Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers - Mary Roach (Regular Strength Book Club)

The book was just as enjoyable on second reading as on the first. This book was my selection for Book Club and I was quite pleased with how it worked out. Our discussion was well-rounded, considering feelings and experiences as well as science-based argument. It was both enlightening and cathartic and overall highly satisfying.

Polaroids from the Dead - Douglas Coupland

I was disappointed with this book, at least partly because I know very little about the Grateful Dead and Deadheads, and I have to admit I don't particularly care to. I was also disappointed by the inclusion of very interesting snapshots, with no explanation as to what they were of and their relevance, either historical or to the narrative. I finished the book without any real drive to do so, and felt a bit cheated, as if my time was wasted.

Generation X - Douglas Coupland

Rolling along on my Coupland fixation, I picked up Generation X. I had left my book lying on the dining room table and Paul commented sarcastically on the 'original title'. That kind of cracked me up since Coupland was the one to coin the term (Had I not known that, I would have had the same reaction as Paul did).

The book is written a bit textbook style, with definitions in the margins. Those definitions, for me, were the most entertaining part of the book. I enjoyed the story and the characters, without either of them leaving a lasting impression on me, barring one moment (the "I've always wanted to do that" kiss, which was delightful).

Emma - Jane Austen (Electric Bookaloo)

As a long time loather of Jane Austen, I was not exactly looking forward to reading more. Pride & Prejudice was one of the most painful reads for my I.B. English class (along with almost anything by Margaret Laurence) during the summer before grade 11. The word 'obsequiousness' still makes me cringe.

To be honest, Emma wasn't as bad as I was expecting. The actual plot of the book was somewhat entertaining and I enjoyed a few of the characters. Some of the other characters drove me crazy (Miss Bates talks a lot. I get it. Now shut the hell up.) For me, the most frequent reason to dislike books is that I don't like, and therefore don't care about, the main character. Come on, admit it: Emma is a spoiled, self-centred, interfering little brat.

I tried very hard to keep the historical perspective in mind but in most areas that didn't really help. Where it did help is that every time I thought to myself, "This book is so freaking predictable!", I reminded myself that it was likely that Ms. Austen did it first and the reason it was predictable is that all of the authors that use similar twists and storylines have probably copied it from her.

The biggest problem I had with the book, was that class distinction was such an issue. I know that was how it was back then but it makes by eyes boil in their sockets and lava spew from my mouth in complete fury and disgust.

I guess Jane Austen is just not for me.

A Song For Arbonne - Guy Gavriel Kay

Since he's the author of one of my favorite books (The Lions of Al-Rassan), I thought I would pick up a few more of his books to burn through. I wasn't disappointed by this one, but toward the end I realized that I had read it before, a long time ago.

As always, I was so involved with the characters that when a character I didn't even like was killed I cried because I was so sad for his brother. While many of his books follow a somewhat similar 'formula', although not really a formula but just using many of the same ingredients, it's a good mixture of all of the things I enjoy about his books.

Hey Nostradamus! - Douglas Coupland

An interesting look at high school massacres, from the viewpoints of one of the victims, her secret husband who took the blame, his next girlfriend, and his religion-crazed father. The focus of the book is not so much the massacre but the impact that it has on people's relationships with each other with god (and it definitely had some 'prodigal son' undertones).

Dune - Frank Herbert

As I mentioned, I was in a reading rut. I don't think this meant that I had to move away from Fantasy/Sci Fi though. I think I needed to get back to roots.

I first picked up Dune when I was in Junior High, maybe 12 years old. I absolutely could not understand why people thought these books were so fabulous. Reading it now, I can understand why I thought that, I just wasn't ready for these books.

I already have the second book out from the library and ready to read. Was there a movie of this? Am I crazy? (The voices in my head say: "No.") Parts of this reminded me of Tremors (one of my old boyfriend's favorite movies, seriously) but I think Tremors stole from Dune and then dumbed it down.

I was fascinated by the focus on ecology, the difference between the characters' voices, and the entire story line. I was a tiny bit put off by the volume of 'invented' words, which is a common complaint in that genre. Every sentence made me crave a tall, cool glass of water.

Frank Herbert is clearly a master of Sci Fi and the art in writing.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain (Electric Bookaloo)

I found this novel surprisingly hard to get into, possibly because of all the different dialects used. Once Tom Sawyer entered the story the pace and humour picked up and I enjoyed to the end. Press on, it's worth it.

All Families are Psychotic - Douglas Coupland

And I thought my family was messed up! A novel so strange you hardly believe it. The twists and turns and who caught what disease from whom held my interest to the end. An enjoyable read. Must find more (later) Coupland.

Needed an editor with better grammar - not the person who circled errors in pen in my library copy.