Book List

In order to improve my English, I try to read a few books every month. By “reading”, I mean listening to the audio version of the book. Between work and school, I rarely have time to sit down and read. Plus I’m a really slow reader.
I remember the first English book I finished reading (without being an assignment) was GREAT EXPECTATION. It took me 3 months and I was in my junior year of high school. THAT’S how slow I read. I read a lot faster now, but only for technical document at work or books I know will repeat themselves (name any self help book.)
My favorite categories are personal finance and British history. I also enjoy books on famous female leaders as well as children’s books from time to time. My favorite authors are David Sedaris, Alison Weir, and J.K. Rowling.

Currently reading:

  • NATURE GIRL, by Carl Hiaasen
    [Fiction]
    I don’t know why the author thinks that a certified lunatic would make a good heroine.
  • CERTAIN GIRLS, by Jennifer Weiner
    [Fiction]

Books I’ve read:
September 2008

  • PROVENCE A-Z, by Peter Mayle
    [Nonfiction: Travel]
    I couldn’t tell you which country Provence is in before picking up this book. It’s entertaining, but it’d help if you had an interest in the area.
  • REMEMBER ME?, by Sophie Kinsella
    [Fiction]
    I really think she’s getting better at her craft.
    I finished this book within a weekend (granted I had 20 hours of driving to listen to the audio book). Her characters need work… she’s re-using the same heroine over and over in all of her books, but I do think the story has more of a twist this time.
  • AMBER SPYGLASS (HIS DARK MATERIALS, BOOK 3), by Philip Pullman
    [Fiction]
    I’m not too sure if this is a children’s book anymore…
  • THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE THUNDERBOLT KID: A Memoir, by Bill Bryson
    [Nonfiction: Biography]
    I really like Bryson’s books. I know I repeated the sentiment so many times, but I think he’s a wonderful writing.
    I held off on reading this particular one though, because of its title. I was worried that since it’s a memoir, it wouldn’t be as interesting as his other books. But no, most of the book is about America during the childhood of the baby boomers generation. Very good read.
  • CATCH-22, by Joseph Heller
    [Fiction]
    Such a long book… with an anti dramatic ending.

August 2008

  • THE SUBTLE KNIFE (HIS DARK MATERIALS, BOOK 2), by Philip Pullman
    [Fiction]
  • MEET YOU IN HELL: Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and the Bitter Partnership that Transformed America, by Les Standiford
    [Nonfiction: Biography]
  • ANANSI BOYS, by Neil Gaiman
    [Fiction]

July 2008

  • THE MERMAID CHAIR, by Sue Monk Kidd
    [Fiction]
  • WHEN YOU ARE ENGULFED IN FLAMES, by David Sedaris
    [Nonfiction: Humor]

June 2008

  • PERSUASION, by Jane Austen
    [Fiction]
    Typical Austen book. Good read with no thrills. The ending was really quick.
  • THE MISTRESS’S DAUGHTER: A Memoir, by A.M. Homes
    [Nonfiction: Memoir]
    It’s an interesting story but I don’t think there is enough to make a book out of it. Homes mentioned that genealogy is the fastest growing hobby in the US, and she talked on and on about her research on her ancestors just like I would talk on and on about my penny collection. These sorts of hobby conversations aren’t that fun for people not involved. Homes also seem to developed a deep loathing for her father. If she didn’t dedicate a whole chapter on the pretend trial, the readers would have gotten the idea anyway.
  • A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING, by Bill Bryson
    [Nonfiction: Science History]
    Loved it. Really long book, but loved it.
    Sometimes it’s hard to tell if a person’s a really great writer. Sure he’s good, you’d say, but is he THAT good? Well, Bryson IS that good. Since our family was planning on visiting Yellowstone this summer, I’ve been reading different books on Yellowstone park and its geological situation. Nobody described it better or more interesting than Bryson and he’s even been quoted in other books.

May 2008

  • KISS ME KILL ME, by Ann Rule
    [Nonfiction: True Crime]
  • THE LOST CONTINENT: Travels in Small-Town America, by Bill Bryson
    [Nonfiction: Travel]
    Love his books!
    This one is a lot easier to relate to than NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND, since I’ve actually heard of half of the places Bryson has visited. He’s such a funny guy.
  • THE AWAKENING, by Kate Chopin
    [Fiction]
    This was originally on Dad’s book list and I picked it up when I ran out of reading material.
    At first I thought, “goodness, there’s no way I’ll finish this book.” It turned out that the book was really interesting, although the ending was totally predictable.
  • LOST IN MY OWN BACKYARD: A Walk in Yellowstone National Park, by Tim Cahill
    [Nonfiction: Travel]
    This is obviously one of those books that are pleasurable to write, because it is a horror to read.
    Cahill must feel that he is the only one who can truly appreciate Yellowstone park, and everyone else are just too touristy and should not be allowed the privilage. If you are driving in the park, then you should be walking. If you’re walking in the park, then you should be climbing. You’re considered a notch below him if you visit the major attractions, or if you try to photograph landscapes and animals.
    I do like his book list though…
  • THE ORCHID THIEF: A True Story of Beauty and Obsession, by Susan Orlean
    [Nonfiction]
    Orlean is a much better writer when she is describing facts and historical events than interaction among people.
  • THE GENIUS FACTORY: The Curious History of the Nobel Prize Sperm Bank, by David Plotz
    [Nonfiction: Life Science]

April 2008

  • MY KIND OF PLACE: Travel Stories from a Woman Who’s Been Everywhere, by Susan Orlean
    [Nonfiction: Travel]
    Don’t read the introduction, because you’ll feel that the author has a big head.
    Orlean’s stories are okay. Some are hard to relate since she assumed that you have the basic knowledge of Congo music or Japanese temples. Some stories are about things that just aren’t that exciting; she can almost write about taking out the garbage and that wouldn’t be too far from the subjects. Some stories are really intriguing though, for example: the taxidermy national championship or the process of freeing Willie. All in all, it’s a decent book. One flaw throughout is that Orlean is really bad at ending her essays. Ironically I liked her ‘afterwards’ best since it revisited some of the stories she wrote in the book.
  • EAT, PRAY, LOVE: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia, by Elizabeth Gilbert
    [Nonfiction: Travel]
    I thought the title was a bit corny at first and didn’t have very high expectations, but Gilbert is funny and descriptive and the book turns out to be extremely captivating.
    The Italy and India trips were most interesting, but I thought her stay in Bali served little purpose. It sounded like she got ripped off left and right and didn’t even know it.
  • SKINNY DIP, by Carl Hiaasen
    [Fiction]
    Not too bad, if you can get past the boring part in the beginning and some improbable scenarios.
  • HIGH CRIMES: The Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed, by Michael Kodas
    [Nonfiction: Travel, True Crime]
    Wow… is this an intense book or what? If you want to crush all romantic hopes of setting foot on Everest, then pick this book up!
    Kodas described the fate of Dr. Nils Antezana and David Sharp, both died on Everest, as well as his own experience. Very opinionated, Kodas tells you exactly who were the good guys, who were the bad guys, and who were to blame for the death of climbers.

March 2008

  • UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN: At Home in Italy, by Frances Mayes
    [Nonfiction]
    Nothing like the movie! I mean, where was Sandra Oh’s character in the book??
    It was all right. Mayes definitely achieved the impossible - making home improvement sound remotely interesting. Nothing against the author, but I can’t help thinking that the only reason she’s a poet is because she cannot connect her fragmented sentences.
  • YOU’RE FIFTY - NOW WHAT? Investing for the Second Half of Your Life, by Charles Schwab
    [Nonfiction: Personal Finance]
    It’s true that if someone was to write a book telling you that you should always have stocks in your portfolio, then it might as well be Schwab. But for the amount of new and useful information this book contains, it does not compete with the numerous books that are already in the bookstore.
    Overall, Schwab provides a lot of numbers (for example: what percentage of your portfolio should be in stocks and what percentage should be in bonds…) again, nothing new. But if you want someone to tell you exactly how to manage your financial life (with some hidden ads for Charles Schwab), this is a good one-stop-shop book.
  • DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT MYTHOLOGY: Everything You Need to Know About the Greatest Stories in Human History but Never Learned, by Kenneth C. Davis
    [Nonfiction: Mythology & Folklore]
    Davis actually doesn’t go into the details of each myth; he lists the different stories but do not tell the stories. However, it’s an extremely captivating book. I wasn’t sure if I was going to get into the African or American folktales, but it proved to be very entertaining.
  • MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL, by John Berendt
    [Nonfiction: True Crime]
    Slow to start, but it gets exciting really fast.
    I didn’t know this was a nonfiction to begin with, so I thought it was real interesting at first but got sucked into it and started looking up other sources of Jim Williams’ murder trial. It would have been awesome if EVERY character in Berendt’s book were somehow involved, but, alas, it’s only real life after all.
  • IT’S ONLY TOO LATE IF YOU DON’T START NOW: How to Create Your Second Life After 40, by Barbara Sher
    [Nonfiction: Psychology & Counseling]
    Yes… I know… I’m not sure why I picked up this title either.
  • NEITHER HERE NOR THERE: Travels in Europe, by Bill Bryson
    [Nonfiction: Travel]

February 2008

  • NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND, by Bill Bryson
    [Nonfiction: Travel]
    I really like Bryson’s books; he is hilarious. I thought he wrote this book much earlier than the last book I read - A WALK IN THE WOODS. He has the same humor, but the later was easier to read. Bryson likes to substitute words (indeed that’s why his writing is so funny sometimes). For example, instead of “my children” he would say “my offspring.” When that occur too many times in one sentence, it takes a minute before you catch on to his meaning.
    The other thing is, this book is a little hard to relate. If you can name less than a handful of cities in the UK, then you’ve probably never heard of most of the cities Bryson visited.
  • DRACULA, by Bram Stoker
    [Fiction: Horror]
    The story of Dracula has been remade so many times that the original book is not very scary compare to the spin offs. It’s a bit slow sometimes and I find my attention wondering off. Actually, I fell asleep while reading it… so I only have an idea of parts of the story. I don’t remember how Jonathan escaped from the castle, how they killed Lucy, what the boxes of dirt are for, why Mina is not a vampire, and most of all, how they killed Dracula. Oh well…
  • THE GOLDEN COMPASS (HIS DARK MATERIALS, BOOK 1), by Philip Pullman
    [Fiction]
    What a great book! Every moment an excitement.
  • THE WORLD IS FLAT: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century, by Thomas L. Friedman
    [Nonfiction: Globalization, history]
    So far, I’m completely under-whelmed by the book. The world is… actually still round. I think Friedman was just upset that the phrase “the world is getting smaller” has already been used. Friedman explained all the wonderful things that the information age has done for us. However, this really isn’t a news flash. Even a technophob can tell you what Friedman wrote. He also has this lengthy way of describing that is real annoying. I’ve also been offended a couple of times while reading his book.
  • THE GUNPOWDER PLOT: Terror and Faith in 1605, by Antonia Fraser
    [Nonfiction: History]
    What a chilling story! It’s a bit complicated since the book is long and there are a lot of characters introduced.
    I wanted to read Fraser’s Marie Antoinette, but saw this book on the library shelf first.
  • BETTER BUSINESS WRITING, by Carol Gelderman
    [Nonfiction]
    A good book, a bit like the technical writing class in college. Of course, I doubt my writing will improve much… I’ll probably just hesitate a lot more before writing reports now. This book also contains good organization techniques for writing a book.

January 2008

  • 1984, by George Orwell
    [Fiction]
  • HIS LAST BOW, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
    [Fiction]
  • KEEPING THE BOOKS: Basic Recordkeeping and Accounting for the Successful Small Business, by Linda Pinson
    [Nonfiction: Entrepreneurship]
    Since this is a reference book, I guess I can never really be “finished” with it, but I read it cover to cover.
  • A WALK IN THE WOODS: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail, by Bill Bryson
    [Nonfiction: Travel]
    Actually, I was going to get Bryson’s other book: NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND. However, this turns out to be a great book. It’s funny and an easy read.
  • THE VALLEY OF FEAR, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
    [Fiction]

December 2007

  • THE SIGN OF FOUR, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
    [Fiction]
  • ALL YOUR WORTH: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan, by Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi
    [Nonfiction: Personal finance]
    An ingenious book!
    I’ve heard it referenced many times so I finally decided to pick up a copy. At first I thought the contents were really basic and that maybe I have already moved beyond that point. However, what Elizabeth and Amelia suggested is simple, straight forward, and very practical. They indirectly criticized that the Latte Factor really doesn’t work; saving a few dollars from coffee isn’t going to get you anywhere.
    The book is about money balance which means: 50% after tax income goes to “must haves”, 30% goes to “wants”, and 20% goes to savings. Calculate (and reduce if needed) the “must haves”, use cash for all “wants”, and savings goes towards retirement and other dreams.
    I thought the interesting point of the book is that it defines what “living below your means” is. A lot of times I hear people’s suggestions to live below your means, but no one really gives a good definition. Elizabeth and Amelia didn’t explicitly say it, but I believe spending less than 35% after tax income on “must haves” could be defined as living below your means.
  • SEVEN YEARS TO SEVEN FIGURES: The Fast-Track Plan to Becoming a Millionaire, by Michael Masterson
    [Nonfiction: Business]
    It’s sad because Masterson has nothing more to offer on this subject. He acknowledges this himself in this book, saying that his best ideas are in AUTOMATIC MILLIONAIRE. I really liked his previous book, but I keep get disappointed by his later ones.
    Plus, this is kind of an embarrassing title… I understand that you need a snappy title to catch bookshop browsers’ attention. But I really had a hard time reading this book in public (or listing it in my book list for that matter).

November 2007

  • FREAKONOMICS: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
    [Nonfiction: Economics]
    Excellent book! I finished it within a couple of days.
    True, there is no main theme that runs through the book. However, Levitt asks the most bazaar questions that really make you wonder.
  • EVERYONE WORTH KNOWING, by Lauren Weisberger
    [Fiction]
    Wow… Finally finished this book. I think it took me 3 months. Parts of the book was just really slow… THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA was probably a better book, although this one has a better ending.
  • INNOCENT TRAITOR: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey, by Alison Weir
    [Fiction]
    I love Alison Weir’s book, however, I think her nonfictions were better.
    As a fiction, her work isn’t as good as Philippa Gregory’s (even though I’m not a big fan of Gregory’s novels either…) The ending was very dramatic, but the story took too long to develop.
  • NOTHING DOWN FOR THE 2000S: Dynamic New Wealth Strategies in Real Estate, by Robert G. Allen
    [Nonfiction]
    Pretty good book. A lot more informative than most of its kind.
    Allen writes about, literally, over a hundred different ways to apply leverage to real estate purchases. At first I was a little skeptical of the techniques he teaches (has anyone run across an assumable mortgage recently??) However, I guess I can contribute that to my lack of experience. Other faults of his book include complicated terminologies and hard to follow steps.
  • ELIZABETH AND MARY: Cousins, Rivals, Queens, by Jane Dunn
    [Nonfiction: History]
    I was a bit doubtful of this book in the beginning. Weir has written books on both Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scotts, so I wasn’t sure if this was going to be an abridged version of combined books. However, it was actually a good read. Comparison of the two queens made their personalities and intentions more vivid and the time line was well organized.

October 2007

  • A STUDY IN SCARLET, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
    [Fiction: Mystery]
  • THE MEMOIRS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
    [Fiction: Mystery]
    The Gloria Scott, the Stockbroker’s Clerk, the Crooked Man, the Greek Interpreter, the Yellow Face, the Musgrave Ritual, the Resident Patient, the Naval Treaty, Silver Blaze, the Reigate Squire, and the Final Problem.
  • THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
    [Fiction]
    Being an Arsene Lupin fan since elementary school, I’ve never read any of the Sherlock Holmes books. It felt like you had to be the fan of one or the other, but not both. But here in the states, no one’s heard of Arsene Lupin (which is a real shame since Maruice Leblanc’s books are no worse than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s… poor translations aside). Anyway, now that I’ve finally broke down and read it, I thought them the most wonderful stories.
    This book contains the following short stories, published between 1891 and 1892: The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb, A Scandal in Bohemia, The Red-Headed League, A Case of Identity, The Boscombe Valley Mystery, The Five Orange Pips, The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, The Adventure of the Speckled Band, The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor, The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet, The Man with the Twisted Lip, and The Adventure of the Copper Beeches.
  • QUEEN ISABELLA: Treachery, Adultery, and Murder in Medieval England, by Alison Weir
    [Nonfiction: Biography, Historical]

September 2007

  • LE MARRIAGE, by Diane Johnson
    [Fiction]
    I really have to stop reading books just because they are of the same author as other books I’ve read.
    The story ends melodramatically…
  • LE DIVORCE, by Diane Johnson
    [Fiction]
    This is the second time I’ve read this book. The first time was after I saw the movie (I love Kate Hudson). I really liked the book first time around and I proceeded to reading other novels by Johnson. I didn’t get the same feelings on the second pass however. Maybe it’s because I know the ending already…
  • REVOLUTIONARY WEALTH, by Alvin & Heidi Toffler
    [Nonfiction: Economics Theory, Business & Investing]
    Kind of like the dooms day book of economics. Very insightful, but probably of no use to every day life.
  • CONFRONTING REALITY: Doing What Matters to Get Things Right, by Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan
    [Nonfiction: Business, Management]
    A bit of an intimidating book actually. The book is focused on business models and the changes of business models. It lists many success stories, such as Walmart, Home Depot, 3M, GE… etc., and the leaders of these companies. I think one can apply the same theory on a personal bases and evaluate the road ahead to adjust the personal business model.
  • GARLIC AND SAPPHIRES: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise, by Ruth Reichl
    [Nonfiction: Biographies & Memoirs]
    I picked up this book at the AA library because I saw the cover at the cookbook section of the bookstore many times. Ruth Reichl recounts her years working as the food critic of the New York Times. How she wore many disguises complete with individualized personalities to remain anonymous in restaurants. It’s a fun read, although the ending is a bit depressing.

August 2007

  • ARTEMIS FOWL: The Opal Deception, by Eoin Colfer
    [Fiction: Children, Fantasy, SciFi]
    Again, great book. Probably the last of the Artemis series. It took me a while to realize that the name “Artemis” IS a girl’s name! It’s very pretty but I think would only work as a middle name.
  • ON NEGOTIATING, by Mark H. McCormack
    [Nonfiction: Business]
    This is the second time I’ve read McCormack’s book ON NEGOTIATING. I’ve never met the person, but I really like him after listening to the audiobook, which he reads himself. I think I’ve learned more on the second pass and I am looking froward to reading his other books as well.
  • Rich Dad’s GUIDE TO INVESTING, What the Rich Invest in, That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!, by Robert T. Kiyosaki and Sharon L. Echter
    [Nonfiction: Business]
    Kiyosaki is a really bad writer, and he kind of admits that himself in the book. This was a really hard read, it feels like he’s repeating himself over and over to make up for the volume of a book. The amazing part about Kiyosaki’s book is that, after the dull read, you start singing his tune. What seemed rich now seems poor, what seemed poor now needs to be redefined. What was considered crazy now should be planned and executed immediately. I guess that’s what people mean when they said he’s inspiring.
  • HARRY POTTER and the Deathly Hallows, by J. K. Rowling
    [Fiction: Fantasy]

July 2007

  • AUTOMATIC WEALTH FOR GRADS… and Anyone Else Just Starting Out, by Michael Masterson
    [Nonfiction: Business]
    I was a bit disappointed by this book. I liked the AUTOMATIC WEALTH so much that I got this book also. However, I found that a good chunk of the material is the same from both books. This version of AUTOMATIC WEALTH is geared more towards young people, and I think the advice is beneficial.
  • THE BOLEYN INHERITANCE, by Philippa Gregory
    [Fiction: Historical]
    This historical novel starts with Anne of Cleves, Henry VIII’s 4th wife, and ends with Henry’s death. A continuation from THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL and is actually a good read. The story is told as first person from Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Jane Boleyn. I’m not a fan of this format, nor do I like the author’s note, but I think this is one of her better works.
  • TRUMP: How to Get Rich, by Donald J. Trump
    I have to admit that I’m getting REAL embarrassed on my book selections. Seriously, I really really am… I thought about it for a long time and decided that I should keep the book list real. I mean, the webpage is for myself anyway, and I’d like to keep track of what I read. And, yes, I do need a paragraph of self assurance… Anyway… my two-cents…
    This is my first Trump book, and it’s actually quite interesting. The name is misleading; instead of “How to Get Rich” it should be “How Trump got Rich.” The advice can be useless if you have dignity or don’t ever want to appear on the Apprentice. If I have to boil down the pages into a few sentences, it’d be “Hey! Look at me! I’m Trump and I’m awe-inspiring!!”

June 2007

  • GREAT HARRY: The Extravagant Life of Henry VIII, by Carolly Erickson
    [Nonfiction: Biography]
    I think I have too much opinion on too many things. Erickson is probably a good historian, even though I don’t find her books being the most interesting…
    I’m reading Erickson’s GREAT HARRY along with Gregory’s BOLEYN INHERITANCE (two of my favorite mediocre authors). Reading the fictional history really puts more depths into the biography. However, I feel that in this particular book, Erickson is difficult to follow. Henry VIII seems such a great person that it is difficult to keep track of all aspects of his life in a chronic order. Erickson jumps from one period to another, then back again, according to the topic. Sometimes, names of people whom Henry executed appeared several pages later, making the book hard to follow. But, all in all, I enjoy this particular biography better than her other works.
  • THE NUMBER: What Do You Need for the Rest of Your Life and What Will It Cost?, by Lee Eisenberg
    [Nonfiction: Personal Finance]
  • WOMEN & MONEY: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny, by Suze Orman
    [Nonfiction: Personal Finance]
    This book actually isn’t about women or money.
    Orman’s definition of “women” seems to be people who has no idea of basic finance. If everyone who flinches at opening bills, or has credit card debts, or doesn’t know what a no load fund is, or taken a loan for the wrong reason is called a woman, then Webster really needs to update its dictionary. Apparently, in Suze Orman’s mind, all women are really stupid. Every single female is lining up in front of her office to cry out their sob stories of how they’re in financial trouble because they give too much.
    When Orman gets down to her “solutions”, they’re nothing but basics… If you really are as desperate as Suze Orman had described, this book won’t help you one bit. In the book, she describes checking accounts, wills, and retirement funds… which doesn’t even cover the first lesson of Money 101. I really doubt this will get anyone out of a $10K debt or a higher raise.
    All in all, I’d describe this as a lazy book. Lazy and useless. Suze Orman has ran out of ideas of what other books she can write. SHE still needs a paycheck, however, so she packaged all the ye olde ideas into new covers and got a got someone who’s really good at advertisement.
  • THE GUY NOT TAKEN: Stories, by Jennifer Weiner
    [Fiction]
    I really wonder why I picked up this book. Probably because I thought Weiner’s going to have something new to write about. Nope, same old story, same old characters. The first thing into the book came the predictable pair of sisters: one ugly and “smart” (and is going to Princeton), the other pretty and stupid. Com’on!!! She’s got to have more to write about other than her life. This is the third book of hers that I’ve picked up, and she presents the same characters over and over. It’d be understandable if this was a series of books, but no, she’s just keep changing the names of her characters. Whether it’s Candice, Rose, or Josie, it doesn’t matter, it’s all her. You really have to wonder, how can someone with a humongous ego, an enormous chip on the shoulder, and complete lack of creativity go so far.
    We get it, Weiner, you’re fat and you’re ugly. You went to Princeton and you have a dumb sister. Your childhood was horrible because of your dad, whatever he did. And you think you’re the cutest, sweetest girl who can do no wrong. *puke*
  • THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, by Douglas Adams
    [Fiction: Science Fiction & Fantasy]
  • THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL, by Philippa Gregory
    [Fiction: Historical]
    I don’t like Philippa Gregory’s books, even though this is her third book I’ve read (also finished THE QUEEN’S FOOL and THE VIRGIN’S LOVER, and attempted to read THE CONSTANT PRINCESS, but I couldn’t get beyond the first few pages.)
    Although this is a good book, very dramatic, I think she twisted the truth a little bit. I guess it’s hard being a historical novelist without taking a dramatic view on such mysteries such as “who killed Amy Dudley?” and “did George Boleyn committed incest with his sister Anne.”
    I should really stick to nonfictions…

May 2007

  • ANGELA’S ASHES, by Frank McCourt
    [Nonfiction: Memoir]
  • THE UNDERCOVER ECONOMIST: Exposing Why the Rich Are Rich, the Poor Are Poor, and Why You Can Never Buy a Decent Used Car!, by Tim Harford
    [Nonfiction: Economics]
    This book is like Econ 101, without the supply and demand curves. Tim Harford explains basic economic theories of everyday life using simple examples. His book is a lot of fun to read; very humorous and jargon lite.
  • SHOPAHOLIC & BABY, by Sophie Kinsella
    [Fiction: General]
    Finished this book while driving and cross stitching. The book is pretty much the same as the previous 3 or 4 books in the series. I forgot how frustrated it was to read the Shopaholic books.
  • COMMON SENSE, by Thomas Paine
    [Nonfiction: Philosophy]
    COMMONS SENSE was first published in 1776. Of course, I did not know that when I added it onto my book list… I was a little unnerved at first when I read the introduction, but the whole thing seems very easy to follow.
    Paine started by explaining how monarchy is not natural, nor was it okayed by the Bible to have a king ruling over any people. He went on and explained why America should be apart from Great Brittan, including suggestion of government setup and evaluation of arms… etc. I’d probably feel more for the book/pamphlet if I had known what it was about before I picked it up.
  • ARTEMIS FOWL: The Arctic Incident, by Eoin Colfer
    [Fiction: Children, Fantasy, SciFi]
    Pretty consistent with the first book. Still a good read.
  • HER LITTLE MAJESTY: The Life of Queen Victoria, by Carolly Erickson
    [Nonfiction: Biography]
    Either Erickson is not very good at writing biographies, or the Queen’s life really wasn’t incredibly impressive. Just like after reading Great Catherine, also by Erickson, I feel a little disappointed in the end. Erickson wrote little of any governing successes or diplomatic victories. Instead, there is a lot of contents on Victoria’s domestic life. For someone who hates child baring and child raising, she had a lot of kids. Her faulted character also made me felt a bit indigent when she demanded so much from her children.

April 2007

  • TO THE SCAFFOLD: The Life of Marie Antoinette, by Carolly Erickson
    [Nonfiction: Biography]
    I stared reading this book a few months back, but just finished it recently. When I got to the part where the royal family attempted escape, I could hardly continue. It’s like watching the Titanic sink. It was just as dramatic as the 1938 movie “Marie Antoinette” (with Norma Shearer, not Kiresten Dunst), but in reality there was a lot of time and events in between the capture and the eventual beheading. For example, the death and disfiguring of the Princesse de Lamballe was much more exciting. And it’s regretful because I think Erickson could have put more emphasis on these parts.
    Morals of the story are 1) choose a speedy carriage when you are attempting escape, 2) never give your escort the authority to call off other guards if they decide to abandon you, and 3) try to marry a capable man. On a serious note, I think it is important to recognize your own limitation and to give your delegation both the responsibility and the power.
  • JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORRELL: A Novel, by Susanna Clarke
    [Fiction: Fantasy]
    This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. The book is so long that it took me a good part of the month to finish, but it’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a great fiction. JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORRELL is about how after the golden, silver, and bronze age of magic has past, two magicians emerged to restore English magic. The story is fascinating and, even though it seems to go on and on without end, it never has a dull moment. I can hardly describe the magic that lies inside the covers; I would suggest Susanna Clarke’s novel to anyone.
  • THE COURAGE TO BE RICH, by Suze Orman
    [Nonfiction: Personal Finance]
    I’ve seen Suze Orman’s books in bookstores and libraries before. Who hasn’t, she’s very popular. But I really didn’t like it when I read the first few chapters of her 9 STEPS TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM book. I thought it was a very touchy-feely, very the-spoon-doesn’t-bend kind of book. After finishing THE COURAGE TO BE RICH, I still feel the same way.
    Overall, I think her book fails in several aspects: 1) If this was meant to be a book that teaches people about the different investment options, then she took too long to get to her point (plus there are better books out there for that), 2) She has too many stories and FAQs that don’t apply to anyone, and 3) After reading the whole book, I still don’t think she conveyed the point of “the courage to be rich,” which is the kind of touchy-feely stuff she’s suppose to be good at.
    I agree that “the courage to be rich” would be a good book, if it was written by the right person. A book that talks about what money and riches really means, and how good people deserve the wealthiest lives. Maybe something similar to Richard Paul Evans’ book… But anyway, Suze Orman ended up talking about “the courage to be rich” the same way I would have talked about the subject, which is not very convincing.
    BUT, every bad book has at least one good point (otherwise it probably would never have been printed), and here it is: Clean out the clutter. This includes home, office, and paper clutter. It’s true, we spend so much money buying junk, then use more money to buy junk for storing junk. It is much easier just to toss out the original junk to begin with. Here Suze had a good argument for not spending money, which is rare because budgets are like diets, one’s usually hard pressed finding a good reason to do either.

March 2007

  • THE E-MYTH REVISITED: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It, by Michael E. Greber
    [Nonfiction: Management, Entrepreneurship]
    Michael Gerber uses an example of a pie shop (All About Pies) and a pie shop owner (Sarah) to describe the problems and solutions of small businesses. The book is very insightful and very descriptive on what needs to be done and how to do it.
    To narrow it down, Michael Gerber feels that small businesses should aim to run like franchises. With a system worked out (org charts, procedures… etc.) the owners will be able to step back from his/her business and replace him/herself with any other capable person, hence running business like a franchise. This is similar to the idea expressed by Kiyosaki, who feels that a successful business is one you can walk away from, but different from Masterson’s, who expresses that money should be earned either way (with or without the constant attention and work) but ultimately affirmed that most likely you’ll be sweating for your pennies.
    I like the book because it’s practical, but I didn’t enjoy reading/listening to it. Maybe Greber didn’t want to sound too preachy, and through storytelling (using Sarah’s example), he can include the FAQ while reiterating certain points. However, I was often distracted because usually I thought of things like “A normal person would never say that” or “This Sarah person is really kind of annoying”… Good book to read once, but if your business is really in trouble, it’s best just to call Gerber’s company. After all, the book is just an ad that you paid for.
  • ARTEMIS FOWL, by Eoin Colfer
    [Fiction: Children, Fantasy, SciFi]
    Artemis Fowl (Irish, boy genius, decedent of generations of master criminal minds) hatches a plan to rob the fairies of their gold. With Butler (Artemis’ bodyguard) and Juliet (Butler’s little sister), the three of them are armed with modern technology to defend the Fowl Manor from the fairy army after kidnapping Officer Holly on her way to refuel her magical power.
    Excellent book! The beginning was a little corny, before I got into the story I thought it was going to be one of those “Detective Conan” books (from CASE CLOSED). But Colfer’s writing is really a notch above the average children’s book authors’. The dialogs were adequate, the technology seems convincing, and even the jokes were funny. After getting past the slower portion of the book, the story turns absolutely thrilling.

February 2007

  • THE BARBARIANS: Warriors & Wars of the Dark Ages, by Tim Newark
    [Nonfiction: History]
    I picked up THE BARBARIANS upon a suggestion from one of the previous history audio books I’ve listened to. Newark goes through the invaders of Europe in short story form, beginning with the Huns and ending around the Mongols. Most of the invasions involved the Roman empire. In the end, Europe was eventually divided and ruled by the so-called barbarians of the past.
    From the book, I learned more about Attila of the Huns and the Mongols. The Mongols were originally called the Tartars by the Europeans. I find this interesting since in our Chinese text book they were called “ta ta er,” showing how large a distance the Mongols conquered for two completely sets of dialogs to produce the same words for them.
    Since the barbarians in the book were defined as outsiders of the Romans, the book described much Roman history. My knowledge of Roman history is very limited and it was difficult to follow the time line from chapter to chapter. Even so, the book was capturing. Newark has a good knowledge of weaponry and tactics of war and described these in detail. For example, even though riders and bows make a powerful combination, there were not many horse archer units since men with horses usually symbolizes a higher social class while bows and arrows are considered a less honorable weapon. This is why even in the middle ages, knights used swords and lances but not bows and arrows.
  • UNDEAD AND UNAPPRECIATED, by Mary Janice Davidson
    [Fiction: Romance]
    Okay, truthfully I’ve read half of Davidson’s UNDEAD series. It reminds me of the SHOPAHOLIC series by Sophie Kinsella, which I really like. However, I think I’m about done after the third book. The story hardly goes anywhere. Even though it’s a fun read, I have trouble digesting the fight scenes and the sex scenes.

January 2007

  • AUTOMATIC WEALTH: The Six Steps to Financial Independence, by Michael Masterson
    [Nonfiction: Business]
  • THE 5 LESSONS A MILLIONAIRE TAUGHT ME ABOUT LIFE AND WEALTH, by Richard Paul Evans
    [Nonfiction: Business]
  • JOSEPHINE: A Life of the Empress, by Carolly Erickson
    [Nonfiction: Biography]

December 2006

  • UNDEAD AND UNWED, by Mary Janice Davidson
    [Fiction: Romance]
    This is the first romance novel I’ve read. I like the vampire background that Mary Janice sets up, it’s actually a lot of fun. But otherwise the book doesn’t have much contents.
    Actually, I’ve read this book instead of listening to the audio book. Jennifer and AMM picked it up for me at B&N as an in-flight reading. The B&N salesperson got tons of giggles when he heard the title…
    I guess I’m not as horrible of a reader as I thought I was. I finished the book in a few hours, but the book really isn’t that exhausting.
  • THE CASHFLOW QUADRANT: Rich Dad’s Guide to Financial Freedom, by Robert T. Kiyosaki
    [Nonfiction: Business]
    Kiyosaki mentioned the cashflow quadrant in his other book, RICH DAD POOR DAD, but he described it in more details here. E, S, B, and I compose the cashflow quadrant. E stands for Employees, S stands for Self-Employed, B stands for Business Owners, and I stands for Investors. Kiyosaki’s main point in both of these books is that the rich have money work for them, while the poor and middle class work for money.
    Working for money is represented by the left side of the quadrant, E and S. Having money work for you is represented by the right side of the quadrant, B and I. The book is about the personality of the people that occupy each quadrant and how they should change in order to move from to another side.
  • MISTRESS ANNE, The Exceptional Life of Anne Boleyn, by Carolly Erickson
    [Nonfiction: Biography]
  • THE FIRST ELISABETH, by Carolly Erickson
    [Nonfiction: Biography]
    After reading Carolly Erickson’s books, in particular The First Elisabeth, it feels like she is more into the historical facts than the humane part of these biographies. I much prefer Alison Weir’s version of Elisabeth I’s story.
  • THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread, by Kate DiCamillo
    [Fiction: Children, Fairy Tales]
    This is a really cute story.
    I got the book for Jason, but then decided to listen to it myself. On every single chapter, I thought I’ve heard of the story, but I couldn’t remember what comes next. It wasn’t until the end did I realize that I HAD listened to the whole book already!
    THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX is about the adventure of a mouse that was a little different. The ending was happily ever after (of course) and all the characters are tied in nicely. However, the story really didn’t talk enough about the spool of thread for it to be in the title.

November 2006

  • THE RICHEST MAN IN BABYLON: The Success Secrets of the Ancients, by George S. Clason
    [Nonfiction: Business, Inspirational]
  • THE END: A Series of Unfortunate Events Book 13, by Lemony Snicket
    [Fiction: Children, Action & Adventure]
    I was very disappointed by Snicket’s 13th book. None of Snicket’s books were brilliant, but together they made a good story surrounded by an impossible parallel universe. However, the last book seems to be completed in a hurry. The important sugar bowl that had been built up for volumes did not show up, all of the Baudelaires’ friends probably died with less than a couple of sentences of explanations, and the only consistent part of the book was Count Olaf and the secret that Beatrix was the Baudelarie orphans’ mother. I didn’t mind the story itself, but there were too many lose ends that were hurriedly explained by saying that no one will ever understand all the mysteries of the world. There were also one part that I still don’t understand. if the Baudelaire parents and the Snickets always named a child after someone who died and Violet was going to be named Lemony if she was born a boy and Clause wasn’t named Lemony even though he was a boy… That means Lemony Snicket was born after Violet and before Clause, which meant that the wide gap is between Lemony and his older siblings, Jacques and Kit, who were both much older than the Baudelaire orphans… But that doesn’t make sense either, because the latest male who died in the story was Jacques Snicket, so Kit’s baby should have either been named Beatrix or Jacques (instead of being named after the orphan’s father). Anyway, there are violet discussion on the story and I’m sure all have better insights.
  • CLEOPATRA, by Michael Grant
    [Nonfiction: Biography]
    I learned a great deal of common sense from the book Cleopatra. Apparently the majority of the population already knew that Cleopatra and Julius Cesar were in the same era, and in fact slept together. The life of Cleopatra just goes to show how much fortunes can turn upon you and leave you very much stranded with only suicide options. The only disappointing part is that she did not have the courage to burn her treasures before Augustus broke into the chapel, then later on forced her to take poison.
  • GREAT CATHERINE, The Life of Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, by Carolly Erickson
    [Nonfiction: Biography]
    Out of all the books I’ve read recently, I enjoyed Erickson’s Great Catherine the best. However, Catherine’s life seems so plain and the greatness debatable. I think any monarch with a good mind, hard work, and long life can be considered great.

October 2006

  • HIROSHIMA, by John Hersey
    [Nonfiction: World History, WWII, Japan]
    HIROSHIMA is about the lives of six survivors of the atomic bombing on August 6th, 1945. Who they were, what they were doing when the bomb hit Hiroshima, and their subsequent lives after the bombing. There was surprisingly little of the author’s personal views inserted in the text. The book is well written and lets the event speaks for itself.
  • BRIDGET JONES: The Edge of Reason, by Helen Fielding
    [Fiction: Humorous]
    After finishing the first book, I got the squeal from the library. The book still gets a chuckle out of me here and there, and the story isn’t any more or less interesting than before. Again, completely different from the movie. One thing I learned after listening to the book is the reason why Colin Firth is in so many wet shirt shots.

September 2006

  • THE MILLIONAIRE MIND, by Thomas J. Stanely
    [Nonfiction: Personal Finance]
    This is the second book by Thomas J. Stanely that I’ve read. The first book was THE MILLIONAIRE NEXT DOOR. THE MILLIONAIRE MIND continues Stanely’s work of documenting who are America’s millionaires. Where do they live? what do they wear? Who do they hang around? Who do they marry? How do they live their lives? And how did they become wealthy?
    Stanely’s first book was correctly stated as ground breaking. It is true that the public usually have a distorted sense of people who are self-made millionaires. Stanely’s second book, however, only repeats ideas already presented in his first book and we can probably expect a third book from him since THE MILLIONAIRE MIND definitely did not have enough pages for him to express his enormous ego.
    The first 1/3 of the book was extremely difficult to get through. If you had stopped there, you would have gotten the idea that, if you want to be a millionaire, you have to be 1) within the intellectual range of stupid to marginally smart, 2) married and never divorce, and 3) opening your own business, regardless of what your profession is now. This is definitely a recipe for disaster.
    Stanley???s research numbers presented the same problem as the first book. The statistics does not seem significant for him to preach his findings firmly. Many of his questions in his questionnaire seem leading in some ways. After his success at publishing a #1 best seller, he started to include himself as one of America???s most successful people. Many stories in the book are about him and ways that he and millionaires of America are similar.
    THE MILLIONAIRE MIND is not a worthwhile book to read, especially if you had already read THE MILLIONAIRE NEXT DOOR. It does not present possible solutions to all its readers, but criticizes him/her of possessing little potential to ever becoming wealthy.
  • BLINK: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, by Malcolm Gladwell
    [Nonfiction: Social Psychology]
    BLINK talks about the thinking that goes on in the adaptive subconscious. The way that our minds perform “thin-slicing” within the blink of an eye and computes results that enables us to live our daily lives. Malcolm Gladwell first talks about the benefits of “blink,” and the way experts make great decisions using their instinct. Then he talks about the negatives of ???blink.??? How subconsciously people are racist and the negative notions they attach to certain races. Lastly, he talks about the way to control the ???blink??? power, so that we may use it for good and not evil.
    The book contains numerous little stories. Most of them directly related to the topic, but some are far from his central idea. Therefore, it???s easy for anyone to take away with something after finishing the book. For example, my take away is that your facial expression shows how you feel, but it also works the other way around. You can feel happier when you smile and feel angrier when you frown. (Will make a mental note to smile more.) Also, I now know that there is a love lab near the University of Washington where they can predict up to 95% accuracy whether you and your partner will break up in 15 years.
    However, if I think hard about what I???ve learned about ???blink??? and how this book will benefit me, I come up with nothing. What Gladwell wrote is an explanation of common sense: the reason why some things just feel wrong and you can???t seem to explain it. It does not encourage you to use this power of ???blink,??? nor does it really tell you how you can make it work better for you (in a general manner.)
    Gladwell is also very opinionated. One of his stories is about a musician who is supposedly very talented but cannot get a record contract. Gladwell explains that the reason why the musician???s work does so badly in market research is because one cannot possibly like him when listening to only part of his hit song. Needless to say, I think Gladwell likes this guy???s music and is trying very hard to broadcast his talent. But, I feel, this works completely against Galdwell???s own work since it discredits him to force upon his readers his own preference.
    All in all, BLINK is a good read. But it doesn???t give you the up and at ???em feeling when you???re done.
  • BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY, by Helen Fielding
    [Fiction: Humorous]
    Since the outage was starting, I got a few new audio books to keep me company on the drive to the plant. I finished BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY really quickly (took only a week). The book is written in diary format and records a year of the life of Bridget Jones. Bridget Jones is 30+, lives in London, drinks, and smokes. The storyline vaguely follows Jane Austin’s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.
    The book is hilarious. It’s been a long time since I’ve listened to a book that made me laugh. In addition, it is non-frustrating. Normally, books like this (about single women around a certain pre-marriage age trying to find true love) gets me so irritated that I have to stop listening for a while before I can finish the story. I think it’s because I cannot stand facing drama. But, in diary form, you know whatever horror had already happened and the character lived to tell the story.
    The movie is so different from the book. It feels like someone read five pages of the book and wrote the movie script with only casual glimpses into the remaining pages for reference. In the book, TV series Pride and prejudice was mentioned, as well as the actors, Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. Colin Firth who played Darcy in Pride and Prejudice also plays Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones’s Diary. Now I must rent the TV mini series and watch it again.
  • GREAT TALES FROM ENGLISH HISTORY: The Truth about King Arthur, Lady Godiva, Richard the Lionheart, and More, by Robert Lacey
    [Nonfiction: History]
    GREAT TALES FROM ENGLISH HISTORY is another book I just finished listening to on the way back from the airport. Actually, I had finished Part 1 of the audio book moths before. I picked up Part 2 at the Mishawaka-Penn-Harris library before the trip, thinking it’ll be a nice change to listening to the Elizabethan times from someone other than Alison Weir (whose work I love).
    The second part of the book starts with the Black Plague and ends with the Revolution. Robert Lacey’s book is written in forms of essays, so at times, it was hard to follow. For example, after the death of Queen Elisabeth, it takes some time to realize that we are now looking into King Jame’s realm in the next essay.
    My Favorite part is when he writes about the lost Colony. I’ve read about the subject in a desperate attempt to improve my American History (forgetting the fact that I can’t read, I finished only the first few pages of DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT AMERICAN HISTORY.) At the time I thought it was the most boring story ever told. Lacey explained Sir Walter Raleigh’s enterprise and how the settlers were dropped in Virginia (named after Elisabeth I). When help was sent back to England, queen Elisabeth was engaged with the war with the Spanish Armada. Three years later, the colony vanished. another story I enjoyed is on Sir Isaac Newton. How easily he discovered the theory of gravity and relativity, and how eh knew great astronomers like Halley. How he was part of the Trinity College and how he is now known as a scientist but was then called an alchemist and 2/3 of his work was on turning base metal to gold.
    Other fun facts: The King James version of the Bible is referring to King James I who tries to unify many things in England but only succeeded with the Bible. The equal sign “=” was invented (prior to its invention, the abbreviation A.E. was used) to speed up calculation.
    As much as I enjoyed the book, it is still a shrunken version of British history. Without reinforcement, it is difficult to follow certain parts since many names and facts were mentioned. For example, after King James I, all was a blur. I cannot remember the remaining monarch mentioned. Nevertheless, the book is a good first step and base for the subject.
  • GOOD IN BED, by Jennifer Weiner
    [Fiction: Romance, Humorous]
    About the book: Candace Shapiro is fat. The story revolves around her misery of being fat, and then realizing that she’s great regardless of the 40 extra pounds she carries with her. Candace Shapiro is not funny. The story also seems to want to bring out how her personality, and her non-existing wit, should make up for the short comping of being over weight. In short, the story GOOD IN BED is about a 28-year old Princeton graduate (a fact coincide with the author’s real life and is continuously brought up in her books), now reporter, was dumped. In the end, Candace Shapiro sold her screen play, made friends with movie stars, had the most adorable baby, and was asked to be married by one Jewish doctor.
    I thought I’ve read/listened to the worst when I finished MY LIFE ON A PLATE, by Indian Knight (about a mother with two little children who no longer loves her husband but still loves her kids, ending up with her husband leaving her the house and plenty of money on good terms and her starting a relationship with a hot dancer who’s a lot younger than she is and who loves her kids.) Both so clearly write out their wildest dreams coming true that it’s laughable. How many fat women and desperate mothers are out there? And why do they think reading unrealistic novels will give them the courage to step out and really do something about their situation?
    The parts that I hate the most is how much similar the story is related to the author’s real life. Both Candace Shapiro and Jennifer Weiner graduated from Princeton University with an English degree, both started work at a newspaper company, both lives in Philadelphia, and both are fat. It is fine to write about yourself, but the character of Candace Shapiro is not at all likable. She is proud, superficial, and uncaring. And that makes this book, and probably Jennifer Weiner’s life as well, a complete waste of time.