A GIRL NAMED ZIPPY: GROWING UP SMALL IN MOORELAND, INDIANA by Haven Kimmel. It's only a coincidence that I read it just after moving to Indiana (above homestead, built 1895). I did find it somewhat surprising that the author / narrator was born in 1965, since a number of the descriptions seem to be from a 50s childhood rather than a 70s childhood. Apparently, she grew up in an odd little town that seems to have completely missed the 60s, so that when the rest of America was struggling through the 70s, it was still like the 50's for these folks. And after all, the narrator DOES say that people in Mooreland were "not so much behind the times as they were confused about the times." I loved that! Her voice is utterly charming, so critically astute yet nonjudgmental. You can read it quickly for sheer enjoyment. I promise!MIDDLESEX by Jeffrey Eugenides. Gerry read this one too. It gets better & better as the book goes on, very informative and horizon – stretching, as the term “Middlesex” expands in meaning to encompass any number of aspects of the narrator’s conflicted life. For anyone who hasn't yet, please try reading this very informative novel, which explains with near - scientific accuracy that life is NOT all XX / XY. There ARE other combinations, that come with varying degrees of physical and emotional complications. (Further info.)
DA VINCI CODE and ANGELS & DEMONS, which--no matter what people are saying-- is neither sequel nor prequel to DA VINCI but just another Robert Langdon mystery in a series. I did enjoy these Dan Brown novels because of all the art history and religious speculation. Brown writes that "All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in the novel are accurate." And he says the same thing at the beginning of ANGELS & DEMONS. When I pointed this out to Gerry, he rather skeptically replied, "Maybe so, but I believe that on the back of the book it says FICTION." Spoilsport! Still I was convinced and became an instant convert. For awhile I kept the GOSPEL OF MARY MAGDALENE beside my bed, hoping that it would help me sort out fact from fiction but alas found no real clues hidden there.
BUSH WORLD Maureen Dowd: Can she be trusted? Why does she give me such an uneasy feeling? Give me Anna Quindlen any day.
A FEW RE - READS: What can I say? All better than ever!
TAO OF POOH Benjamin Hoff
ICE AGE Margaret Drabble
SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE Kurt Vonnegut
JOY LUCK CLUB Amy Tan
HEARTBURN Nora Ephron
KIDS' FICTION: To coincide with Ben & Sam's reading.
WRINKLE IN TIME Madeline L'Engle: about time I finally read this! One great line near the end: "And on their earth, as they call it, they never communicate with other planets. They revolve about all alone in space" (191). Reminds me of the entry for Earth in HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY: "Mostly harmless."
DETECTIVES IN TOGAS Henry Winterfield: Hardy Boys meet Julius Caesar; Sam and I had fun with this one.
STAR GIRL & LOSER by Jerry Spinnelli: Ben met Spinnelli in Philadelphia, so we try to read all of his titles.
I AM THE CHEESE & RAG AND BONE SHOP Robert Courmier: Ben loves this author; very soul - searching and sinister.
I think we read many of the same books in 2004. I agree about Middlesex - I did get more and more drawn in as the book went along. Everytime I hear the phrase "Chapter 11" it reminds me of the book. I had high expectations for Zippy - perhaps because I, too, grew up in Indiana in the 60's and 70's, but I guess WLafayette was just much more "metropolitan" than Mooreland. However, Keith spent those years in Iowa (age 7-14) and it seems the 60's and 70s passed them by there as well.
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