Katherine's Book Babble

Most recently read stuff is listed first. Books that I'm rereading are in this color. You can generally tell from the blurb whether I liked the book or not, but if you don't want to read the blurb, there's also a star rating on the right. Five stars is excellence personified; three stars means that I thought the book enjoyable but not outstanding; one star ratings are rarely earned, in that I rarely finish such books.

Sometimes people ask if I have a favorite book. I point them here.

For my own convenience, links go to Amazon, unless the author has a page about it or Project Gutenberg has scanned it in. Honestly, I get most of these from the library...

December, 2009:
Cat Deck the Halls Shirley Rousseau Murphy Mystery, talking cats. The cats discover a child huddled next to a body underneath the Christmas tree in the town square, sparking a murder mystery investigation that galvanizes the town. The cats do their best to continue sleuthing, though the local police are becoming increasingly suspicious of their well-informed anonymous callers. Tense action; cute cats. ***
(Link)
Fried Eggs with Chopsticks Polly Evans Nonfiction, autobiography; one woman's experience in China. Really more of a travelogue, spiced with many hilarious tidbits either from Evans' thorough research (you will learn more about the late Chairman Mao's personal habits than you ever needed to know) or tart observations. Evans tackles China's backcountry and cuisine with only a moderate amount of homesick complaining. Fun and informative. ****
(Site)
The Blood Knight Greg Keyes Fantasy, third in The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone. The characters hurtle along at breakneck speed, chasing one another all over the kingdoms. Progress is made in explaining some of the mythology and motivations, though more mysteries are raised than solved. The introduction of a new character, the composer-magician, is a nice touch. Looking forward to the fourth and final volume to see how neatly all of these dangling threads can be brought together. ***
(Link)
Anathem Neal Stephenson Speculative fiction. In an alternate history, monks dedicated to the pursuit of pure knowledge are called upon to investigate a secular matter. Stephenson tackles various branches of philosophy and science almost from first principles. It's very impressive and the characters are likeable, but the ending is almost too pat (although I can't think how else it would end). Fantastic read, if a little pedantic. I very much enjoyed this. *****
(Site)
November, 2009:
Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me) Elliot Aronson and Carol Tavris Nonfiction. Examines how people react to having made mistakes, or having done something that didn't turn out well, and how rare it is to find someone who actually admits to having made one. Interesting stuff about the plasticity of memory and about cognitive dissonance. Case studies include the unearthing of repressed memories, criminals later found to be innocent, and couples during marriage counseling. Spends a bit too much time harping on the repressed-memory child-abuse scandals, but in general a pretty interesting read. ***
(Link)
Accelerando Charles Stross Science fiction, cyberpunk. Consists of a series of interconnected shorter stories. The overall arc of the book centers on the speed of technology development, and follows a family as successive generations try to develop apace. Fascinating theories about the inevitable conclusion to a cyberlinked world. Great read. ****
(Read)
Furies of Calderon Jim Butcher Fantasy. Laden with standard tropes, flat villains, and predictable characterization. The worldbuilding is actually fairly inventive but sadly nothing much is done with it. I have to admit I was disappointed by this one; Jim Butcher's Dresden Files books were awesome, cynical and rollicking, and I was looking forward to something of the same tone in a fantasy novel. Unfortunately, this book took itself far too seriously and suffered as a result. **.5
(Link)
Cat Pay the Devil Shirley Rousseau Murphy A Joe Grey Cat mystery, in which one of his beloved humans is kidnapped and the cats must try to figure out how to tip off the cops without being found out as, well, cats. The story is exciting throughout, full of twists and tense moments. Fun read. ***
(Link)
October, 2009:
The Charnel Prince Greg Keyes Fantasy, second in The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone. Keyes picks up where he left off in the last book, with the surviving members of the royal family in dire straits. Most of this book seems to involve the main characters running from their creepy supernatural pursuers, although there's a nice subplot involving court intrigue and the role of religion in the country. ***
(Link)
Cat Cross Their Graves Shirley Rousseau Murphy A Joe Grey Cat mystery, this one involving such weighty issues as the death and abuse of children. Though, handled through the eyes of cats, the somber topic is handled well. The cats split their attention between recently-discovered graves and a runaway child, and begin to see that the events are related. ***
(Link)
Storm Front Jim Butcher Detective noir, with magic. Harry Dresden has put up his shingle as a wizard P.I., and gets embroiled in a nasty magical murder mystery that is messily killing people across Chicago. Although he has to face down amorous reporters, gorgeous vampires, and the mob, Harry is determined to pursue the case to the finish. Very fun to read. ***
(Link)
September, 2009:
Scales of Gold Dorothy Dunnett Historical fiction; fourth in the House of Niccolo series. The title character sets forth to find gold and glory in Africa. He is burdened by friends with opposing values, and pursued by enemies with vast reserves of money and hatred. Gorgeous sketches of African landscapes and Timbuktu. Niccolo's opacity is a bit annoying, though. ***
(Link)
The Briar King Greg Keyes Fantasy. Supernatural threats descend on a kingdom already in crisis. The characters are standard fantasy tropes, but still likeable, and Keyes seems a bloodthirsty enough author that you'll keep reading just to see who makes it. First of a series. ***
Link
The Haunting of Hill House Shirley Jackson Horror/suspense. Three young people and a professor decide to stay in a supposedly haunted house in order to observe any supernatural manifestations. One is particularly vulnerable to the house, which seems to have an agenda of its own. I liked some of the details in this book, but I wasn't too impressed with the randomness of the characters' behavior or the overall predictability of the plot. **
Link
The United States of Arugula David Kamp Nonfiction; recent history; food. An exploration of America's broadening palate with the arrival of the Big Three (James Beard, Julia Child, Craig Claiborne), complete with interesting little tidbits about the growth of food celebrity culture. Lots of neat culinary and historical details. Fun to read. ****
About
Cat Seeing Double Shirley Rousseau Murphy Mystery, talking cats. An innocent woman is framed for murder, and unfortunately there were no witnesses. No human witnesses, anyway. Three cats in the town go undercover and are able to turn up clues that the police miss. ***
(Link)
August, 2009:
Zoe's Tale John Scalzi Science fiction. Most of this book is basically a rehash of Scalzi's The Last Colony, except from the point of view of Perry and Sagan's teenage daughter. The snark is just a little too precious, but the story is very human and emotional, and readers will find themselves rooting for Zoe as she takes on all comers. Fills in a couple of plot holes from the earlier novel, and does a nice job with the alien societies. ***
(Link)
Generation Loss Elizabeth Hand Fiction. Dark, creepy, beautiful. Cass Neary, a down-and-out punk photographer with an eye for the luridly morbid, accepts an assignment to do an interview in middle-of-nowhere Maine. Despite herself, she is drawn into the lives of the people there, and the strange events from the past that haunt them still. Great antihero narrator, gorgeous visual descriptions. ****
(Link)
The Last Colony John Scalzi Science fiction. John Perry and Jane Sagan, former warriors and current colonists, accept a job as administrators of the new colony of Roanoke, but the duties are more complicated than they initially appeared. Soon they find themselves dealing with everything from digging latrines to navigating interstellar conspiracies. ***
(Link)
July, 2009:
The Man Who Ate Everything Jeffrey Steingarten A collection of food-related essays from Steingarten. Essays cover a wide range of topics, including a trip to France, his attempts at a sourdough starter, and experiments with olestra. His obvious love of food is apparent throughout. ***
(Link)
Race of Scorpions Dorothy Dunnett Historical fiction; third in the House of Niccolo series. Nicholas gets caught up in the Cypriot civil war despite himself, between the vicious half-siblings fighting for the throne. Nicholas plays dangerous games in wartime, and suffers some pretty harsh losses as a result. ****
(Link)
Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex Mary Roach Nonfiction, history, science. A rollicking exploration of how our understanding of sex has changed through the years. Definitely opened my eyes as to how sexual research can be fraught with societal tension. Very enjoyable writing. ****
(Link)
June, 2009:
The King Must Die Mary Renault Historical/mythical fiction; a retelling of the Theseus story, without the gods or monsters; instead, it's a story that might plausibly have developed into the later myths. The tale follows the young Theseus from his fatherless childhood to recognition in Athens and fame in Crete. Very well done. ****
(Link)
The Forest of Hands and Teeth Carrie Ryan The cover said "post-apocalyptic romance" and it's actually pretty close. Generations after the zombie apocalypse, a young woman stares at the zombie-filled forest outside the walled gates of her village, and wonders what else might lie beyond. The plot languishes after she gets out, though. ***
(Link)
Howard's End E. M. Forster Class consciousness and family feuds in turn-of-the-century England, revolving around a bucolic property named Howard's End. The attitudes of the practical, industrialist men towards the dreamy, liberal-leaning women almost made me scream in several places, but Forster is merely telling it as it was; besides, people get their comeuppance towards the end, in almost frighteningly poetic manner. The pace of the book is slow at times, but in sum it's an enjoyable read, full of great observations on people and society. ****
(Read)
May, 2009:
Last Light of the Sun Guy Gavriel Kay Historical fantasy, the British Isles in the time of the Celts and Vikings. It had been long enough since I'd read this book that I'd forgotten until I opened it again. I think I liked it much better this time -- the themes held together very well, the story never lost that sense of wonder, and I found the characters quite intriguing. ****
(Link)
Herland Charlotte Perkins Gilman Utopian thought-experiment; men stumble upon a race of women who have learned to get by and reproduce without men, and have built themselves a perfect world. A bit obvious in its preachiness, and the male characters are the most obvious of straw men, but Gilman clearly had a point to make: all the evils of the world spring from men, and women would be better off without 'em. ***
(Read)
The Cat Who Walks Through Walls Robert A. Heinlein Science fiction. Time-travelling. A rollicking good adventure but one that leans rather heavily on Heinlein's previous work. I still love rereading it. ***
(Link)
The Number of the Beast Robert A. Heinlein Science fiction, alternate dimensions. All nerds wish they could grow up to be like these four intrepid travellers, boldly exploring the dimensions, with nothing but their wits and their undeniable physical attractiveness. Gets a little weird towards the end, but the journey is the best part. ****
(Link)
April, 2009:
Time Enough for Love Robert A. Heinlein Science fiction. I have a soft spot in my heart for this book; I read it incessantly as a teenager, amazed at all of the life-lessons embedded in these very different stories. The book itself is pretty simple; a man who has lived twenty centuries relates his memoirs as he searches for a reason to continue living, and the memoirs themselves are laced with his own observations and inferences. It survived rereading pretty well too; even though I'm now more cynical about men like Lazarus Long, they still make darn fine reading, and Heinlein's heroines are certainly a match for his men. *****
(Link)
The Riddle-Master of Hed, Heir of Sea and Fire, Harpist in the Wind Patricia McKillip Fantasy trilogy, young adult. The thing I like best about McKillip's world-building is that she doesn't bother to explain anything -- just plops the reader down in an rich, established universe and lets go. It's absorbing and maddening, watching details fly by without really having the background. The story's wonderful too, beginning with a reluctant hero, moving on to his reluctant (and equally heroic) lady-love, and culminating with the wondrous things they can do together, once they face their destinies. And I hardly need mention that McKillip's writing is beautiful. ****
(Link)
The Enchantress of Florence Salman Rushdie Historical fantasy. Bit of a Scheherezade-esque tale in that it's composed of nested tales, each illuminating the next, only some of which may actually be true. You get the idea that Rushdie's showing off; since you don't even know if a character is real or not, it's hard to get attached to them, and even the most solid characters in this book seem to unhesitatingly believe in their imaginary friends. Still, it's gorgeous writing and quite enjoyable, with portraits of the Mughal empire, Machiavelli's Florence, and myriad magical places in between. ****
(Link)
March, 2009:
Brave New World Aldous Huxley Speculative fiction. I read this quite a few years ago, when I was much younger, and it was interesting to read again; the book is very much a product of its time, yet some of the concepts still ring creepily true. Very interesting to revisit. Still wonder why he ended it the way he did, but the worth of the book is in the dystopian thought experiment, not so much the plot. ***
(Read)
Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions Ben Mezrich Nonfiction (supposedly). The story of a team of MIT card-counters who get on the wrong side of casino owners. The book is poorly written, but the story was intense enough to keep me going. (Also, it's a very fast read.) I was disappointed, though, when I investigated the story further and found that a lot of things had been invented to increase the shock and drama. ***
(Link)
February, 2009:
Cat in the Dark Shirley Rousseau Murphy I suppose once you suspend disbelief enough to accept the existence of two talking cats who moonlight as private investigators, then it really shouldn't be too much of a leap to incorporate a third (an amoral tomcat dedicated to thievery). However, I found his characterization a bit weak, and it colored my appreciation of the book. Aside from the thieving cat, though, the characterization of the humans in this book is actually fairly captivating. Good read. ***
(No Link)
January, 2009:
The Spring of the Ram Dorothy Dunnett Fiction, historical, 2nd in the House of Niccolo series. Nicholas, a dye merchant's apprentice turned master of his company, feels his way around the schemes of rival merchants, princes, and emperors. He is brilliant but young, not entirely trusted by his advisors, and ringed about by uncertain allies and ruthless enemies. And to top all that off, Dunnett also weaves a richly detailed portrait of life in the dying Byzantine empire. Fantastic stuff. *****
(Link)
Sputnik Sweetheart Haruki Murakami Fiction, dreamlike, love triangle. Three characters, each highly repressed in their own way, orbit around one another until one attempts to break through the barrier and let her feelings out. Very pretty portraits of loneliness and wandering, introspection and obsession. ****
(Link)
Self Made Man Norah Vincent Nonfiction, documentary: a woman decides to live as a man, to experience the world as a man would, when women aren't around. Not objective by any means, the story is highly personal and opinionated, but she makes some very interesting observations about the expectations that surround - and rule - men in American society. ***
(Link)
Cat to the Dogs Shirley Rousseau Murphy Mystery, talking cats. Joe Grey is the sole witness to a car crash and experiences severe frustration in trying to communicate his information to the police; after all, he is only a cat. Still, despite irritated owners and interfering puppies, Joe gets the job done. Tense, tighly written, and keeps the reader guessing along with the feline detective. ***
(Link)
Victory of Eagles Naomi Novik Historical fantasy; book 5 of the Temeraire series. Dragon Temeraire and his hapless captain Lawrence try to fight back Napoleon's latest invasion, while trying to overcome the damage they've done to their reputations. Lawrence is a bit of a sad sack but the overwhelming lovableness of the dragons, and the urgency of the plot, makes this a tense and wonderful read. ****
(Link)
Un Lun Dun China Miéville Children's urban fantasy. Reads like a more frenetic, more precious, too-consciously ironic version of Gaiman's Neverwhere. I probably would've liked this when I was younger. Less patience for it now. **
(Link)

Booklist archives:  2008 list,  2007 list,  2006 list,  2005 list,  2004 list,  2003 list,  2002 and earlier.

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