations, and of course dogs. He even has some nice words about hairdressers which I have printed up for The Wife.

Found 3 more started but unfinished books in the stack: Heidegger and A Hippo Walk Through Those Pearly Gates, Mine Eyes Have Seen, and Shades of Grey... no wonder I always owe the Library $$$

#93: Travels with Charley was the first Steinbeck I ever read. I really enjoyed it too.

# 38 just what I needed, a little philosophy to get me thinking about death before falling asleep: Heidegger and a Hippo... is a humorous (mostly) look at death, afterlife, and the reason we're all here. Not too heavy, lots of ideas.

# 39 this is the one I didn't think I'd finish, several times, and now wish I didn't* -- American Taliban, a book I didn't like in the beginning because it seemed pretentious and superficial in listing all the high end shops, restaurants, brand names, etc, in the characters' lives, didn't like in the middle because it turned "Brokeback Muslim" on me, and didn't like in the end because it abandoned the main character... hmm, can you tell I didn't like it?

*why do I feel guilty when I trash a book? why do I think the author is going to knock on my door and pop me in the nose?

# 40 American Nerd a study and memoir of the D&D/RennFaire/socially inept... some humor, some boring, overall a quality book.

#96: I think I will skip that one!

#97: I will have to see if the local library has that one. It sounds like something I might like.

>96 TeacherDad:, I know! I feel guilty for trashing a book too (not that you actually trashed it). My lowest star rating is about a 2 because I feel that if the author managed to get it published and actually WROTE a book, they deserve some stars!

I definitely give them respect for writing and publishing, that's why I may stick with a so-so book longer than I should; usually I can find something of value, even if I just skim through and don't finish a book.

# 41 Knots in My Yo-Yo String, the autobiography of Maniac Magee and Stargirl author Jerry Spinelli, written for a younger audience but full of a lot of familiar themes to someone who's heard my dad's childhood stories -- same age, same cowboy heroes, same neighborhood stories...

# 42 Actually, I didn't read the entire book, but since it's an appendix shy of 1000 pages and I've read parts of two other Thurber collections in the past 6 weeks, I'm counting it -- Thurber: Writings and Drawings. Favorite part is his retelling of famous fables, ending in morals such as "Early to rise and early to bed makes a male healthy and wealthy and dead."

#102: I love Thurber, so I am going to have to look for that one.

# 43 The Passage -- I love a book that makes me think about it constantly, bordering on obsessively, like a new pint of Ben & Jerry's calling from the freezer, as I go about my daily routine, a book that makes me glance over at the clock on the nightstand and say "12:05? Really? I gotta work tomorrow" then read ten more pages...

More creepy-creature/action-adventure than anything, it's also "The Road with vampires" as I saw in one review; also owes a lot to I Am Legend (book and movie) and World War Z.

4 out of 5 stars

#104: I'm getting a little behind on my vampire/horror reading but this sounds like one I should try. And I love Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia so am 'lucky' it's unavailable here and I only get to have it once or twice every few years.

I wanted to thank you for your earlier recommendation of Freak the Mighty, Joel. I loved the book.

>104 TeacherDad: Sounds like one for the wishlist! I love good vampire fiction that has nothing to do with Twilight.
Happy summer reading!

No sparkling or teen angst in The Passage (but a tiny bit of romance)...

You're welcome Stacia, now on to the sequel!

#108: There's a sequel?! Running off to see what it is called and if the library has it . . .

# 44 back to children's lit for a bit, starting with Is It Night or Day?, the story of a Jewish German girl sent to live in America before WWII breaks out. Very well done, captures the uncertainty and resiliency of childhood and presents a different side of lives impacted by the Holocaust. Not an overly cheerful book, but good use of baseball and the great Hank Greenberg to help ease the loss of family and homeland. The author has a nice website as well.

#110: I just put that one in the BlackHole the other day when someone else mentioned it. I really must locate a copy.

# 45 Revenge of the Teacher's Pet ...a strange little book, not one I'd highly recommend without knowing the person? Very funny in places, yet off in others; a story of 2 teachers with issues finding each other and finding love.

One of the teachers constantly makes lists, which now has me obsessed with lists ( http://quitmyjob-nowwhat.blogspot.com/search/label/Lists ) -- I've gone through several post-it pads, but i don't think I'm going to type them up and organize in binders as she did...

#112: i don't think I'm going to type them up and organize in binders as she did...

For some reason that just strikes me being way over the top :)

The Road with Vampires?

I don't agree but maybe that is because I really liked The Passage and really disliked The Road.

It isn't often that I think about characters in a book after I am finished with the book. The Sparrow is one where years after my latest re-read I think of the people, the Three Pines novels by Louise Penny, but that is different...

Anyway, I suspect that The Passage will be such a book.

I keep thinking of Wolgast, and not just as a what happened to him? book character but with empathy and personal curiosity... that ending got him under my skin!

# 46 juv. steampunk adventure -- Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld 4.5 stars! Very cool blend of history (Europe at the start of WWI), technology (8 legged tanks), and fantasy (DNA blend created animals). My only complaint is the usual: with only 1/4" left to read I realize there is no way to adequately wrap up the story, so this must be part of another %$#@* multi-book series!!!

I just finished Leviathan yesterday, and realised that there would be very little resolution of the story as well. I don't mind too much, but for the younger audience it is a bit of a wait!
You might like to look out for Oisin McGann's steampunkish Ancient Appetites, it's the first in a trilogy but at least has a conclusive ending not to mention the engimals.

#116: The good news about Leviathan is that the follow up book, Behemoth, is due out in October, so the wait is not overlong.

October's not that far away... in the meantime we'll check out Ancient Appetites, thanks!

# 47 another juv/YA, The Last Book In The Universe -- dystopian future action/adventure, very interesting.

Agree re: wolgast. Amy, too. .. Most of them!

#120: I will have to check that one out! Thanks for the mention, Joel.

That does look interesting! Added to the wishlist, thanks.

# 48 a tough read but well worth it: Push. Interesting and inspiring to read it along with Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire.

Also read a few of Michelle Torrey's Doyle and Fossey, Science Detectives books -- great for the classroom and inquisitive children! Humor, mystery, science facts and cool experiments to try... what could be better than that? I "assigned" a couple to some of the neighborhood kids for summer reading and to get their opinions.

# 49 oooh, whatta good book: The Keep by Jennifer Egan. Part gothic spooky, romantic in a way, mysterious... 4/5 stars!

#125: I will have to look for that one, Joel. Thanks for the recommendation!

# 50: Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire -- this must be fiction, right? The guy is super-teacher, working from 6 to 6 daily and his 5th graders learn Shakespeare and baseball and visit the Smithsonian play in a band and, and, and...! On one hand inspiring, on the other depressing -- how am I supposed to compete with that?

http://www.hobartshakespeareans.org/ourclass_welcome.php

# 51 : Cooperstown Confidential ...not a celebration of the Hall's heroes, but a look at the rouges, racists, and rapscallions, plus debate on whether our current generation of HGH users are all that different from past eras. Interesting.

Congratulations on passing 50 books, Joel!

I will look for Cooperstown Confidential as I am a big baseball fan.

started but gave up on Infinite Jest -- not the book's fault, I feel guilty and unworthy, a failure as a reader, but at 1000+ pages and more literary than I can handle during the busy summer, I just had to let go... I'll be back to try again some day.

#130: I have not tried that one yet, but I know what you mean about having to let a book go.

I hope your next read is a better one for you, Joel.

# 52 The Unnamed... good poolside read: a little strange, a little humor, a little romantic. A man possessed with the uncontrollable urge to simply walk. And walk, and walk, and walk...

# 53 Time for a juv lit spree, starting with Here Be Monsters! and Blubber...

#133: I have no problem with juv lit sprees :) Bring it on!

# 54a*: Blubber -- bullying in juv lit
# 54b*: Kenny and the Dragon -- non-violence in juv lit
# 55: Deconstructing Penguins -- how to read juv lit
# 56: Under the Covers and Between the Sheets -- no, not bedroom advice or erotic tales, but short info/trivia about authors and books; nothing really new, but interesting
# 57: Remarkable Creatures -- the discoverers of fossils, early man, DNA details, etc; clear, interesting writing, focus on the people and the science is very understandable
# 58: The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man first published in 1912, historical fictional about a light skin African-American going back and forth South/North and black/white

I don't like being unemployed, but it's easier to deal with when my toes are in the sand on a beautiful summer day...

*"take two, they're small" -- doesn't feel right counting these each as a whole book.

#135: The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man is a book I mean to get to one of these centuries!

# 59: (winner of 2010's longest title so far) Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas -- a lot about music, some politics, very interesting and funny. Weakest part was the fiction(?) at the end...

#137: And I did not even know we were having a contest! lol

I hadn't thought about "the contest"* before typing out that title, now I find myself scanning the shelves for anything longer so I can top it!

*not to be confused with Seinfeld's "contest"

# 60 : A Visit From The Goon Squad -- interesting, more so in the beginning and middle than the end; the story of several intertwined lives with each chapter from a diff character's POV, including one told through a power point presentation...

also finished Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Super Fudge...

#139: LOL!

#140: I already have that one in the BlackHole. I hope to get to it some time soon.

# 61 ...one for the 2010 top 10 (so far), Skeletons on the Zahara, a delightful little tale of sunburn, starvation, shipwreck, slaves, and sand, sand, and more sand (and more than one mention of eating goat intestines). One to read with a big glass of water by your side.

#142: Oh, my local library has that one! Off to put it on hold. . .in spite of the goat intestines, lol.

oh, they're not that bad when seasoned with locusts and camel urine...

#144: And you know this from personal experience? lol

oy vey has it really been FOUR months since I've posted?!? Between having a full time job (finally!) and coaching and 2 1/2 teenagers I have sadly neglected most of my online life... I've been a bad LTer, I know, but at least I did keep adding books as I read them: finished 2010 with 85 books on the "read 'em" shelf!

Hmmm... which was my favorite?

in no definitive order, here are my most enjoyed/willing to recommend from the past year:

The Passage by Justin Cronin
Jim the Boy by Tony Early (JF)
The Wednesday Wars by G. Schmidt (JF)
Love Is A Mix Tape by Rob Sheffield
Edgar Sawtelle David Wroblewski
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
and anything by Malcolm Gladwell !

ok, on to 2011...

Glad to see you didn't fall completely off the reading wagon. So where is your thread for 2011?

I wasn't very impressed by The Passage. It started off well, then ground to a halt about one-third of the way in. And everything in it was ripped off from films. The only idea original to it was the concept of "Sanctuary" for the kids until they were eight years old.

>148 laytonwoman3rd:: started another thread in the "75 in 2011" group... off to a good start so far!

>149 iansales:: as they say, nothing new under the sun (or the moon, in this case)...

Probably not. But it hurts when "nothing new" gets a $1.75 million film deal, and a $3.75 million advance. For that amount of money, you expect a future classic...