Steinbeck masterpiece
(Tell me about the rabbits)
Ruin'd by Bugs Bunny.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Penguin, 2002 (paper reprint), 103 pages.
9.29.2006
9.27.2006
Review Haiku Roundup
From the Baccha Mitchell Memorial Vacation:
Preteen reporters
Mix tennis and corruption;
Fast, fun mystery.
Vanishing Act by John Feinstein. Knopf, 2006, 279 pages.
Tale of two sisters:
One high-pow'red, one do-gooder.
See how they fumble.
Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen. Random, 2006, 269 pages.
"F***ed up" would be gauche.
Let's try something more genteel:
Say, "inscrutable."
Just In Case by Meg Rosoff. Wendy Lamb/Random, 2006, 246 pages.
Part Dionysus --
Apple, tulip, tater, pot --
Part Apollo, too.
The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan. Random, 2002, 304 pages.
Dr. Doolittle
Meets a tale from Brothers Grimm:
Ani finds her voice.
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. Bloomsbury, 2003, 383 pages.
(Just noticed these are 80% Random House. Odd.)
Preteen reporters
Mix tennis and corruption;
Fast, fun mystery.
Vanishing Act by John Feinstein. Knopf, 2006, 279 pages.
Tale of two sisters:
One high-pow'red, one do-gooder.
See how they fumble.
Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen. Random, 2006, 269 pages.
"F***ed up" would be gauche.
Let's try something more genteel:
Say, "inscrutable."
Just In Case by Meg Rosoff. Wendy Lamb/Random, 2006, 246 pages.
Part Dionysus --
Apple, tulip, tater, pot --
Part Apollo, too.
The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan. Random, 2002, 304 pages.
Dr. Doolittle
Meets a tale from Brothers Grimm:
Ani finds her voice.
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. Bloomsbury, 2003, 383 pages.
(Just noticed these are 80% Random House. Odd.)
9.19.2006
requiem for a beagle
Baccha Wood Schuttler Mitchell
June 5, 1994 -- September 19, 2006.
We love you, you crazy bitch.
No posting for a while.
9.15.2006
Helen of Troy: Review Haiku
Task? Lend sympathy
To the unsympathetic.
George almost succeeds.
Helen of Troy by Margaret George. Viking, 2006, 624 pages.
To the unsympathetic.
George almost succeeds.
Helen of Troy by Margaret George. Viking, 2006, 624 pages.
9.11.2006
Which Brings Me to You: Review Haiku
Their letters reveal:
So many damaged people
and so little time.
Which Brings Me to You: A Novel in Confessions by Steve Almond and Julianna Baggott. Algonquin, 2006, 300 pages.
So many damaged people
and so little time.
Which Brings Me to You: A Novel in Confessions by Steve Almond and Julianna Baggott. Algonquin, 2006, 300 pages.
9.09.2006
Love and Other Impossible Pursuits: Review Haiku
Do not read this book
while pregnant. In fact, do not
read this book at all.
Love and Other Impossible Pursuits by Ayelet Waldman. Doubleday, 2006, 340 pages.
while pregnant. In fact, do not
read this book at all.
Love and Other Impossible Pursuits by Ayelet Waldman. Doubleday, 2006, 340 pages.
9.07.2006
A word about haiku
Yeah, I know. They're not real haiku. I'm only using the basic syllabic structure of 5-7-5 and not even attempting the more metaphorical aspects of the form.
To any Japanese literature scholars out there, mea culpa.
To any Japanese literature scholars out there, mea culpa.
Mockingbird: Review Haiku
Charles Shields explains why
I want to be Harper Lee.
Goal? One perfect book.
Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee by Charles Shields. Holt, 2006, 337 pages.
I want to be Harper Lee.
Goal? One perfect book.
Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee by Charles Shields. Holt, 2006, 337 pages.
9.02.2006
Happiness Sold Separately: Review Haiku
Infertility
and cheating: devastating.
This? Oddly, hopeful.
Happiness Sold Separately by Lolly Winston. Warner, 2006, 296 pages.
and cheating: devastating.
This? Oddly, hopeful.
Happiness Sold Separately by Lolly Winston. Warner, 2006, 296 pages.
8.31.2006
Caddy Ever After: Review Haiku
Another winner --
But why name it for Caddy?
She barely shows up.
(And a non-haiku aside: I love, love, love, that McKay's characters speak in parentheses.)
Caddy Ever After by Hilary McKay. McElderry, 2006, 218 pages.
But why name it for Caddy?
She barely shows up.
(And a non-haiku aside: I love, love, love, that McKay's characters speak in parentheses.)
Caddy Ever After by Hilary McKay. McElderry, 2006, 218 pages.
8.30.2006
Helen of Troy: Review Haiku, in medias libros
Yep, it's a long one,
But why so many typos?
Shame on you, Viking.
Helen of Troy by Margaret George. Viking, 2006, 624 pages.
But why so many typos?
Shame on you, Viking.
Helen of Troy by Margaret George. Viking, 2006, 624 pages.
8.28.2006
The Overachievers: Review Haiku
Let me never be
A helicopter parent.
Poor little smart kids.
The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids by Alexandra Robbins. Hyperion, 2006, 439 pages.
A helicopter parent.
Poor little smart kids.
The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids by Alexandra Robbins. Hyperion, 2006, 439 pages.
The Year of the Dog: Review Haiku
Earth-shattering? No.
A little obvious? Yes.
Still, a good girl read.
The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin. Little Brown, 2006, 134 pages.
A little obvious? Yes.
Still, a good girl read.
The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin. Little Brown, 2006, 134 pages.
A Dirty Job: Review Haiku
Death merchants battle
Morrigans, hellhounds, and grief.
Moore's a sick monkey.
A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore. Morrow, 2006, 387 pages.
Morrigans, hellhounds, and grief.
Moore's a sick monkey.
A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore. Morrow, 2006, 387 pages.
8.21.2006
Fly By Night: Review Haiku
Books, locks, Birdcatchers:
A good yarn, but overstuffed.
Notup to hype.
Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge. Harper, 2006, 487 pages.
A good yarn, but overstuffed.
Not
Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge. Harper, 2006, 487 pages.
8.14.2006
Bread and Roses, Too: Review Haiku
Katherine Paterson:
Master of storytelling.
Still, "good-for-you" book.
Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Paterson. Clarion, 2006, 288 pages. (Note: cover art here is not actual cover art.)
Master of storytelling.
Still, "good-for-you" book.
Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Paterson. Clarion, 2006, 288 pages. (Note: cover art here is not actual cover art.)
Politics Lost: Review Haiku
I hate politics --
"Not another election!"
Joe Klein explains why.
Politics Lost: How American Democracy Was Trivialized by People Who Think You're Stupid by Joe Klein. Doubleday, 2006, 256 pages.
"Not another election!"
Joe Klein explains why.
Politics Lost: How American Democracy Was Trivialized by People Who Think You're Stupid by Joe Klein. Doubleday, 2006, 256 pages.
8.10.2006
Bye Bye Black Sheep: Review Haiku
Good mystery spoiled
By loud, intrusive soapbox.
Oh, Ayelet Waldman.
Bye Bye Black Sheep (A Mommy-Track Mystery) by Ayelet Waldman. Berkley, 2006, 259 pages.
By loud, intrusive soapbox.
Oh, Ayelet Waldman.
Bye Bye Black Sheep (A Mommy-Track Mystery) by Ayelet Waldman. Berkley, 2006, 259 pages.
The Loud Silence of Francine Green
Don't get me wrong: I enjoyed it. But I couldn't help feeling that Karen Cushman's latest was written not with a pen, but with a hammer.
The Loud Silence of Francine Green by Karen Cushman. Clarion, 2006, 225 pages.
- It's Newbery material! WHACK!
- It's about intolerance! WHACK!
- It has timely relevance for our government today! WHACK!
- Jews and liberals have long been persecuted! WHACK!
- Hey, Nina Lindsay -- see what a great writer I am! WHACK!
The Loud Silence of Francine Green by Karen Cushman. Clarion, 2006, 225 pages.
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