I just turned 41 and I’m thinking of the “1” as a Fresh Start. Which means trying to get the decks cleared. Which means putting aside the irrational thoughts of getting “caught up” on my book backlog. Which means another listing of everything I’ve read & haven’t written about—alas, those thoughts are gone. Just the sentence for each didn’t work, but rather than leave them completely bare I will just give a letter grade to each, plus a star for those I’d particularly like to write about—someday…. Alphabetical order this time! (per batch—there will be several):<\/p>\n
Atkinson, Kate – Case Histories<\/em>, 2004 – A-<\/p>\n Bartoletti, Susan Campbell – Hitler Youth: Growing Up In Hitler’s Shadow<\/em>, 2005 – A- (amazing how many foreshadowings there were of what was to come—reassuring in a way that Germany did not just descend into madness overnight)<\/p>\n Baum, L. Frank – Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz<\/em>, 1908 – B<\/p>\n Berendt, John – The City of Falling Angels<\/em>, 2005 – A-<\/p>\n Best-Loved Poems in Large Print<\/em> – ed. Virginia S. Reiser – B. Read while on the elliptical trainer. Lots of good classics, lots of sentimental trash (Edgar A. Guest, urk!)<\/p>\n The Best of Oprah’s What I Know for Sure<\/em> – 2004? – B+<\/p>\n Helen Dore Boylston, all B\/B+ Burgess, Gelett – Goops and How to Be Them<\/em> – 1900 – B-<\/p>\n Burnett, Frances Hodgson Byng, Georgia – Molly Moon’s Incredible Book of Hypnotism<\/em>, 2002 – B<\/p>\n Carroll, Ruth and Latrobe – Runaway Pony, Runaway Dog<\/em>, 1963 – B<\/p>\n Chicago<\/em> (Eyewitness Travel Guides), 2003 – A<\/p>\n Cohen, Brad, with Lisa Wysocky – Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had<\/em>, 2005 – C+<\/p>\n Coolidge, Susan Curtis, Christopher Paul – Bud, Not Buddy<\/em>, 1999 – A<\/p>\n Dahl, Roald De Angeli, Marguerite – The Door in the Wall<\/em>, 1949 – B+<\/p>\n Druon, Maurice – Tistou Les Pouces Vertes<\/em>, 1968 – B+<\/p>\n Duriez, Colin – The C. S. Lewis Chronicles: The Indispensible Biography of the Creator of Narnia Full of Little-Known Facts, Events, and Miscellany<\/em>, 2005 – D<\/p>\n Estes, Eleanor (ill. Edward Ardizzone), The Witch Family,<\/em> 1960 – A-<\/p>\n Francis, Dick Frolic, Billy (as “Ronald Richard Roberts”) – The Ditches of Edison County<\/em>, 1993 – B+ (quite a good parody!)<\/p>\n Gallagher, Tim – The Grail Bird: Hot on the Trail of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker<\/em>, 2005 – A<\/p>\n George, Jean – My Side of the Mountain<\/em>, 1959 – A-<\/p>\n Gladwell, Malcolm – Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking<\/em>, 2005 – A+<\/p>\n Honey, Elizabeth – Don’t Pat the Wombat<\/em>, 1996 – B+<\/p>\n
Presumably the orginal “nurse story” books, still enjoyable today. The now-familiar cliches, except for Connie Halliday’s skit as a dignified, wistful cockroach who traces the hospital’s history and mission. That you don’t read every day.
Sue Barton, Senior Nurse<\/em> – 1937
Sue Barton, Student Nurse<\/em> – 1936<\/p>\n
Emily Fox-Seton: Being The Making of a Marchioness and The Methods of Lady Walderhurst<\/a> – , 1901 – B+ (my third on-my-own book for Project Gutenberg<\/a>)
The Head of the House of Coombe<\/a><\/em>, 1921 – B+<\/p>\n
Clover<\/em><\/a> – 1888 – B+
What Katy Did<\/em><\/a> – 1872 – A
What Katy Did at School<\/em><\/a> – 1873 – B+
What Katy Did Next<\/em><\/a> – 1886 – B+<\/p>\n
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory<\/em> – 1964 – A-
James and the Giant Peach<\/em> – 1961 – A-<\/p>\n
Proof<\/em>, 1985 – B+
Smokescreen<\/em>, 1972 – B-<\/p>\n