coffeesnob318 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
coffeesnob318) wrote2008-02-04 03:38 am
coffeesnob318) wrote2008-02-04 03:38 am
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January books
Here are the first round of books. I need to average six or seven books a month to meet my year-end goal of 75. So far, so good.
1. The Idiot Girls’ Action-Adventure Club: True Tales from a Magnificent and Clumsy Life by Laurie Notaro
Aw, she reminds me of me when I was happy being single. Or, at least, happy with a healthy side dish of crazy. Those were the days. *reminisces*
My very favorite story was the one about her chasing the neighbor kids’ pet pigeon down the street so that it wouldn’t get hit by a car.
OH NO. I take it back. The candy apple one. I snorted I laughed so hard.
2. Divine Nobodies: Shedding Religion to Find God (and the unlikely people who help you) by Jim Palmer
I “met” this guy on myspace about a year ago, and I’m just now getting around to reading his book. I read his blog, so I already knew that I like his writing. I’m so glad that I did read the book, too. I love it. I am actually doing a discussion group over it with some friends. The title pretty much says it all. I can see myself buying this book as a gift for so many people, mainly because I probably won’t let anyone borrow my copy, given all the notes and comments I’ve written in the margins (one can usually tell which of my books I love the most by the amount of scribbling in the margins where I just couldn’t wait to find a piece of paper to comment). A few of the stories hit really close to home.
3. Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith by Kathleen Norris
Reading this book felt like a budding relationship. It started out slow for me – it was a nice little set of stories – a friendly collection of her religious narratives. I was a little disappointed. If all I wanted was nice stories and easy answers, I’d read more mainstream Christian authors. But this was Kathleen Norris – a writer who answers either/or questions with “yes” and engages in community with people who sometimes break her heart, because she’s after something more mysterious and wonderful than her righteous (and often rightful) indignation. But then the small talk gave way to deeper conversations (as if she was weeding out the more timid element, saving the good stuff for those of us who would stick around), and it ended up being a really substantive book for me.
4. Penguins + Golden Calves: Icons and Idols by Madeleine L’Engle
This book explores the difference between icons (defined by L’Engle as anything that serves as an “open window to God”) and idols (the icon that becomes the object of worship, taking us away from God). She explored quite a few, not only traditional icons but also her personal ones, including penguins! “It is not flippant for me to say that a penguin is an icon for me, because the penguin invited me to look through its odd little self and on to a God who demands of us that we be vulnerable as we open ourselves to intimacy, and intimacy which leads not only to love of creature, but to love of God.”
My favorite thing about this book was that, no matter how much she jumped around, she just couldn’t stop gushing about the incarnation of Christ. She was madly in love with the divine mortal. And I love that about her. It was like reading Christmas.
5. Life After God by Douglas Coupland
I love Douglas Coupland. I love this collection of snippets dealing with death and love in apocalyptic measures. Throughout the book, I was strangely detached emotionally but physically jumpy.
Also, the last story ends on one of my favorite quotes: “Now – here is my secret: I tell it to you with an openness of heart that I doubt I shall ever achieve again, so I pray that you are in a quiet room as you hear these words. My secret is that I need God – that I am sick and can no longer make it alone. I need God to help me give, because I no longer seem to be capable of giving; to help me be kind, as I no longer seem capable of kindness; to help me love, as I seem beyond being able to love.”
6. The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall
I read this book in about two hours at my mom’s one weekend at her request. It’s a pretty straightforward, feel good, Win-Friends-And-Influence-People sort of story. I bet successful Amway folk make their downline read it. It’s a story built around twelve principles that one needs to live life to the fullest. While I wouldn’t necessarily disagree with any of the twelve principles, it’s not a book that I would recommend. I wouldn’t dare suggest anyone try to live life by mere principle, because that is death to me. And for me, to really live, love can’t just be the place I end up; it’s got to be the place where I start.
7. Why Moms Are Weird by Pamela Ribon
I love, love, love this book. I had the same reaction to this one as I did to Why Girls Are Weird – I think I am this main character. Or, rather, I think Pamela Ribon is reading my personal journal and sprucing it up to make it funny and something other people would actually want to read. Some quotes that support this moderate paranoia:
“I failed at making someone love me like I loved him, and I don’t need a reminder that life goes on for other people. I don’t want to think of anyone surviving me.”
On weight loss – “I could write a book, I suppose, but it would just have one page and it would say, ‘Put down the cake and go outside.’”
“I’m jealous of my sister’s criminal record. This is not a good sign.”
“Her voice is high-pitched and chirpy, like how I imagine ferrets sound when they chat with each other.”
“I can’t be that girl, the one who cries at work. I’m going to handle my shit and be an adult.”
“…each one probably wondering if the other is a psycho stalker who fabricated this coincidence, or if this is the moment when we’re supposed to become incredibly important to each other.”
"by sucking an enormous hickey on my neck that made me look like I'd been mauled by a cougar."
“I know that’s the first sign of trouble, if I’m finding sweetness in someone’s scalp.”
“I realize this is the first time I’ve had a man tell me I’m pretty without having the impulse to correct him.”
“I know it’s my mother’s voice in my head, telling me I’m better now that I’m thinner. I hate that voice. I hate that part of me.”
“Okay, so I’ve always wanted a tanned, blond boy to be at my command. I don’t care how shallow I sound right now.”
“…really my hair was just shameful. It looks like I’m constantly wrestling with an animal, and I’ve chosen to wear my latest trophy pelt right above my forehead for everyone to admire.”
“Instead I’ve got it sprayed back in a horrendous wing that looks like an eagle is trying to shelter me from danger overhead.”
“For the record, I’d like to point out that I wasn’t even trying to approach Zack and he found a way to turn me into someone who needed to be dumped. I’m getting really tired of other people deciding to make me just as single as I’ve been all along.”
“I want to go over there, slap him, kiss him, and fuck him. We’d fool around on these wooden boards full of rusty nails until we’re exhausted and covered in tetanus.”
See? What's not to love? Read it. Read it immediately.
1. The Idiot Girls’ Action-Adventure Club: True Tales from a Magnificent and Clumsy Life by Laurie Notaro
Aw, she reminds me of me when I was happy being single. Or, at least, happy with a healthy side dish of crazy. Those were the days. *reminisces*
My very favorite story was the one about her chasing the neighbor kids’ pet pigeon down the street so that it wouldn’t get hit by a car.
OH NO. I take it back. The candy apple one. I snorted I laughed so hard.
2. Divine Nobodies: Shedding Religion to Find God (and the unlikely people who help you) by Jim Palmer
I “met” this guy on myspace about a year ago, and I’m just now getting around to reading his book. I read his blog, so I already knew that I like his writing. I’m so glad that I did read the book, too. I love it. I am actually doing a discussion group over it with some friends. The title pretty much says it all. I can see myself buying this book as a gift for so many people, mainly because I probably won’t let anyone borrow my copy, given all the notes and comments I’ve written in the margins (one can usually tell which of my books I love the most by the amount of scribbling in the margins where I just couldn’t wait to find a piece of paper to comment). A few of the stories hit really close to home.
3. Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith by Kathleen Norris
Reading this book felt like a budding relationship. It started out slow for me – it was a nice little set of stories – a friendly collection of her religious narratives. I was a little disappointed. If all I wanted was nice stories and easy answers, I’d read more mainstream Christian authors. But this was Kathleen Norris – a writer who answers either/or questions with “yes” and engages in community with people who sometimes break her heart, because she’s after something more mysterious and wonderful than her righteous (and often rightful) indignation. But then the small talk gave way to deeper conversations (as if she was weeding out the more timid element, saving the good stuff for those of us who would stick around), and it ended up being a really substantive book for me.
4. Penguins + Golden Calves: Icons and Idols by Madeleine L’Engle
This book explores the difference between icons (defined by L’Engle as anything that serves as an “open window to God”) and idols (the icon that becomes the object of worship, taking us away from God). She explored quite a few, not only traditional icons but also her personal ones, including penguins! “It is not flippant for me to say that a penguin is an icon for me, because the penguin invited me to look through its odd little self and on to a God who demands of us that we be vulnerable as we open ourselves to intimacy, and intimacy which leads not only to love of creature, but to love of God.”
My favorite thing about this book was that, no matter how much she jumped around, she just couldn’t stop gushing about the incarnation of Christ. She was madly in love with the divine mortal. And I love that about her. It was like reading Christmas.
5. Life After God by Douglas Coupland
I love Douglas Coupland. I love this collection of snippets dealing with death and love in apocalyptic measures. Throughout the book, I was strangely detached emotionally but physically jumpy.
Also, the last story ends on one of my favorite quotes: “Now – here is my secret: I tell it to you with an openness of heart that I doubt I shall ever achieve again, so I pray that you are in a quiet room as you hear these words. My secret is that I need God – that I am sick and can no longer make it alone. I need God to help me give, because I no longer seem to be capable of giving; to help me be kind, as I no longer seem capable of kindness; to help me love, as I seem beyond being able to love.”
6. The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall
I read this book in about two hours at my mom’s one weekend at her request. It’s a pretty straightforward, feel good, Win-Friends-And-Influence-People sort of story. I bet successful Amway folk make their downline read it. It’s a story built around twelve principles that one needs to live life to the fullest. While I wouldn’t necessarily disagree with any of the twelve principles, it’s not a book that I would recommend. I wouldn’t dare suggest anyone try to live life by mere principle, because that is death to me. And for me, to really live, love can’t just be the place I end up; it’s got to be the place where I start.
7. Why Moms Are Weird by Pamela Ribon
I love, love, love this book. I had the same reaction to this one as I did to Why Girls Are Weird – I think I am this main character. Or, rather, I think Pamela Ribon is reading my personal journal and sprucing it up to make it funny and something other people would actually want to read. Some quotes that support this moderate paranoia:
“I failed at making someone love me like I loved him, and I don’t need a reminder that life goes on for other people. I don’t want to think of anyone surviving me.”
On weight loss – “I could write a book, I suppose, but it would just have one page and it would say, ‘Put down the cake and go outside.’”
“I’m jealous of my sister’s criminal record. This is not a good sign.”
“Her voice is high-pitched and chirpy, like how I imagine ferrets sound when they chat with each other.”
“I can’t be that girl, the one who cries at work. I’m going to handle my shit and be an adult.”
“…each one probably wondering if the other is a psycho stalker who fabricated this coincidence, or if this is the moment when we’re supposed to become incredibly important to each other.”
"by sucking an enormous hickey on my neck that made me look like I'd been mauled by a cougar."
“I know that’s the first sign of trouble, if I’m finding sweetness in someone’s scalp.”
“I realize this is the first time I’ve had a man tell me I’m pretty without having the impulse to correct him.”
“I know it’s my mother’s voice in my head, telling me I’m better now that I’m thinner. I hate that voice. I hate that part of me.”
“Okay, so I’ve always wanted a tanned, blond boy to be at my command. I don’t care how shallow I sound right now.”
“…really my hair was just shameful. It looks like I’m constantly wrestling with an animal, and I’ve chosen to wear my latest trophy pelt right above my forehead for everyone to admire.”
“Instead I’ve got it sprayed back in a horrendous wing that looks like an eagle is trying to shelter me from danger overhead.”
“For the record, I’d like to point out that I wasn’t even trying to approach Zack and he found a way to turn me into someone who needed to be dumped. I’m getting really tired of other people deciding to make me just as single as I’ve been all along.”
“I want to go over there, slap him, kiss him, and fuck him. We’d fool around on these wooden boards full of rusty nails until we’re exhausted and covered in tetanus.”
See? What's not to love? Read it. Read it immediately.