The Martian

The Martian Plot Summary

So when I stared reading this book I didn't realize that it was about to be a movie.  A friend of mine gave me the run down on what it was about and e-mailed me the book.  Yes, that's right e-mailed.  This was my first experience with an electronic book.  I had to download the kindle app and read it on my tiny iPhone screen.  While I appreciate my friend giving it to me i'm so glad I never got an e-reader y'all techies can keep 'em i'll stick to my paper copies.  I know they take up more space but they don't require batteries and they don't make my eyes/head hurt after reading for too long.  On a separate note since this was an electronic copy I had no cover so I just went with the basic non-movie cover.

I really enjoyed this book.  The main character was funny and likable, I actually laughed out loud while reading this book which doesn't happen often.  The main guy was easy to root for all alone in that wasteland.  He kept good spirits despite insurmountable odds and horrible loneliness. The technical stuff and NASA protocol from what i've heard is pretty accurate and incredibly in-depth.  The writer really did some major homework to make sure the book was as accurate as possible. On the down side, there were times that I zoned out while reading just like I did in school.  I never claimed to be a genius, except in boastful jesting, and reading this book made that fact glaringly obvious.   The main reason for the wandering mind was on several occasions I had no idea what the hell the main charter was talking about; mechanics of oxygenators, engineering tasks, and scary math are not my forte.  It's hard to stay focused on what I could never comprehend, but at least I can admit that.  Other than the content that skyrocketed over my head I enjoyed this book, which says something because when stuff gets too technical I get bored.  This is one of the few non-chick books I've read in a while and it was totally worth it.  As always my best advice is read the book before seeing the movie!


Rating ~ 2

The Virgin Suicides

The Virgin Suicides Plot Summary

So I bought this book at Half Priced books with the movie cover.  Since I hate that I found this one cover I liked better.  Kind of a spoiler on what happens but that happens within the first chapter anyway so it's not that big of a spoiler.

  This book was written very well.  Very descriptive, a little wordy, author got off topic at times, but good.  Other than being sad, which with a title like that you shouldn't expect anything different, I enjoyed the majority of the book and finished it in about a day.  There is no foreplay in the beginning you get about 1/2 chapter of description and bam!  You basically hit the ground running with this one.  The middle of the story I found a little annoying only because I was screaming at the parent characters "Are you morons?!"  it is basically a manual for what  not to do with your teenagers at a time of tragedy.  I did get invested in the girls which I believe is a sign of a good book.  I do not mean to offend anyone but the parents went about things in all the wrong ways.  The dad tried but he let the wife make the ill-advised decisions.  They may have had good intentions but they managed to make things so much worse.  Good read but I don't suggest it for the emotionally unstable especially if it's a youngish person who can relate to  any of the characters.  Am I saying this book will incite suicide in the youth of our readers?  No I'm not, but let's not add fuel to a fire.  
    One of the oddest things about this book is what I found in it.  Like I said I bought this from Half priced books meaning it was used.  I found a hand written note in the front that said "Chris I want you to have this.  For when we fall to pieces.  I love you, wholly -Kerry 1/27/2006"   There were various passages underlined throughout the book, some were very odd.  I can't decide if the person was trying to explain something or justify something, I can only hope they didn't take a page from the suicide playbook.  

Rating ~ 3

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby Plot Summary

  I finally finished The Great Gatsby after 5 months of avoiding it for whatever reason.  It was a good book I don't why I was being so difficult,  maybe because it had the stigma of being required reading in school.  I mean no one wants to read something they are required to read. Once I shook that feeling I was reminded that I actually liked this book then and now.
  The language/dialect was difficult for me initially so I drifted in and out some but over all I land firmly in the yes column for read again. I find to my dismay that language and dialect tend to hinder me a lot in reading, so I will no longer hold that against the author unless it's really ridiculous.  Guess that's that Arkansas education coming out... Moving on...
  If you know nothing of this book then know this, the book is definitely a tragedy.  If you are looking for a feel good then pass on this book for now but come back to it when your more in the mood, it's worth it.  I'm not always one for the sad and depressing but this wasn't jump off a bridge sad, more like look at  baby pandas afterward sad. This is definitely one of those book club jackpots, if your into that kind of thing, lots to discuss and argue over.  I think the tragic parts balanced out with the very deep underlying moral, and some really great quotes.   The story centers around Nick who befriends his very rich and mysterious neighbor.  Nick's new friendship with the obscenely popular yet somehow lonely neighbor (Gatsby) lands him in the middle of a Days of Our Lives style plot line.  Our friend Gatsby tries desperately throughout the book to regain something he lost long ago, Gatsby did not seem to grasp that once lost you can't get some things back; no matter how much you want them.  "There are all kinds of love in the world, but never the same love twice"  It's was a hard lesson Gatsby had to learn.  "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."  As I stated Nick was caught in the middle of a very awkward orgy if you will.  I kind of felt bad for Nick, he just was being nice and trying to make a friend, not get all wrapped up in this drama.  The ending had the biggest moral of all and may have shown the authors less than positive opinion of the rich and powerful.

Rating -- 2