BOOKS THAT DID NOT MAKE THE TOP TEN.... (BUT SHOULD HAVE)

    The past few weeks lists have been lying in wait everywhere describing the 100 Notable Books, the 10 Best Books, the 15 Best Mysteries and I could go on and on. I even posted a list of the Most Overrated Books on this blog (scroll down)which of course was very relevant!!!  I am tired of it all, so I've compiled a short list of  books that were ignored by listmakers but definetly worth reading.

THE LOST WIFE by ALYSON RICHMAN
This is a tense wartime tale of first love that was inspired by a
true story. "The novel explores the power of human resilience and the
strength of memory" ( I am currently reading this book..so far it's slow moving and predictable...hoping for improvement)
UPDATE: THE LOST WIFE SHOULD REMAIN LOST AND NEVER FOUND...DID NOT FINISH...DISJOINTED, BORING AND PREDICTABLE..NOW I KNOW WHY IT NEVER MADE A TOP TEN LIST.

THE DOVEKEEPERS by ALICE HOFFMAN
I am an Alice Hoffman fan and have read all of her books. This novel
combines fiction and fact in a passionate saga of four women who come together to tend the doves of Massada.

COCKTAIL HOUR UNDER THE TREE OF FORGETFULNESS  by
ALEXANDRA FULLER
Fuller's parents are the subject of this critically acclaimed memoir. It tells    the story of their lives as white immigrants in a country that was experiencing massive upheaval.

CHANGO'S BEADS AND TWO-TONE SHOES by WILLIAM KENNEDY
The author of Ironweed uses a three act set-up to recreate Havana and
America from 1936 to 1968. The novel was labeled a "serio-comedy" about
love and revolution. Even Ernest Hemingway makes an appearance ( I love anything Hemingway related!)

REMINDER: Use the AMAZON SEARCHBOX in the sidebar to order books now!


BOOKS THAT ARE FOR THE BIRDS!

......NOW THAT I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION....

PERIODICALLY I WILL BE MENTIONING BOOKS FOCUSING ON A SUBJECT FAR REMOVED FROM THE USUAL GENRES. THIS CURRENT POST FOCUSES ON A BOOK BY BIRDING EXPERTS SUSAN B. WHITING AND BARBARA B. PESCH OF MARTHA'S VINEYARD.

THEIR BOOK, VINEYARD BIRDS 2  PROVIDES AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST
OF THE BIRDS ON MARTHA'S VINEYARD COMBINED WITH BEAUTIFUL HAND DRAWN ILLUSTRATIONS AND PHOTOS.

SUSAN (SOO) HAS AUTHORED THE WEEKLY COLUMN "BIRD NEWS" IN THE VINEYARD GAZETTE OFF AND ON FOR THIRTY FIVE YEARS AND SHE AND HER HUSBAND, FLIP HARRINGTON HAVE LED BIRD WATCHING AND NATURAL HISTORY TOURS TO SOUTH AMERICA. IN THE SUMMER YOU'LL FIND SOO LEADING  WEEKLY BIRD WALKS OUT OF THE CHILMARK COMMUNITY CENTER ON THE VINEYARD.

VISIT SOO'S WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO;  http://www.vineyardbirds2.com/
IF YOU LOVE BIRDS AND THE VINEYARD, VINEYARD BIRDS 2 HAS IT ALL


A SHAMELES SELF PROMOTING MENTION!

WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT OF VINEYARD BOOKS BE SURE TO PICK UP
 DISCOVER MARTHA'S VINEYARD  BY LEE SINAI AND ILLUSTRATED
BY JOYCE  SHERR  ( It's true, I'm shameless)

THIS BOOK WILL LEAD YOU TO ALL THOSE SPECIAL HIDDEN VINEYARD PLACES, GUIDE YOU THROUGH THEM, AND INFORM YOU ABOUT THEIR HISTORY AND UNIQUE NATURAL FEATURES. INDIVIDUAL CHAPTERS DESCRIBE RIDES FOR BICYCLISTS, TRAILS THAT YOU CAN EXPLORE BY FOOT, AND BEAUTIFUL PONDS AND WATERWAYS FOR KAYAKERS. HAND DRAWN ILLUSTRATIONS OF WILDLIFE AND BOTANICAL DRAWINGS ACCENT THE BEAUTY OF THE ISLAND.

DISCOVER MARTHA'S VINEYARD IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.
OK, I'm done..
SEA BREEZES, TROPIC SPLENDORS..GONE!  BACK TO REALITY..VACATION READS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS POST ALONG WITH SOME BOOK GROUP SUGGESTIONS.
BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN TO MY 2011 LIST OF OVERRATED
BOOKS.


  BOOK GROUP WORTHY BOOKS (12/28/11)

THE FOLLOWING BOOKS RECEIVED EXCELLENT REVIEWS.... 

BG OF WEST HARTFORD REPORTS THAT HER GROUP SELECTED 
THE GIFT OF RAIN BY TWAN ENG TAN

"A GORGEOUSLY WRITTEN EVOCATION OF TIME AND PLACE WHERE GREAT WARTIME SUFFERING TOOK PLACE AND THE WORLD LOOKED AWAY" BG SAID THERE WAS SO MUCH TO DISCUSS...A TRUE SAGA, EXOTIC AND DEEPLY MOVING.


BA FROM GOODREADS RECOMMENDS THE JEWISH HUSBAND BY LIA LEVI

IN FEWER THAN 200 PAGES "A TALE OF PREJUDICE, BIGOTRY, LOVE AND LOSS IS SHARED WITH THE READER" IT IS AN ACCOUNT OF A COUNTRY
AND A TIME ABOUT WHICH TOO LITTLE HAS BEEN WRITTEN.
BA DESCRIBED THIS BOOK AS A "QUIET, CONTROLLED, EPISTOLARY NOVEL"


SK'S  SYRACUSE BOOK GROUP'S ALL TIME FAVORITE IS LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN BY COLUM McCANN.

"SUMMARIZING THE BOOK DOES IT A DISSERVICE" SK SAYS.... 
THIS BOOK WAS RELEASED IN 2009 AND WAS LABELED A BLOCKBUSTER BY REVIEWERS.
I AGREE WITH SK ...THE CHARACTERS MAKE YOU CARE AND IN THE END IT IS A NOVEL ABOUT FAMILIES, NEW YORK, AND AN UNFORGETABLE MOMENT.

NN, A COLLEGE FRIEND BELONGS TO A BOOK GROUP ON THE CAPE.THEY RECENTLY READ IN THE GARDEN OF THE BEASTS BY ERIK LARSON. SHE
PERSONALLY PREFERRED HIS EARLIER BOOK, DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY.

NN'S OTHER RECOMMENDATION WAS THE POST OFFICE GIRL BY STEFAN ZWEIG. A NOVEL OF THE THIRTIES, WRITTEN BY A WELL KNOWN AUSTRIAN WRITER, THIS IS A POIGNANT, HEARTWRENCHING STUDY OF A GIRL'S NAIVETY DURING TROUBLED TIMES. THE MANUSCRIPT OF THE POST OFFICE GIRL WAS FOUND AMONG ZWEIG'S PAPERS AFTER HIS SUICIDE IN 1941. IT WAS TRANSLATED IN 2008 AND RECEIVED EXCELLENT REVIEWS.

THE MARTHA'S VINEYARD BOOK GROUP(AKA JUDY'S BOOK GROUP)
BOOK ALERT:  THE SEQUEL TO THE MAN BOOKER AWARD WINNING WOLF HALL BY HILARY MANTEL WILL BE RELEASED IN MAY 2012. THE TITLE IS
BRING UP THE BODIES AND ONCE AGAIN IT'S 600 PAGES. IT FOCUSES ON THE DESTRUCTION OF ANNE BOLEYN.
 BOOKS READ UNDER A DATE PALM!

 (12/24/2011)

THE SENSE OF AN ENDING by JULIAN BARNES
This beautiful book is worthy of the 2011 Man Booker Award. A short novel exquisitely written combines mystery and loss. The complex characters are what's important rather than a story line..very philosophical, poignant and powerful


UPDATE: WHAT I AM NOT READING. (12/22/2011)

Just abandoned THE LITAGATORS by John Grisham. Very slow moving and predictable...Read about half...Expected some intrigue and better character development...just plain boring!!!

Also will return to CATHERINE THE GREAT...a good historical novel but got redundant and I needed a break!(I think Catherine did too)


UPDATE: WHAT I AM READING (12/18/2011)

I am surrounded by the Caribbean, white sand and Palm Trees while reading THE GRIEF OF OTHERS  by LEAH HAGEN COHEN, otherwise I would slowly be sinking into a deep depression.
The book chronicles the death of a newborn and a family's reawakening. Beautifully written in a unique style,  the author uses colons, commas and rambling sentences that combined result in stunning prose.
This is a haunting tale that you won't forget.


V  IS FOR VENGEANCE BY SUE GRAFTON (12/28/2011)
This is a lighthearted mystery...a great vacation read. Fun and quirky...stylish prose, inventive characters and written by a very successful mystery writer who favors a letter of the alphabet in all her titles.

For more information scroll down to Books to Take on Vacation
        OVERRATED BOOKS OF 2011

Book editors and critics are posting Best Books of 2011!  For a change of
pace, here's a list of titles that I thought were overrated and disappointing. Keep in mind, it's my opinion and some of my followers' opinions
 
Have fun disagreeing with me!!  (Or agreeing!) 

OVERRATED AND DISAPPOINTING - FICTION 
  
   1.   THE ART OF FIELDING by  Chad Harbach 
   
   2.   THE LEFTOVERS by Tom Perotta
   
    3.    A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD by Jennifer Egan
    
   4.   THIS BEAUTIFUL LIFE by  Helen Shulman

NON-FICTION - COMMENTS BY REVIEWER GHS 
 
1. CLEOPATRA by Stacy Schiff-    Overloaded backstabbing  and endless   characters

 2. THE PROMISE by Jonathan Alter-    Love this author and the subject, but much too detailed. Needed a good editor!

COMMENTS FROM BLOG READERS
       
Joyce's Choices contains short descriptions of books along with some

commentary. You may not agree with the choices or opinions but you're welcome to post your comments (especially if you disagree!)
I'm just a click away!


 ANONYMOUS .....  Joyce, I like baseball but could not get into The Art of Fielding. The Leftovers was a big disappointment because Perotta is one of my favorite writers. I really like your opinions and have found the blog very helpful in selecting books.

P. ONSLOW ....  Thanks for the "overrated reviews". It’s a big help. I was thinking of
reading a few of those books and the review is a time saver. 
  
CFW....Thank you.  I have made out my list.  Your summaries are welcomed and appreciated 

Bookluva....I didn't agree with your opinion of The Marriage Plot.  I liked it although it was nowhere near as good as Middlesex.  Overall I think your comments are right on target.
   
 

NINE BOOKS TO TAKE ON VACATION (12/11/2011)

If you are traveling this holiday season, the following titles should hold your interest. While on a plane, lying by the pool, sitting by a fire, on the beach or in your favorite chair  (Did I leave anything out??) these selections will enhance whatever you are doing....
So begin downloading or shopping!! There's something for everyone on this list....

1. V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton- Most recent addition to her series of crime novels. Always intriguing..
2. The Grief of Others by Leah Hager Cohen -This author is the Jenks Chair of American Contemporary Letters at Holy Cross College (Right in my backyard!). The book was placed by the Times among its 100 notable books of the year....
Scroll down to New Book Alerts for my review.
3. The Sense of an Ending by Julien Barnes - Winner of the Booker Prize 2011...."Short and Sweet "
4. The Litigators by John Grisham - "Entertaining romp and good suspense story" (Everyone is familiar with John Grisham!)
5. Catherine the Great:Portrait of a Woman- by Robert Massey-   Receiving rave reviews ( See my comments in New Book Alerts)
6. The Drop by Michael Connolly-  A true to life crime story by the renown author of  22 crime novels...
7. The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards - A new novel by the author of Memory Keepers Daughter..
 Reviewers have labeled it "a multi layered family drama"(How bad can that be?)
8.  Maine by Courtney Sullivan- Everyone has secrets and these believable characters share a history of guilt, tension, and dysfunction. (Ah, the ties that bind a family together!!).."well written and compelling...."
9.  The Sisters by Nancy Jenkins- Favorable review in the Times today.... it covers three generations of women inspired by the author's true story.  Sounds like the review of Maine (above)..