Biblioteca

The Bourne Supremacy by Robert Ludlum
Mmmm...Jason Bourne... This second book about him was good too. Jason and Marie are married and living a quiet life in Maine when the government interrupts their idyll. From there on, the book become a frantic search for...lots of things that I won't say so as not to give anything away. It's quite different from the movie beyond the barest bones of the plot. It's set in China for one thing and...saying anything more will give too much away again. I felt this book wasn't quite as gripping as the first as there isn't the element of Jason discovering his past as much. It was less psychological than the first but still an excellent read.

In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner
It's the story of two sisters who couldn't be more different. The older one is a lawyer who always worked hard in school and was never very popular while the younger one was the opposite, lots of friends and bad at school. The only thing these two women think they have in common is shoe size. Of course they learn they have more of a connection than that when they are forced apart by bad choices. Both characters are well developed and interesting. And the story is finely crafted. It was a bit of a shock after reading the fluffy goodness that is Marian Keyes but once I got a few chapters in I was hooked.

Sushi For Beginners by Marian Keyes
A Chic Lit romantic book. Perfect for vacation or anytime you want to arrange a little escape. I love Marian Keyes' writing. Very normal woman facing fairly normal lives, looking for (and usually finding) a little romance. There is just enough suggestion to really get you hooked. This is the sixth book by Keyes that I have read and while not my favorite (that might be Last Chance Saloon) it is an excellent book. You can't go wrong with a book by Marian Keyes.

The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum
Oh my god! I loved this book. I read it in a week. Which is a major departure from recent reading habits. It's quite different from the movie but not in the overall plot. It's the details and descriptions that make it worth reading even if you've seen the movie. It's definitely an adventure. I loved all the action scenes, the fighting and the sneaking around. But there's more. There's an emotional component that really makes you care about the characters. I can't wait to read the next one; The Bourne Supremacy

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov, 1st of the Robot Series
My friend Mike lent me this book almost a year ago. I finally read it. It's a very interesting book. Robots run the world in the service of humans. But are they good or bad? The main voice seems to think robots are the way to go but she is presented as quasi-robotic herself, devoid of human emotion. I liked the book and I might even read more of the Robot Series, if Mike will lend them too me. I'm interested to see the new movie that's coming out soon. The book is written in a series of vignettes. It doesn't really have a central storyline or main character. I can't wait to see how they've made a movie out of it and who the heck Will Smith is playing.

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
I really liked Mrs. Dalloway. It's the first Virginia Woolf book I've read. Her writing style is so different from what I'm used to. She creates the plot entirely through the interactions of the characters. The whole book takes place in one day but it gives you so much more than that. You glean the whole history of the characters from their thoughts and conversations. I really liked the way you got to know both sides of the characters, their outward apperance and their inner thoughts. And by showing even minor characters this way, the main characters are more fully developed. It's brilliance is it's subtlety.

Life with Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
Just started reading this book but so far it's everything I expect from a Jeeves book. Anyone who's ever watched Jeeves and Wooster on Masterpiece Theater should read some of P.G. Wodehouse's books. They are just as fun as the shows were.
I finally finished this book. Endlessly entertaining. A great escape for the concerns of everyday. Perfect for the beach. Now why did I read it in the winter?

Playback by Raymond Chandler
I'm a big fan of noir in general and Raymond Chandler in particular. This book was the last he wrote starring Phillip Marlowe. It's not the best but it is deliciously dark and gritty. Marlowe gets a mysterious job to follow a pretty young woman and find out where she goes. The plot gets a little confused after a bit but Marlowe is still the same smart, tough, lonely guy he's always been. I would recommend some other Chandler books over this one but it's not a bad read.

South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami
This is the second book I've read by Murakami. Both were borrowed from my friend Katy. Such an interesting book. It's the story of one man trying to come to terms with his life. Almost a mid-life crisis. He's successful, happily married, father to two cute little girls but he can't stop thinking about his youth and the girls he knew then. The imagery is so amazing and dream-like. You never really know the whole story, and neither does the main character. It's like reading a piece of real life, where people interact but never fully reveal themselves. It's all about the secrets people keep from themselves.
I recommend this book, and this author, to anyone with an open mind.

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
"All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost. The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring. Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king."