BookList 2007

And here you have it: Books I read in 2007.

My sketchy memory is to blame for the sparseness of January-March. I did read more, just forgot to write them down, thus forgot the book. I know, bothersome.

Summaries follow each title along with a BookMark — a rating system to let you know if a book on this list is worth your while. A title with just 1 BookMark is at the bottom of the pile; 5 BookMarks is an awesome read. Of course, keep in mind that these summaries and BookMark awards are completely subjective and in actuality just my opinion.

December

• “Finding My Voice” by Diane Rehm – 3 BookMarks. 
• “The Opposite of Fate” by Amy Tan — 4 BookMarks.

November

• “The Mother Tongue” by Bill Bryson — 3 BookMarks. 

October

• “The Other Boleyn Girl” by Philippa Gregory — 4 BookMarks
• “Strike Dog” by Joseph Heywood — 3 BookMarks
• “Mary Modern” by Camille DeAngelis — 5 BookMarks
• “Dead Heat” by Dick Francis and Felix Francis — Nostalgia runs too thick here. Read at your discretion.
• “The 47th Samurai” by Stephen Hunter — 2.5 BookMarks

September 

• “On Chesil Beach” by Ian McEwan – 2.5 BookMarks. Newlyweds on their honeymoon, virgins both, have opposing views on sex (she’s disgusted by it, he is consumed with the thought of it), and they have neither the social conditioning nor the communication skills to express these views in a constructive way. Heartbreak ensues. I found the novel … boring. It does have good qualities, to be fair. Let’s give it these positives: tightly written with no spare parts or fluff; acute and defined characters; a clearly demarcated illustration of how two people conflict. But I couldn’t wait for it to end, and at a very slim 208 pages … well, not a good day at the beach.
• “Deal Breaker” by Harlan Coben – 3 BookMarks. 
• “Almost a Miracle: The American Victory in the War of Independence” by John Ferling — ??? BookMarks. You’ll have to be the judge on this one. I didn’t finish.  Not that I didn’t try — I’ve had this book on loan from the library for just about a month now, but I just have to shelve this one. It’s fascinating at times, meticulous at others, a swirling plot of politics and history and fact and battle and troop movements and military tactics. And I’m only on Page 104. I do admire Ferling. This is truly the work of a fastidious historian.

August

• “The Dud Avocado” by Elaine Dundy — 3.5 BookMarks. Sprightly. Sassy. Tongue-in-cheek. Self-conscious. A humorous 1958 satire brimming with period-piece lingo and modern attitude. The sort of novel that tempts me to write this summary as one long string of adjectives. Those above will do, I guess. The key to this novel isn’t so much plot as tone — that and the construction of its first-person narrator, Sally Jay Gorce. She’s young, she’s in Paris, she’s an actor. The ending feels a bit pat and the party scenes drone on a bit and really this is a book best read in small sittings. But it’s readable. And you’ve probably met this girl. Or someone similar.  
• “Saints and Villains” by Denise Giardina — 2 BookMarks. Do you enjoy a fictionalized biography? If you do, you may enjoy this book. Do you enjoy shallow atmosphere and slightly stilted narrative? If you do, you may enjoy this book. Do you enjoy reading a fictionalized biography in which the main character’s love interest and nemesis are entirely made up? If you do, you may enjoy this book. Though I’m not sure why the author felt it necessary to create a love interest and nemesis from scratch for this World War II-era German theologian who was in on a plot to assassinate Hitler and died in a concentration camp. This novel is about Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  
• “Billion-Dollar Kiss: The Kiss That Saved ‘Dawson’s Creek’ and Other Adventures in TV Writing” by Jeffrey Stepakoff — 4 BookMarks. This nonfiction is half career memoir, half history lesson. Learn how Stepakoff got his big break in Hollywood as a TV writer in 1989, a bit about the craft of writing for television, the business cycles of the past two decades, and the machine that is life in Hollywood. Industry scoop on every show Stepakoff has worked on. 
• “The Dark River” by John Twelve Hawks – 2 BookMarks. This surprisingly pedestrian second offering from the Fourth Realm Trilogy failed to live up to the promise made by 2005′s ”The Traveler,” the first book in this series. Or perhaps my memory is faulty; has my anticipation for this novel (I was psyched for book two at the end of book one) been misguided? Was I easily impressed? Here’s the plot: two Travelers, brothers who have the ability to slip through realms of reality, are protected from the evil Brethren by Harlequins, sword-carrying bodyguards. One brother has turned against the other and joined evil. Factions, fighting, living off the Grid to escape the Vast Machine and all its prison-like technology, travel to other realms of existence. Sadly, the characters feel shallow. I waited two years for this?

July

• “The Diana Chronicles” by Tina Brown — 3 BookMarks. Covers in detail the life and death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Full of aristocratic family trees and interviews and media analyzation. A dense work. 
• “This Time, This Place” by Jack Valenti — 3.5 BookMarks. This memoir covers Jack Valenti’s time in World War II as a pilot, his time in Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidential administration and his stint as head of the Motion Picture Association of America. Chockfull of boldface names — political and Hollywood – and brimming with detail.
• “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” by J.K. Rowling — 4.75 BookMarks. Problems with pace afflict this last installment in the Harry Potter series. But don’t let that deter you — otherwise, it’s brilliant.
• “The Manny” by Holly Peterson — 2 BookMarks. Super-rich Manhattan part-time TV-producer mom hires a male nanny (=manny) for her son because he needs a stronger male influence than what his high-powered workaholic father can give. Affair with mann — oh, ahem, true love with manny — follows, as does turmoil in mom’s professional life. Will not even address the mommy issues and money issues in which this novel embroils itself. Stock characters, paper-thin clichéd romance, rinse and repeat.
• “Ghostwalk” by Rebecca Stott – 3.5 BookMarks. A blend of history, the paranormal, love, England, a book-within-a-book, Isaac Newton, writing and self-exploration. Lydia Brooke is hired by her ex-lover, Cameron Brown, to finish writing a researched book about 17th-century visionary Isaac Newton started by his murdered mother. Full of real and imagined history, a slightly unbalanced exposition (subtlety in places would’ve benefited, while other passages could’ve used a less opaque approach), and an intelligent feel. 

June

• “The 6th Target” by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro – 2.5 BookMarks. Lindsay Boxer, San Francisco homicide detective, must solve a series of child abductions. B Plot: Her reporter friend’s apartment building is plagued by a series of homicides. C Plot: Her attorney friend must prosecute a psycho killer who opened fire on a ferry, killing many and wounding the medical examiner, who is friends with Boxer, the reporter and the attorney. Oh, they’re all friends with each other. I forgot the other characters’ names. This is book six in the Women’s Murder Club series. Patterson/Paetro keep the action swift. The plot barrels on, guided by the teeny-tiny chapters, which always end with a one-liner cliffhanger.
• “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini – 3.5 BookMarks. Mariam and Laila, two Afghan women, find their lives entwined after Mariam’s husband takes Laila as his second wife. Their relationship is set amid the history of Afghanistan over the past 30 years. Hosseini crafts his women characters with clarity and depth; he deftly illustrates the stories of two women living with hardships and illuminates his writings with intimate cultural insight. 
• “Mockingbird” by Charles J. Shields – 4 BookMarks. Even after all this, I wanted more. What fan wouldn’t? Shields has written an unauthorized biography of Nelle Harper Lee, author of “To Kill a Mockingbird” — arguably the greatest American novel of the 20th century. Certainly, it’s a contender for that title. To date, Lee is alive, in her 80s and living in Monroeville, Alabama. As someone who loves her novel, I was eager to read this book — I snatched it from its display table at my local bookstore and darted toward the check-out counter the moment I discovered what it was about. I paused for 15 minutes in my car to read the introduction before heading home. Shields, a former teacher and journalist, researched for years to write this biography. Lee, who is intensely private, declined to participate. The book answers questions; it corrects misconceptions; its affect is kind of flat, but I am intensely interested in Harper Lee, so I don’t care. You might, though, unless you feel she’s worth learning about — but soldier on. My curiosity about Lee was satisfied, if not sated.
• “Free Food for Millionaires” by Min Jin Lee —  3 BookMarks. This debut novel follows Casey, a young, smart, first-generation Korean-American from a modest background who struggles to find her way — personally and professionally – in early 1990s New York amidst the hierarchies surrounding wealth, tradition, family, age, ethnicity, education and gender. It’s a long book with an ensemble cast, and I found myself liking the supporting actors better than the leading lady. To readers unfamiliar with Korean — or American – culture, the book may feel information-rich; the reader never lacks the context behind the conflict. And the two extremes of every life issue represented allows for a thorough, if diametrical, exploration of life. It’s a bit weary.   

May 

• “Portrait of an Unknown Woman” by Vanora Bennett – 3.5 BookMarks. Seemingly well-researched historical fiction that follows Meg Giggs, foster daughter to Sir Thomas More, as she is witness to political intrigue and participates in a bit of marital unrest. A close-up look at 16th-century England as Henry VIII ditches Catherine (and Sir Thomas More) and acquires Ann Boleyn and the Reformation sweeps across Europe. Interesting bookended subplot as artist Hans Holbein paints a family portrait. Stuffed full of references and/or discussions about philosophy, medicine, literature, art and more, yet accessible and thoughtful. An enjoyable look at the machinations and minutiae of life at the time.
• “The Society of S” by Susan Hubbard — 3.5 BookMarks. This coming-of-age story about a girl who realizes her father is a vampire is ultimately about the discovery of self and family. I’ll give a way a secret now and tell you that the 13-year-old narrator discovers herself to be one of the undead too. And although vampire lore is interesting – it captivated my interest; here it’s presented in a slightly sterile, very intellectual way — the heart of this tale is watching Ari grow to accept herself as she tracks down her mother, missing since Ari’s birth, and comes to grips with her father. Despite one’s longevity, family dynamics are still family dynamics.
• “Free Fire” by C.J. Box – 4 BookMarks. Box combines an in-the-know feel for the outdoors and its surrounding political and environment issues with some good, solid law enforcement frameworks. Count on a likeable main character in Joe, a Wyoming state game warden; he’s independent and capable yet slightly thickheaded at times, which just works. This outing, concerning a set of environmentalists murdered in Yellowstone Park, isn’t as violent as Box’s six previous Pickett novels. A respect for nature looms large and the villains are villainous indeed.
• “The Woods” by Harlan Coben – 4 BookMarks. It’s a thriller! Suspense reigns! Cliffhangers abound! When four teenagers at summer camp are murdered in the woods, lives are changed forever — which sounds cliché, except they really are changed forever. Coben manages to write crisp, slightly spare text that even so feels rich in detail and makes even the mundane creepy – all while his engaging characters illustrate an exercise in the motives of humanity. He has whittled pace into a fine and delicate dessert.
• “Eldest” by Christopher Paolini – 3 BookMarks. The writing improves, the characters deepen (well, some of them) and this sequel to “Eragon” becomes interesting. The good vs. evil theme continues, the journey to ultimate battle is advanced and Eragon matures. More dragons, elves, swordsmanship, magic, heroism, inner-questing and the like.
• “Eragon” by Christopher Paolini – 2.5 BookMarks.  This coming-of-age story about good vs. evil stars Eragon and his dragon Saphira. Eragon’s quest is to defeat the evil ruler and avenge his family. Story finally kicks in halfway through the book; the writing is a bit weak in places, slightly brilliant in others. Fans of fantasy may not encounter much original material, so I’m told, but the tale nevertheless captured my interest.
• “Fresh Disasters” by Stuart Woods – 3 BookMarks.  A detective novel starring detective-turned-lawyer Stone Barrington: sexist, slightly stupid, slightly vain, too smooth, too rich, sleeps with too many women (three over the course of this story), eats steak too often and always gets one up on the bad guys. (Is this a male fantasy?) There’s a whole series about him. In this episode, Stone tries to protect a client and take down an evil artist. Three BookMarks to Woods for writing a book that is 80 percent dialogue. Some of it’s snappy.

April

• “The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid” by Bill Bryson – 3.5 BookMarks.  A memoir all about being a child in the 1950s. Mostly a look at pop culture as wound through Bryson’s childhood experiences. Best read in small sittings; independent chapters make this easy. Good and entertaining writing.
• “The Proud Princess” by Barbara Cartland – 2 BookMarks. Romance written circa 1970s; stock characters and a fascinating historical background. This supposed historical accuracy in no way makes up for the shallow emotions or insipid dialogue… because… every… time… the… princess… speaks… she… can… barely… form… the… words… especially… if… she’s… about… to… be… kissed — or is giving away the kingdom to her newly crowned prince because it’s “too big a job for a woman.” Two points for history!
• “The Shape Shifter” by Tony Hillerman – 2.5 BookMarks.  A retired officer from the Navajo Tribal Police gets sucked into a mystery involving an ancient tribal rug. Old men solve crimes committed by other old men. Must like Native American subject matters and straightforward everything — character, plot, dialogue. In a totally unrelated coincidence, I read the large print version.
• “The Ambler Warning” by Someone Pretending to Be Robert Ludlum — 0.5 BookMarks.  This half a BookMark is for sheer audacity. I’m rewarding this incredibly transparent and disjointed novel of thinly drawn characters only because it was written by a dead person. That’s right. Robert Ludlum is dead and his estate is still writing books.
• “Gravesend Light” by David Payne — 3.5 BookMarks. Contemporary fiction with moments of emotional lyricism. A bit preachy in places, as the characters take opposing views whilst falling in love. Strong sense of place – must like the ocean. An interesting look at 1983 North Carolina coastal culture; cut-and-dried family dynamics.
• “Nerve” by Dick Francis* — An up-and-coming British steeplechase jockey, after being framed as someone who’s lost his nerve on the racecourse, finds out who is busy discrediting him and metes out justice his own way. More 1960s Britishness.

January-March

• “Dead Cert” by Dick Francis* — This is Francis’ first novel, written in 1962. You must understand that I enjoy Francis at his worst and therefore don’t have sound judgement. But it’s about a mystery involving British steeplechase, as are most Francis novels. This one’s about a jockey avenging a friend’s death and figuring out a crime ring. Full of 1962 British colloquialisms and cultural tidbits.
• “Red Mars” by Kim Stanley Robinson — 3 BookMarks. A science fiction novel with a realistic feel that chronicles the colonization of Mars. It’s a contemplative text that incorporates social, economic, political, environmental and cultural issues — in other words, lots of exposition and not much plot. But mildly fascinating if you’re interested in the whole Mars thing. 
• “A Deeper Sleep” by Dana Stabenow — 3.5 BookMarks. The latest in an ongoing series featuring Kate Shugak, a Native Alaskan who investigates crimes while negotiating tribal politics and having a life. Sassy writing and an interesting plot.
• “The Little Friend” by Donna Tartt — 5 BookMarks. This is a character-driven, visually illustrative and emotionally authentic Southern tale of a young girl’s quest to solve her brother’s murder. It’s crisp yet lyrical writing with an odd sense of punctuation, which grows on you.