I finished this book, "Still Alice" last night. You might remember my "meet cute*" with a gentleman at Barnes and Noble one afternoon where we both recommended each other a book and then bought each other's recommendation. He suggested Still Alice.
It is a book about a women diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's (in her 50's) and seeing into her mind as it gets worse.
I really enjoyed this book, but my personality flaws sure came out while reading it. Every night when Jeff came in and I was lost in "Still Alice" land he said - "just stop reading it! you don't have to finish it" See I started becoming totally convinced that I have Alzheimer's. This is a huge personality flaw for me, I hear about some medical condition and am convinced that I too have it.
I feel like it would be a great book to read if you have had family members diagnosed with Alzheimer's , but at the same time very difficult.
I again am just thrilled everytime I finish a book and say "ha ha ha" to the third grade teacher who told me I was a horrible reader. "Take that I say! Mrs. What's your name!"
The second book I recently finished was "A Reliable Wife" I picked it up because I heard a review from a Book critic on the Today show who loved the Help, but said this was his favorite book of the year. Since I loved, loved The Help, I was excited to think there would be another book as great.Peewew! I thought this book stunk. While it kept me completely entertained on our 8 hour flight home from Spain on a airplane with no windows that gives me anxiety attacks, it just was not great.
I could not seem to get over the constant underlying "sexual issues" throughout the book. I realize lately that I like keeping myself in my own little dream land of happiness and was disappointed to discover things that I have gone 38 years never knowing went on. I like my happy pink bubble around my head more and more. So if you want to see how ignorant I am about sexual deviance, read the book - otherwise I vote for something more uplifting.
After reading this book I had wished that there was some kind of rating for books. This would have for sure been rated R for me and would have kept me from reading it. I have to say the great thing that came from reading this book is that I am loving more and more finding books that fit me and feel less guilty saying "no that is just not my kind of book"
Ahhh so what to read next. Here is what is in the running..... Any good recommendations?
*meet cute - have you seen the movie The Holiday? Oh I love that movie and watch every month of December. Watch it and you will learn what a meet cute is.
21 comments:
I finished Still Alice a few weeks back and loved it - I agree on the Reliable Wife, a little too graphic on the sex side; but I enjoyed the story of the mid-west in the early 1900's.
I read the Book Thief - it was a great read, but certainly not an uplifting type of book. I've also read The Glass Castle - a 'hard on your luck' family, and although it is a memoir, I found it hard to believe all the stories in there (let alone how does she remember all this stuff from her early, early childhood).
Do you use www.goodreads.com - it's a fabulous online tool to track the books you read and want to read - there are ratings on there too.
Hi Kristi!!
I loved the glass castle (it's crazy) & the book thief is soo good my 16 year old has read it twice!
My SECOND GRADE TEACHER DID THE SAME THING!! I can't believe it? I thought I was the only one, but heh we are never the "only one" right?
YOU ARE a REader!!! You Rock :)
okay that last Brian comment was me... my son was on my laptop because our home computer is broken... aaargh! sorry
Yes, take THAT to your nasty old teacher! What did she know, anyway? I love that you're a reader, Kristi!
I loved The Book Thief and The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is a fun mystery with a fun protagonist, very clean. I just finished reading Out Stealing Horses and really liked that as well.
I read "Still Alice" and read it again for my book group. I really enjoyed it, and thought it gave some really great insite into what it would be like to have Alzheimer's.
I almost picked up that Reliable Wife book, but was glad I didn't when I saw your post on Good Reads.
I've read the Book Thief, I thought it was ok...but many of my friends really loved it and said it was one of their favorite books. Read The Glass Castle too, but it is a hard book....not hard to read, but it is a true story about a family with really difficult circumstances.
The Calpurnia Tate one looks good, I almost ordered it from Amazon. I vote for that one. I forget what your other books are. I'm going to click back and post again.
Oh, ok "THe Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie", that was good! You would like that one. The main character is a girl of 11 I think, and she is just so precious, I know you would love her. Read that one! :)
I loved The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and The Book Thief. I liked The Glass Castle.
I know what you mean about reading or seeing things that pop your bubble. I hate books like that too.
I find it very upsetting that a teacher would ever tell a child they're a terrible reader!
I love, love, loved the Book Thief. I thought having Death as a narrator was so clever.
I also really enjoyed The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. Very fun. In fact, it's my contribution to my family's yearly christmas book exchange.
Whew, I'm glad I held off picking up The Reliable Wife. It's definitely okay to NOT know some things--pink bubbles sound delightful.
The Book Thief is good, but there is rough language (even though it's teen/YA. I have The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate on my to-read pile--wanna do a virtual book club on that? :)
LOVED the book theif ( but do agree that the language isn't the best). I actually did think that it was uplifting-really heavy subject matter but also shows you the goodness in humankind. I am pretty much a prude, so I am really picky about what I read, too. Recently I have read "The Guernesey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society"- loved it, and "I Capture the Castle"-loved it, too. Also, the "hunger games" series, it is a young adult series, but SO GOOD!
i wish books had ratings too. so have you delved into hunger games yet? it is a page turner that you can't put down, so weird but a must read!
on my list of TO Read: the help,
the alchemist,the book thief, and these is my words which i heard was really good.
I had wanted to read "The Reliable Wife" and I'm glad you just spared me the waste of time! Of the new choices you listed, I have only read two of them but they were both fantastic. The Book Thief and The Glass Castle. I would highly recommend either one.
I vote the Glass Castle... great book... love true stories!
Still Alice was so heartbreaking. I did the same thing about thinking I had early onset Alzheimers. I'd quiz myself silently on the times tables and if I used the wrong word I'd get all anxious! LOL!
I've read The Glass Castle and since it's a true story it's a rough read. Such a hard life for her. Uplifting that she overcame it but pretty depressing at the same time. I just liked it, not a gush over book.
I want to check out The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. Loved the Book Thief and am still stuggling to find one I like just as much. Hard to find a good book after coming off of such a good one.
stay away from the glass castle- i started it and thought it was so depressing- don't bother. I didn't bother to finish it- yuck.
Are you running? I have been reading this for a LONG time now and haven't read much about your running. I my fourth daughter just turned one and I can't wait to get back into the groove of things. Thanks for all you write!
The book thief was the BEST book I read all year. I didn't like it at first, but I picked it back up a couple of books later and read the entire thing. I found it to be just an amazing book and I find myself still thinking about it. While it is a bit sad at parts, I think the over intent of the book was happy.
I bought "The Glass Castle"(hadn't heard of it at the time) at the airport for a longish flight and it kept me entertained the entire time! Amazing story!
I have read the Glass Castle and it was the saddest most gut wrenching book I've ever read. The fact that it is a true story made it harder for me to forget. I carried this story with me for a very long time. I don't think I would recommend it to anyone that is sensitive to others the way you are.
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