I'm Done!!!

Ok, I know it's just one book.  Can't a girl celebrate a little?  :)

I am happy to be finished with Falling Man.  I must say that this was one of those books that I was just pushing through to get to the end.  Sorry, Mr. DeLillo.  You know how you see some movies and you catch yourself trying in vain to read your watch in the dark, thinking, "Really? This isn't over yet?"  Well, that's how I felt as the pages kept coming.  Of course, the subject matter is compelling, and I think that the book was thoughtfully and skillfully crafted, with its recurring motif of both literal and figurative falling, but it just didn't move me.

One of the things I enjoy most about reading is building relationships (admittedly a little one-sided) with the characters.  I crave books that draw me in and make me care about the folks on the pages.  In plenty of cases, I don't even notice mediocre writing if the characters come to mean something to me.  Falling Man just fell a little flat in that category.  (Sorry, couldn't resist).  To be honest, I just wanted DeLillo's peeps to do or say something, ANYTHING that amused me or angered me or inspired me.  Nada.  There is a tiny thread of narrative from the perspective of one of the terrorists that had hope, but DeLillo never fleshes it out, choosing instead to focus on blah Keith and his blah marriage to a blah woman.  The blah woman's mother is an interesting bird, and her relationship with a jet-setting art dealer breathes some life into the story, but there's just not enough of it to salvage things.

It's a bit of a bummer to start out with a book I don't love, but I'm sure there will be MANY of those on the list.  I will say that this novel might appeal to some of you, and these are only my opinions.  I would never tell someone NOT to read a book if they had some interest in it, and Falling Man certainly is unique, but if you're looking for dynamic characters that grab hold of you....you might look elsewhere.

Up next: The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai.  I have high hopes for this one!!!

*I'd love to hear any thoughts, questions, opinions from you, dear readers.  Feel free to comment below!*

Happy Reading!
--Kate

Falling for Falling Man??

Howdy readers!

Well, I've taken the plunge and am immersed in the first book for this project, Falling Man, by Don DeLillo.  I anticipate finishing it tomorrow, but I'll share a few thoughts in advance.

I'm kind of in a love-hate relationship with this book.  DeLillo delves into challenging subject matter, setting his book in post-9/11 New York.  I applaud him for taking on the task of portraying the complex emotions that swirled around that event, and I find the various perspectives he provides fascinating.  The book is written in a very disjointed, stream-of-consciousness sort of style which, while frustrating for me to follow, is a perfect reflection of the thoughts and feelings of the survivors, witnesses, and multitudes of stunned Americans who followed the events as they unfolded.  Several story lines intermingle in disorderly snippets, and I have found myself momentarily confused with which character I'm following at a given time.  Early in the novel, DeLillo describes the immediate aftermath in the city streets, with ash, debris, and papers flying wildly through the air.  Reading Falling Man is like standing in the midst of that chaos, grasping scraps of a story, and trying to piece them back together.  I can't say that I love this novel yet, but I will say that I can't wait to see how, or if, DeLillo ties the story strands together in the end.

Stay tuned for more details and, as always, Happy Reading!


--Kate

p.s.  What are your opinions on how I should handle the books I have already read?  There are some on the list that I have read but didn't mark because I don't remember them well.  Others I will probably like to read again so I can have the chance to write about them here.  What say ye?  Let me hear from you! :)

Off to the Library!

I'm starting my quest at the beginning...a very good place to start :)  My selections will be limited, for the moment, to what my rather small public library has to offer.  I'll be checking out five books at a time, to start with, and see how it goes.  The first five to come home with me today will be Falling Man, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, The Kindly Ones, The Inheritance of Loss, and Carry Me Down. 

Stay tuned as our adventure begins!!

Happy Reading!
--Kate

1001 Books Spreadsheet

And so the odyssey begins...

Here is a link to a spreadsheet with all of the books on the 2008 list. I will be able to keep track of the books I have read, and you all will be able to follow along on your own reading adventure! There are 33 books on the list which I have already read at some point or another, and it will be up to my own discretion whether I choose to read them again.

The following spreadsheet will be for my personal use, but if you would like one of your own, feel free to visit a wonderful site: Arukiyomi and download the original version for yourself!

Excel Spreadsheet:  Click Here! 

 Happy Reading!
--Kate