May Book List

Pocketful of Pearls by Shelley Bates
A perfect example of the adage "Don't judge a book by its cover." The cover is serene and kind of pioneery, but the story is like a redemptive episode of Law & Order SVU. It's about an Amish-like Christian-y cult, the young woman who's been used in every way by its leader, and the guy who comes out of nowhere to help her face the truth. Very well-written.

Wild at Heart by John Eldredge
Hi, I'm Brenda, and I'm a John Eldredge-aholic. I started off as a skeptic, figuring his books were pure emotional hype, and before I knew it I was reading his books that weren't even written for me...like this one. It's basically a thesis on the wrongness of the "Nice Guy" image that's become popular in Christian circles. It's great. I read passages out loud to Evan and he agreed (but still won't read it himself).

My Life as a Doormat (in Three Acts) by Rene Gutteridge
I'd be lying if I said I didn't see a lot of myself in this novel. It's about a pushover playwright whose type-A boyfriend signs her up for conflict management classes. Things get worse, and she ends up engaged to the boyfriend, even though she's more interested in the mysterious guy she met at class. By the end, she's a new woman who discovers that some people don't like her when she stands up for herself. But the ones who count do. :)

Borderliners by Peter Hoeg (translated by Barbara Haveland)
A weird story about a few orphans at a boarding school, where the headmaster occasionally beats them. :| The kids become obsessed with time in a philosophical way, and how it relates to the secrets of the school...but there really aren't any. Just weirdness in abundance. If this type of story interests you, read Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro instead. Don't waste your time on this one (ha ha!).

The Wild Shore by Kim Stanley Robinson
A novel about a post-apocalyptic town in southern California, which has become mostly wild and uninhabited. It's the first in a trilogy of different takes on the future of California. It was okay, but I won't be reading the other books unless I'm seriously in need of material.

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell BOOK OF THE MONTH
I love Amazon for recommending this book to me. In fact, rather than try to explain the plot, I'll just link to the page and let you read the reviews there. Basically: life is discovered on other planets, a group of friends goes to the planet to make contact (led and funded by Jesuit priests), and nothing goes the way they expected (some of it is pretty rough). The thing I loved best about the book was that it was focused on the characters and relationships. The alien and space travel stuff was incidental at times. I did some research, and Brad Pitt's production company has bought the rights. It's going to be a good movie if they do it right.

Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2 by Steve Stockman
I've been waiting to read this for years. The library finally had it. It's a short history of U2, focused on their Christian faith and how it's driven and shaped the band. GREAT stuff. If you're a fan, I'd recommend reading it alongside U2 At the End of the World by Bill Flanagan - it would be like an amplified version. :)

Reconstructing Natalie by Laura Jensen Walker
This won the Women of Faith book award in 2006, and it deserved it. It's a novel about a twentysomething woman with breast cancer - her treatment and how her life changes as a result (based on LJW's own story). I literally laughed and cried. It's wonderful, and I think all women ought to read it.

Books for May: 8
2007 to date: 46

May Book List

Pocketful of Pearls by Shelley Bates
A perfect example of the adage "Don't judge a book by its cover." The cover is serene and kind of pioneery, but the story is like a redemptive episode of Law & Order SVU. It's about an Amish-like Christian-y cult, the young woman who's been used in every way by its leader, and the guy who comes out of nowhere to help her face the truth. Very well-written.

Wild at Heart by John Eldredge
Hi, I'm Brenda, and I'm a John Eldredge-aholic. I started off as a skeptic, figuring his books were pure emotional hype, and before I knew it I was reading his books that weren't even written for me...like this one. It's basically a thesis on the wrongness of the "Nice Guy" image that's become popular in Christian circles. It's great. I read passages out loud to Evan and he agreed (but still won't read it himself).

My Life as a Doormat (in Three Acts) by Rene Gutteridge
I'd be lying if I said I didn't see a lot of myself in this novel. It's about a pushover playwright whose type-A boyfriend signs her up for conflict management classes. Things get worse, and she ends up engaged to the boyfriend, even though she's more interested in the mysterious guy she met at class. By the end, she's a new woman who discovers that some people don't like her when she stands up for herself. But the ones who count do. :)

Borderliners by Peter Hoeg (translated by Barbara Haveland)
A weird story about a few orphans at a boarding school, where the headmaster occasionally beats them. :| The kids become obsessed with time in a philosophical way, and how it relates to the secrets of the school...but there really aren't any. Just weirdness in abundance. If this type of story interests you, read Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro instead. Don't waste your time on this one (ha ha!).

The Wild Shore by Kim Stanley Robinson
A novel about a post-apocalyptic town in southern California, which has become mostly wild and uninhabited. It's the first in a trilogy of different takes on the future of California. It was okay, but I won't be reading the other books unless I'm seriously in need of material.

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell BOOK OF THE MONTH
I love Amazon for recommending this book to me. In fact, rather than try to explain the plot, I'll just link to the page and let you read the reviews there. Basically: life is discovered on other planets, a group of friends goes to the planet to make contact (led and funded by Jesuit priests), and nothing goes the way they expected (some of it is pretty rough). The thing I loved best about the book was that it was focused on the characters and relationships. The alien and space travel stuff was incidental at times. I did some research, and Brad Pitt's production company has bought the rights. It's going to be a good movie if they do it right.

Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2 by Steve Stockman
I've been waiting to read this for years. The library finally had it. It's a short history of U2, focused on their Christian faith and how it's driven and shaped the band. GREAT stuff. If you're a fan, I'd recommend reading it alongside U2 At the End of the World by Bill Flanagan - it would be like an amplified version. :)

Reconstructing Natalie by Laura Jensen Walker
This won the Women of Faith book award in 2006, and it deserved it. It's a novel about a twentysomething woman with breast cancer - her treatment and how her life changes as a result (based on LJW's own story). I literally laughed and cried. It's wonderful, and I think all women ought to read it.

Books for May: 8
2007 to date: 46