Contemporary Literature

The Stone Diaries, by Carol Shields

January 13, 2011

Title: The Stone Diaries Author: Carol Shields Pages: 361 Originally Published: 1993 Format I Read: Paperback Publisher: Penguin Rating: ____________________________ The Stone Diaries won the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and was also short-listed in the same year for the Booker Prize. I can’t think of another book that was recognized by both awards. (I’m [...]

Read the full post →

Delicate Edible Birds and Other Stories, by Lauren Groff

December 28, 2010

Title: Delicate Edible Birds and Other Stories Author: Lauren Groff Pages: 320 Originally Published: 2009 Format I Read: Hardback Publisher: Voice/Hyperion Rating: ____________________________ I may have been living under some kind of rock, but I’d never heard of Lauren Groff before I received a review copy of her short story collection, Delicate Edible Birds.  I [...]

Read the full post →

Mini Reviews

December 26, 2010

Sadly, I’ve been neglectful of my blog of late. And, so, as we approach the end of the year, I still have several reviews to write for books I read this year. Though they all deserve their own posts, in an effort to do some housekeeping and to start the new year fresh, I’m going [...]

Read the full post →

Room, by Emma Donoghue

November 20, 2010

Title: Room Author: Emma Donoghue Originally Published: 2010 Format I Read: Kindle eBook Publisher: Little, Brown and Company Rating: ____________________________ Room was shortlisted for this year’s Man Booker Prize, and it therefore made its way onto my short list (and almost every other blogger’s short list – just check out the list of reviews below). [...]

Read the full post →

Tinkers, by Paul Harding

October 22, 2010

Title: Tinkers Author: Paul Harding Pages: 191 Originally Published: 2009 Format I Read: Paperback Publisher: Bellevue Literary Press Rating: ____________________________ Okay, the first thing you should know about this book (other than the fact that it won this year’s Pultizer Prize for Fiction) is that the writing is amazing. Here, read these, if you don’t [...]

Read the full post →

The Financial Lives of the Poets, by Jess Walter

September 28, 2010

Title: The Financial Lives of the Poets Author: Jess Walter Pages: 290 Originally Published: 2009 Format I Read: Paperback Publisher: Harper Perennial Rating: ____________________________ Welcome to today’s stop on Jess Walter’s TLC Book Tour for The Financial Lives of the Poets. Who can resist a title like that? I couldn’t, and I’m exceptionally glad that [...]

Read the full post →

Finny, by Justin Kramon

August 19, 2010

Title: Finny Author: Justin Kramon Pages: 366 Originally Published: 2010 Format I Read: Paperback Publisher: Random House Rating: ____________________________ Welcome to today’s stop on Justin Kramon’s TLC blog tour for his debut novel, Finny. We first meet Finny as a pert 14-year-old who feels misunderstood by her peacemaker mother, pompous father, and people-pleaser brother, Sylvan. [...]

Read the full post →

Mini Reviews

June 4, 2010

I still have yet to write reviews for nine books I read in 2009. So, I’m going to call it a day and do mini reviews of them, even though they all deserve their own posts. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wroblewski Rating: One word for this book: puppies! I loved the back [...]

Read the full post →