The Hunger Pains: a Parody

by the Harvard Lampoon
Hennepin County Library paperback 157 pages
genre: humor, parody

The funniest part was the naming of characters:
Kantkiss Neverclean (Katniss Everdeen)
Archie Nemesis (Cato)
Jaesar Lenoman (Caesar Flickerman)

etc.

The story - not so funny. Kind of lame, actually. I thought about buying a copy for PRMS, but I don't think it's clever enough.

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd

edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci
PRMS hardcover 403 pages
genre: short stories, geekyness, coming-of-age

Dobbs recommended this to me a year and a half ago! I finally picked it up just over a month ago and have been working my way through the stories. Some of them are fantastic; others didn't appeal to me. I think the beauty of a short story collection is that there are many different types of stories. I am too tired to skim through and list my favorites. Reading this made me realize that I'm really not very geeky at all! But at least I know what Daleks are and have been to the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Interesting collection!

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

by Michael Pollan
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 5 discs
read by Scott Brick
genre: non-fiction, nutrition

Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants.

That's the essence of Pollan's latest book. Fascinating but sometimes a little overwhelming, he debunks the last few decades of "nutritionism" and talks about how our country's obsession with eating healthier has actually made us more unhealthy. Amazing look at our culture and what brought us here.

Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants. There were a LOT of points under these three topics, but I couldn't write them down while driving (safely), so I guess I'll have to get a print copy of the book. Amazing book. This guy is good!

Some other notes I made on the book:
- eat food your (great) grandmother would recognize
- don't eat food that cannot rot (e.g. Twinkies)
- avoid foods with ingredients you cannot pronounce, more than five ingredients, and/or high fructose corn syrup
- avoid food products that make health claims

The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin

by Joe McGinniss
Hennepin County Library audioCDs 9 discs
read by Arthur Morey
genre: Non-fiction biography

This was an interesting experience. I didn't agree with the author when he criticized Palin's "extreme" religious views, because I wholeheartedly agree that followers of Jesus Christ should pray about decisions and listen to God's leading. What I have a huge problem with is how very different her actions were from what she supposedly believes. There were simply too many people who shared stories of manipulation, intimidation, and outsized egotism on both the parts of Sarah and Todd Palin that I have a hard time understanding how so many people still like and support her. Even before reading this book, she seemed to be an egomaniac, and that is extremely different from what Christ taught.

Very interesting book. McGinniss seems to be a very reputable author who truly loves Alaska and has spent a lot of time there. His research was exhaustive (other than not actually talking with the Palins, who absolutely freaked out about his proximity).

The Wedding Dress

by Rachel Hauck
Hennepin County Library paperback 337 pages
genre: Christian romance

Interesting story and we had a great discussion about it! There are multiple stories interwoven, but  primarily Charlotte's and Emily's. Each is a young woman wanting to marry. Charlotte's story takes place in 1912 as she becomes engaged to Phillip but has Daniel still in love with her. Charlotte is a modern owner of a wedding gown store. In between their lives, Mary Grace (1949) and Hillary (1968) also experience the amazing wedding gown sewn by Taffy Hayes.

Saltonstalls, Mrs. Caruthers, Tim, Katherine, . . . so many people and events but a great story of faith and life. Jodi had us each bring photos of our wedding gowns, so it was fun to share and talk about those, too. I love book club!

I hadn't read anything by this author before . . . but I'll gladly get more of her titles to read!

The Rise of Nine

by Pittacus Lore (pseudonym)
PRMS hardcover 360 pages
genre: YA fantasy adventure

Completely enjoyed this escapist fiction, but wish the author had put the character names at the start of each chapter rather than just changing the font. Can't wait for the next book to come out!!!! Want to know what happened to Sam, meet Number Five, and see what happens to Setrakus Ra. Fun YA lit. No surprise that the U.S. government forms ties with the evil Mogadorians just to get access to technology and weapons . . .

Bedpan Commando: The Story of a Combat Nurse during World War II

by June Wandrey
Mayo Clinic Libraries via ILL, paperback 234 pages
genre: memoir

The author signed the title page, "You honor me when you read my book." I don't suppose she's still alive (22 in 1942), but what an amazing story she has shared. Put together from letters and other documentation (written in 1989), this reads almost like a diary from the war. The story could have used some stronger editing for flow, but it's visceral reality comes through powerfully. She seems to have been a dynamo who didn't necessarily like following the rules.

I'd like to write more, but I'll have to get back to it later. One impressive thing about Minnesota libraries - I asked my librarian at the Eden Prairie branch to get this for me. I had looked in Minitex and knew there were copies in the state, but it was so very nice to have her request it for me.

The Book Thief

by Markus Zusak
Cina's, paperback, 550 pages
genre: Holocaust fiction

Told from death's point of view, this story is about Liesl, a little girl in the outskirts of Munich, Germany, during WWII. People recommended this to me for ages and I finally decided to get-r-done this summer. (Labor Day weekend still counts as summer, right?) It was powerful and painful. Liesl sees her little brother die right in front of her eyes as her mother is bringing them to be raised by foster parents. Rosa and Hans Hubermann have an odd mixture of love and abuse for the frightened little girl (mostly abuse from Rosa and gentle love from Hans). I didn't like when death's narration gave away key parts of the story (like Rudy's kiss). I will almost certainly re-read this book. It is quite good and has a lot to think about contained in it. But WWII books always make me so sad.

Moonlight on the Millpond

by Lori Wick
personal collection paperback 285 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction

Not so much. I'll hang on to The Princess for a light re-read, but this one just got on my nerves. Maddie gets forget-100%-of-what-happens after a few ounces of alcohol, though those around her see a woman who carries on conversations, flirts, walks, etc. in a normal manner. She forgets that she got married and slept with her crush? Right. Doesn't work for me. Plus, the hopping between multiple storylines to set things in place is disconcerting. Jace. Maddie. Woody. Eden. Cathy & Doyle. The Muldoons. The Nunleys. This book is heading for the donation bag.