It's been a good week for finishing books.
- The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by loca author Kate Dicamillo, Bagram Ibatoulline(illus)
- It's preachy, sweet and sentimental bordering on maudlin -- it won't surprise you that I really liked it. My signed copy was purchased at the Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul, which is the best place to buy kids books. I liked the moral of the story and the illustrations were perfect. I know too many people like Edward the china rabbit, who are either too wrapped up in their own ego or too afraid of loss to really engage in passionate and unrestrained love. I'm glad I have kids so I can read sentimental children's book and not have people think I'm totally off my rocker.
- Tampa Burn by Randy Wayne White
- This is a one of a couple of books set in Florida that I picked up for my Mickey Mouse vacation last February. It's a classic guy thriller story. White's "Doc Ford" reminds me of the Dirk Pitt series by Clive Cussler but a little more salacious. If you are looking for challenging intellectual stimulation, this isn't it. If you are looking for mindless entertainment with plenty of testosterone, you're in the right place.
- Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler
- OK, this one is kind of girly - it's not a romance novel or anything -- the book is just more about relationships than guns. I read a review last year of a recent novel by Anne Tyler and thought the author sounded interesting. Despite the fact that there were almost no likeable characters in this book and nothing much happened in the book, I still enjoyed reading it. Tales of family dysfunction are the kind of horror story I like. If you are looking for an upbeat, feel good story consider reading something else. I liked the way the author manages to tell the same stories from multiple vantage points.
- Invisible Man by Ralph Elison
- O.K., I'm still not done with this one. I'll let you know.
