What I'm reading...

Still reading:
The Little Book of Letting Go

Just started:
The Red Tent

Will start next:
The Help

Two more to add to the Finished List

Title: The Understudy
Author: David Nicholls
ISBN: 9780812971415
Source: Third Place Books - used
Pages: 354
Rating: Tolerable, 2.5 stars
Storyline: Stephen is the understudy to THE Josh Harper for a one-man play. He is struggling to find himself in the acting world where he is typically cast as Dead Guy #2.  As he gets sucked into Josh's celebrity world, he's placed in new situations where he doesn't always pick the best path through.  I didn't love the character, and was irritated by him most of the time, so the book was a bit hard to trudge through in the middle.  I liked the ending though - enough to miss my bus stop this morning!
Other: Read One Day by Nicholls and it was Ok; probably not worth the buzz it's been getting, though it did cause me to say "oh!" outloud at one point. (A trait I really like in books!)


Title: The Late, Lamented Molly Marx
Author: Sally Koslow
ISBN: 9780345506214

Source: Target

Pages: 336

Rating: 4 stars, would read again

Storyline: Young woman's mysterious death; story interweaves what happened leading up to the death with her vantage point from "the Duration" looking back at those dealing with her death; don't know until the very end what really happened.
Other: Look forward to reading more by her - "Little Pink Slips"

Catching up on completed books

Title: Winnie-the-Pooh

Author: A.A.Milne

Edition: Free on iBooks, 384 iPhone pages

ISBN: 0525477683

Source: Free with iBooks App download

Title: Monkey Business
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
ISBN: 0373250711
Pages: 336
Source: PaperBack Swap
Rating: 3.5

Title: Chloe Does Yale
Author: Natalie Krinsky
ISBN: 1401307507
Source: PaperBack Swap
Pages: 272
Rating: 2.5

Title: Autobiography of a Pocket Handkerchief
Author: James Fenimore Cooper
ISBN: 1843911396
Source: Purchased
Pages:128
Rating: 4.5 stars

Title: Women Food and God
Author: Geneen Roth
ISBN: 1416543074
Source: Purchased
Pages: 224
Rating: 4.5 stars

Title: A Wrinkle in Time
Author: Madeleine L'Engle
ISBN: 0312367546
Source: PaperBack Swap
Pages: 256
Rating: 4 stars

Title: Diary of a Mad Bride
Author: Laura Wolf
ISBN: 0385335830
Source: PaperBack Swap
Pages: 304
Rating: 2.5

Title: The Bill from My Father: A Memoir
Author: Bernard Cooper
ISBN: 0743249631
Source: PaperBack Swap
Pages: 256
Rating: 3 stars

Title: Dewey: The Small Town Cat Who Touched the World
Author: Vicki Myron, Bret Witter
ISBN: 0446407429
Source: PaperBack Swap
Pages: 304
Rating: 4.5 stars

Title: The Discreet Pleasure of Rejection
Author: Martin Page
ISBN: 0143116525
Source: Purchased
Pages: 192
Rating: 2 stars

Today I bought...

Since the Borders near me is closing, that means books on sale!  I bought these today (don't tell the hubs!):

The Vintage Caper by Peter Mayle

La's Orchestra Saves the World by Alexander McCall Smith

Pajama Girls of Lambert Square by Rosina Lippi

The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble

In My Mailbox #1

Here's something I've seen on other blogs: In My Mailbox

Today, specifically, these books were literally in my mailbox from PaperBack Swap:

1. The Bell Jar

2. The Glass Castle

3. The Tortilla Curtain

4. Three Cups of Tea

First book complete - Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

Title: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

Author: Helen Simonson
Edition: Paperback, 384 pages
ISBN: 0812981227
Source: Husband bought on recommendation from Barnes & Noble employee

Summary from Amazon.com Review:
In her witty and wise debut novel, newcomer Helen Simonson introduces the unforgettable character of the widower Major Ernest Pettigrew.  The Major epitomizes the Englishman with the "stiff upper lip," who clings to traditional values and has tried (in vain) to pass these along to his yuppie son, Roger. The story centers around Pettigrew's fight to keep his greedy relatives (including his son) from selling a valuable family heirloom--a pair of hunting rifles that symbolizes much of what he stands for, or at least what he thinks he does. The embattled hero discovers an unexpected ally and source of consolation in his neighbor, the Pakistani shopkeeper Jasmina Ali. On the surface, Pettigrew and Ali's backgrounds and life experiences couldn't be more different, but they discover that they have the most important things in common. This wry, yet optimistic comedy of manners with a romantic twist will appeal to grown-up readers of both sexes. Kudos to Helen Simonson, who distinguishes herself with Major Pettigrew's Last Stand as a writer with the narrative range, stylistic chops, and poise of a veteran. --Lauren Nemroff
My take on it:
I loved this book.  No really, loved it!  And I don't often love the books I read.  This book had great characters, both to love and to want to give a good shake. The struggles the characters faced for both generational and cultural differences were believable, as were their reactions to those challenges.  It was so fun to ride along with the esteemed Major Pettigrew as his previously predictable life was thrown out the window. 

The story was surprising at the right times and had good closure with just enough imperfections.  Don't you hate those books that either end abruptly for no reason or wrap everything up so nicely you know it couldn't ever be real.

This book goes on my list to read again in the future and the author is definitely one for me to watch for her next novel.

If you read this or have read it before, let me know what you think!

Happy Reading,
Robin

What I'm Reading

In process as midnight tolled (don't count for 2011 Challenges):

1. America America - Ethan Canin

2. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand - Helen Simonson 

Begun today - January 1, 2011

1. The Little Book of Letting Go: A Revolutionary 30-Day Program to Cleanse Your Mind, Lift Your Spirit and Revive Your Soul - Hugh Prather

2. Autobiography of a Pocket Handkerchief - James Fenimore Cooper

Happy Reading!

Robin