Library Loot: July

Less than a week after I’m lamenting about my lack of time to read due to other summertime pursuits and I still managed to go crazy at the library. The picture above is missing three or four books as I snapped it before gathering the books from downstairs so the list of what I’ve checked out this past week is in alphabetical order rather than picture order. I’m not sure how many of them I will get to over the next month and a half. Calculus takes up a lot of my time!

• 600 Hours of Edward (Craig Lancaster) – Written by a Montana author, this book was recommend by a woman in my mom’s hiking group.
• Before You Know Kindness (Chris Bohjalian) – I have enjoyed the three other books by Bohjalian I have read, and I am slowly making my way through his back catalog.
• The Blind Assassin (Margaret Atwood) – In addition to Bohjalian, I am also slowly making my way through Atwood’s back catalog.
• The Bridegroom (Ha Jin) – I discovered this collection of short stories while browsing the shelves at my local public library.
• The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck) – For some reason, this novel terrifies me. I guess it’s because I’ve heard so many good things about it that I’m afraid it will not live up to my expectations. Let’s hope I get the courage up in time for the Classics Circuit’s Celebration of Steinbeck.
• A Hidden Affair (Pam Jenoff) – I enjoyed two other books by Jenoff I’ve read and am looking forward to reading her most recent novel.
• Hitler Youth (Michael H. Kater) – Another book I discovered while browsing the shelves. This nonfiction book looks at the Nazis’ juvenile propaganda program.
• Infidel (Ayaan Hirsi Ali) – This memoir grabbed my attention based on the title alone.
• The Lady in the Tower (Alison Weir) – I love Weir’s nonfiction books about the Tudor period so I was very excited to see this book, which covers the fall of Anne Boleyn, on the new nonfiction shelf at my library.
• The Lonely Polygamist (Brady Udall) – Husband to four wives and father to twenty-eight children, Golden Richards really cannot afford to have a midlife crisis. I am on page 28 of this novel.
• The Long Valley (John Steinbeck) – A collection of twelve short stories by Steinbeck I picked up for the Classics Circuit’s Celebration of Steinbeck.
• Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind (Ellen F. Brown and John Wiley Jr.) – Subtitled “A Bestseller’s Odyssey from Atlanta to Hollywood”, this nonfiction book has been making the rounds of the blogs of book bloggers who love Mitchell’s novel as much as me (or even more!).
• Natasha’s Dance (Orlando Figes) – Subtitled “A Cultural History of Russia”, I picked up this book in the hopes of learning more about the country.
• Out of Mao’s Shadow (Philip P. Pan) – Subtitled “The Struggle for the Soul of a New China”, I started this book on the drive back home from my most recent camping trip. At 32 pages, I have already been introduced to a leader of China who sided with the protesters during the Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989 and was subsequently blacklisted by the party.
• Small Island (Andrea Levy) – Winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2004, this novel also made the rounds on the blogosphere.
• Sweet Thursday (John Steinbeck) – This book is the sequel to Cannery Row and takes place after World War II. I picked this book up for the Classics Circuit’s Celebration of Steinbeck, but I won’t read it unless I can get my hands on a copy of Cannery Row.
• Victoria’s Daughters (Jerrold M. Packard) – This nonfiction book looks at the lives of five daughters of Queen Victoria, whom the back cover claims “were dominated by their mother, married off as much for political advantage as for love, and passed over entirely when their brother Bertie ascended to the throne”.
• The Wayward Bus (John Steinbeck) – This novel introduces readers to the Salinas Valley in California post-World War II. Another selection for the Classics Circuit’s Celebration of Steinbeck.
• We Two (Gillian Gill) – Subtitled “Victoria and Albert: Rules, Partners, Rivals”, I’ve wanted to read this book since seeing “The Young Victoria” in November of last year.

Library Loot:

A weekly (or monthly, in my case) event, Library Loot encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from their local library. Whether you vlog about or write about, the format doesn’t matter as along as you share what followed you home this week (or, again in my case, each month). The event is hosted by Claire and Marg.

Library Loot: June 9th

Hi, my name is Christina and I am a bookaholic. It took me fifteen minutes to find and check out all of the books below. Imagine what I could do with thirty minutes! We’re expecting some bad weather for the next week so at least I will have quite a few books to keep me busy!

From Top to Bottom:

• Fallout (Ellen Hopkins) — The third book in a series by Hopkins that has kept me riveted. I was so excited when I received an email saying this book was on the hold shelf for me.
• In Europe: Travels Through the Twentieth Century (Geert Mak) — My mom checked this book out for me two years ago before I traveled to London and I wasn’t able to read it before leaving. A recent post by Iris of Iris on Books on Dutch authors reminded to check out this book again.
• From Housewife to Heretic (Sonia Johnson) — This memoir by a woman who left the Mormon faith was located next to a book I was looking for specifically. I just could not pass this book up.
• Paradise Valley (Dale Cramer) — A recent addition to my public library, this is a fictional book based around the Amish.
• The Waiting (Suzanne Woods Fisher) — Another recent addition to my public library, this is a fictional book based around the Amish.
• Pride and Prescience (Carrie Bebris) — A mystery novel staring Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth.

From Top to Bottom:

• Claiming Christ (Robert L. Millet) — This book chronicles the debate between Mormons and Evangelicals about Christ, specifically that Evangelical Christians often times do not consider Mormons to be Christians.
• Wife No. 19 (Ann Eliza Young) — This memoir by Brigham Young’s nineteenth wife (of fifty-five) is repeatedly referenced in nonfiction books about Mormon polygamy. I thought it would be interesting to read the memoir for myself.
• Moonwalking with Einstein (Joshua Foer) — I first heard of this memoir after watching Stephen Colbert interview Foer on “The Colbert Report” and have wanted to read it since.
• Vanity Fair (William Makepeace Thackeray) — What can I say? I’ve been tempted to join Allie of A Literary Odyssey in her readathon of Thackeray’s novel.
• Let the Great World Spin (Colum McCann) — One of the selections for next month for Reading Buddies over at Erin Reads. I checked it out now because my hold came in and I wasn’t sure if I would be able to get my hands on it next month.

From Top to Bottom:

• Leaving the Saints (Martha Beck) — A recommendation from a friend who is also interested in the LDS faith.
• The Lost City of Z (David Grann) — I don’t remember who I first heard about this book from, but when I saw it on the shelf I grabbed it without a second thought.
• In a Dark Wood Wandering (Hella Haasse) — Another book selected based on a recent post by Iris of Iris on Books on Dutch authors.
• The Scarlet City (Hella Haasse) — Yet another book selected based on a recent post by Iris of Iris on Books about Dutch authors.
• Amish Grace (Donald B. Kraybill) — This nonfiction books examines the Amish approach to forgiveness.

Leftovers From Previous Loots:

• Middlemarch (George Eliot) — Eliot’s novel has been on my TBR list for quite some time. I figure it was high time I actually try reading Middlemarch.
• In the Woods (Tana French) — This one has made the rounds in the book blogging world quite a bit so I figured I should give it a try.
• A Concise History of Hungary (Miklós Molnár) — I wanted to read this book before traveling to the country this past March, but did not have the opportunity to do so.
• The King’s Mistress (Emma Campion) — I forget where I first heard of this book but it was a random selection from my TBR list.
• Six Days of War (Michael B. Oren) — Subtitled “June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East”, I picked up this book now that Obama is pushing for peace between Palestinians and Israelis once more. This book originally came at the recommendation of my Middle East foreign policy professor.
• The Big Sort (Bill Bishop) — (Not photographed) Subtitled “Why the Clustering of Like-Minded America Is Tearing Us Apart”, this was a random selection I found while looking for a different book.

Library Loot:

A weekly (or monthly, in my case) event, Library Loot encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from their local library. Whether you vlog about or write about, the format doesn’t matter as along as you share what followed you home this week (or, again in my case, each month). The event is hosted by Claire and Marg.

Library Loot: June 2nd

I stopped by the library after running some errands last Friday with the intent off picking up a book I had on the hold shelf. Despite the fact that the hold shelf is the first shelf in the library after walking through the doors, I still managed to pick up four more books than I planned.

From Top to Bottom:

• Middlemarch (George Eliot) — Eliot’s novel has been on my TBR list for quite some time. I figure it was high time I actually try reading Middlemarch.
• The Amish Midwife (Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould) — This is the book that was on the hold shelf. I already read and reviewed it as the novel is a new book and therefore can only be checked out for seven days.
• Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (Jonathan Safran Foer) — One of the selections for this month for Reading Buddies over at Erin Reads. I’m especially excited to start this book as it has been on my TBR list for a long while.
• The Big Sort (Bill Bishop) — Subtitled “Why the Clustering of Like-Minded America Is Tearing Us Apart”, this was a random selection I found while looking for a different book.
• Gorillas In the Mist (Dian Fossey) — One of my selections for the One, Two, Theme! Challenge. I’ve wanted to read the book after seeing the movie version three years ago.

Library Loot:

A weekly (or monthly, in my case) event, Library Loot encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from their local library. Whether you vlog about or write about, the format doesn’t matter as along as you share what followed you home this week (or, again in my case, each month). The event is hosted by Claire and Marg.

Library Loot: May

I wanted to vlog about my latest library loot since it’s the first time I’ve visited the public library since December, but I’m still recuperating from spending twenty-four hours trying to get home and unpacking from my family’s recent move.

It’s also a miserably cold and wet day here in my part of Montana today. It’s been like this all week and is supposed to stay this way until tomorrow so I was anxious to visit the library and pick up some new reading material. The books at the library always seem more interesting more than the ones on my shelf!

From Top to Bottom:

• The Midwife’s Apprentice (Karen Cushman) — I’m pretty sure I’ve read this young adult book before so this might be a reread for me. This book won the Newbery Award.
• Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (Winifred Watson) — This is one of only two Persephone books my library has. It seems to be one of the more popular ones to start with.
• The Midwife (Jennifer Worth) — Subtitled “A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times”, I selected this book after reading a novel about a doctor delivering babies in London’s East End slums.
• In the Woods (Tana French) — This one has made the rounds in the book blogging world quite a bit so I figured I should give it a try.
• A Concise History of Hungary (Miklós Molnár) — I wanted to read this book before traveling to the country this past March, but did not have the opportunity to do so.
• We Wish to Inform You Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families (Philip Gourevitch) — Selected based on the recommendation of another student in my Holocaust this past semester who studies the Rwandan Genocide.
• The Coke Machine (Michael Blanding) — Subtitled “The Dirty Truth Behind the World’s Favorite Soft Drink”, I hope this book will help me continue sticking to my self-imposed ban on soft drinks.
• City of Veils (Zoë Ferraris) — This is the first book I finished out of my stack, but I wasn’t completely impressed. Read my review.
• Blood Diamonds (Greg Campbell) — I’ve wanted to read this book since watching the movie of the same name. It’s also one of my selections for the One, Two, Theme! Challenge.
• Crescent & Star (Stephen Kinzer) — Another selection for the One, Two, Theme! Challenge, this is my current read. I have read two other books by Kinzer.
• Six Days of War (Michael B. Oren) — Subtitled “June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East”, I picked up this book now that Obama is pushing for peace between Palestinians and Israelis once more. This book originally came at the recommendation of my Middle East foreign policy professor.
• The King’s Mistress (Emma Campion) — I forget where I first heard of this book but it was a random selection from my TBR list.

Library Loot:

A weekly (or monthly, in my case) event, Library Loot encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from their local library. Whether you vlog about or write about, the format doesn’t matter as along as you share what followed you home this week (or, again in my case, each month). The event is hosted by Claire and Marg.

Library Loot: December

Like my last library loot from this month, all twelve books I checked out this time are off of my TBR list. After being unable to locate a copy of C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia in a complete collection, I decided to just check out the first four books (in the order that Lewis preferred it) and start reading them individually.

I have two books — Bottled and Sold and The Violin of Auschwitz — that are “14 Day Books” meaning I have fourteen days to read them and return them. As such, they are not renewable because these particular books are new to the library. While I’m hoping to finish reading the five books I have left over from my last loot, I will probably start with these two books first.

The vlog below runs a little under seven and a half minutes and is, once again, broken down in terms of fiction and nonfiction.

Fiction:

• Blindness (José Saramago) — Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. I thought I might read the book before seeing the movie. From the back cover: “In an unnamed city in an unnamed country, a man sitting in his car waiting for a traffic light to change is suddenly struck blind. But instead of being plunged into darkness, this man sees everything white, as if he “were caught in a mist or had fallen into a milky sea.” A Good Samaritan offers to drive him home (and later steals his car); his wife takes him by taxi to a nearby eye clinic where they are ushered past other patients into the doctor’s office. Within a day the man’s wife, the taxi driver, the doctor and his patients, and the car thief have all succumbed to blindness. As the epidemic spreads, the government panics and begins quarantining victims in an abandoned mental asylum–guarded by soldiers with orders to shoot anyone who tries to escape.”
• A Hand Full of Stars (Rafik Schami) — [Left Over From Last Trip] A young adult book about a teenager who wants to be a journalist in a suppressed society describes to his diary his daily life in his hometown of Damascus, Syria.
• The Horse and His Boy (C. S. Lewis) — Third book in the series. From the back cover: “Shasta is a young boy living in Calormene with a cruel man who claims to be his father. One night he overhears his “father” offering to sell him as a slave, so Shasta makes a break and sets out for the North. He meets Bree, a talking horse who becomes his companion. On their way they encounter Aravis, a high-born girl escaping an arranged marriage, and her talking horse. Despite their differences the children and horses learn to work together to reach the freedom they long for. In the meantime, they uncover a Calormene plot to conquer Narnia.”
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis) — Second book in the series.Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy take their first steps into the world behind the magic wardrobe.
• The Magician’s Nephew (C. S. Lewis) — First book in the series. From the back cover: “When Digory and Polly are tricked by Digory’s peculiar Uncle Andrew into becoming part of an experiment, they set off on the adventure of a lifetime. What happens to the children when they touch Uncle Andrew’s magic rings is far beyond anything even the old magician could have imagined. Hurtled into the Wood between the Worlds, the children soon find that they can enter many worlds through the mysterious pools there. In one world they encounter the evil Queen Jadis, who wreaks havoc in the streets of London when she is accidentally brought back with them. When they finally manage to pull her out of London, unintentionally taking along Uncle Andrew and a coachman with his horse, they find themselves in what will come to be known as the land of Narnia.”
• Prince Caspian (C. S. Lewis) — Fourth book in the series. How good Prince Caspian and his army of Talking beasts conquered the Telmarines.
• The Spies of Warsaw (Alan Furst) — [Left Over From Last Trip] From the flap of the jacket: “War is coming to Europe. French and German intelligence operatives are locked in a life-and-death struggle on the espionage battlefield. At the French embassy, the new military attache, Colonel Jean-Francois Mercier, a decorated hero of the 1914 war, is drawn into a world of abduction, betrayal, and intrigue in the diplomatic salons and back alleys of Warsaw.”
• The Violin of Auschwitz (Maria Àngels Anglada) — From the back cover: “In the winter of 1991, at a concert in Krakow, an older woman with a marvelously pitched violin meets a fellow musician who is instantly captivated by her instrument. When he asks her how she obtained it, she reveals the remarkable story behind its origin…”
• Wench (Dolen Perkins-Valdez) — From the back cover: “In 1850s Tennessee, 13-year-old slave named Lizzie is taken on by the plantation owner as a sexual mistress, a practice common to the time. Lizzie’s master even takes her along with him to a spa resort in “free” Ohio when the Southern summer heat becomes too much to bear. There, Lizzie meets two other young black women caught in a similar form of bondage, and the three begin considering a break for freedom–an act that would mean abandoning everything in their life they know as home.”

Nonfiction:

• 1491 (Charles C. Mann) — [Left Over From Last Trip] Selected because I read the introduction to this book in a class I took last semester and it presents a completely different picture of the New World before Columbus than I was taught in elementary through high school.
• Bottled and Sold (Peter H. Gleick) — Subtitled “The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water”, I picked up this book because natural resources (in this case, water) is one of my themes for the One, Two, Theme! Challenge I am participating in for 2011.
• Ghettostadt (Gordon J. Horwitz) — [Left Over From Last Trip] From the book jacket: “Under the Third Reich, Nazi Germany undertook an unprecedented effort to refashion the city of Lodz. Home to prewar Poland’s second most populous Jewish community, this was to become a German city of enchantment—a modern, clean, and orderly showcase of urban planning and the arts. Central to the undertaking, however, was a crime of unparalleled dimension: the ghettoization, exploitation, and ultimate annihilation of the city’s entire Jewish population.”
• Her Little Majesty (Carolly Erickson) — [Left Over From Last Trip] I picked up this biography about the life of Queen Victoria because she is one of my themes for the One, Two, Theme! Challenge I am participating in for 2011.
• Left to Tell (Immaculée Ilibagiza and Steve Erwin) — Subtitled “Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust”, I selected this book because I’m looking for a personal account of genocides around the world I know nothing about. I thought I would start with Rwanda.
• One Country (Ali Abunimah) — I heard Abunimah speak at my university back in November. I thought I would hear him discuss his “bold proposal to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”, but he never even touched on it. I’d like to read about it.
• Plain and Simple (Sue Bender) — Subtitled “A Woman’s Journey to the Amish”, I selected this book because I have a bit of an obsession with the Amish.
• The Shock Doctrine (Naomi Klein) — I read the introduction to this book in one of my classes last semester and was really intrigued by what I read.

Library Loot:

A weekly (or monthly, in my case) event, Library Loot encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from their local library. Whether you vlog about or write about, the format doesn’t matter as along as you share what followed you home this week (or, again in my case, each month). The event is hosted by Claire and Marg.