the curious incident of the dog in the night-time
Mark Haddon

The cover of this book has been catching my attention for months now, so I decided to pick up the audio version. Like the Camus book, the literary style in this story was almost as interesting as the story itself. The main character has Asperger's Syndrome, and the narration is told from his perspective, describing things as seen from his point of view. You really get a sense of how the world works for this young man and he makes the brave choice to move way outside his comfort zone in his quest for the truth.

finished: 12/7/2004

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Harry Potter and the Socerer's Stone
J.K. Rowling

I finally decided to jump on the Hogwart's bandwagon and see what all the fuss was about. After all, Andy and Kym have read all of the books at least a half dozen times each. The narration on this book was enchanting and the story keep me listening late into the night. Good book :)

finished: 11/30/2004

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The Rule of Four
Ian Caldwell

I have to admit, I was a little disappointed by this book. The cover blurb had me thinking it would be a book along the lines of the DaVinci code, et al. However, the writing style of this author is much slower, much more loosely connected, and employs many flashbacks as a literary tool. The story line did pick up and it did have an interesting ending, but I think if I had been reading it, and not listening to it, I may not stuck around long enough to finish. Good story, just not as tightly woven as others.

finished: 11/15/2004

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Deception Point
Dan Brown

Another well done book by Dan Brown, this one didn't have the strong religious overtones that the previous two did. Once again, however, I was entralled by the tight plot, strong characters, interesting settings, and constant action. You never know where these books are going to end up, and even if you think you have it figured out, the plot twists take you in different directions. Kudos Dan!

finished: 11/10/2004

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Angels and Demons
Dan Brown

Because I loved the DaVinci Code so much, I decided to take a chance on another Dan Brown book and was well rewarded. This book immediately caught my attention with the initial setting at CERN, a place that is indirectly responsible for so much of my professional activities these days. Once again, strong and intelligent main characters move through facinating settings in search of the truth. What will they find out? You'll have to read it yourself :)

finished: 10/30/2004

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The DaVinci Code
Dan Brown

I have to admit, when I picked up this book, I really had no idea what it was about, other than it had sparked some major religious controversy. I thought it was an essay against the church. What I found was a skillfully crafted mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat for hours (an awake during the long nighttime drive home). Every character, every scene, every detail was interwoven into a tale of deception, intrigue, mystery and murder. Remember people... it's just fiction!

finished: 10/15/2004

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The World According to Mr. Rogers
Fred Rogers

I grew up watching Mr. Rogers and loved this little volumn full of pearls of wisdom, artfully narrated by a steller cast, including Mr. Rogers himself. His positive outlook on life and his belief in the overall goodness of people gave millions of children the confidence they needed to face the challenges of everyday life.
"If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person."

finished: 9/30/2004

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7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Stephen Covey

Covey’s comments on being proactive and responsibility validated my own feelings on the subject. His discussion on emotional bank accounts clarified many things for me. Covey quoted Frankl “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and happiness.” Very powerful concept indeed.

finished: 9/15/2004

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The Stranger
Albert Camus

Hanging out in Borders last week, I decided I wanted to read someone I hadn't ever had the chance to read before. I headed over to the classics section, browsed the titles, and settled on this short novel by Camus, and translated from the French by Matthew Ward. Camus described this story as an exploration of "the nakedness of man faced with the absurd."

I found the style and perspective in this story interesting. Terse and succinct sentences narrate the first person account of an ordinary man as he moved through his life with a minimum of introspection and involvement. I got a feel for the personality of this man as he went to work, interacted with his neighbors, spent time with his girlfriend, and buried his mother. He seemed to have a feeling that it didn't matter what he did or didn't do, so he just did what he wanted to. His life changed in a moment as a summer beach trip led to a murder for which he was responsible. He almost lives a surreal life, seeing himself as an observer instead of a participant in what is happening around him. He ends living day by day waiting for the dawn that bring his execution. Interesting commentary on what should be, and what often happens instead.

finished: 7/15/2004

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Ten Things I Wish I Had Known - Before I Went Out into the Real World
Maria Shriver

Another easy-to-read book filled with nougets of wisdom. Her chapters include:
1) First and Foremost: Pinpoint Your Passion
2) No Job is Beneath You
3) Who You Work for and with Is As Important As What You Do
4) Your Behavior Has Consequenses
5) Be Willing to Fail
6) Superwoman is Dead... and Superman May Be Taking Viagra
7) Children Do Change Your Career (Not To Mention Your Entire Life)
8) Marriage Is a Hell of a Lot of Hard Work
9) Don't Expect Anyone Else to Support You Financially
10) Laughter

I loved this book!

finished: 6/30/2004

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Redefining the Strong-Willed Woman
Cynthia Ulrich Tobias

Finally, a book that talks about me! Tobias describes strong-willed women and discusses how they can use that strength to be a positive force for God in the lives of others. She lists the traits these women have in common:

1. I have a deep desire to make a difference.
2. I am not content to coast.
3. I am fiercly loyal.
4. I need to be involved.
5. I will not be ignored.
6. I have no reverse gear.
7. I tend to succeed.
8. I am wholehearted in action.
9. I have diverse interests.
10. I have a strong desire to do right.

finished: 5/30/2004

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Schindler's List
Thomas Keneally

"He who saves a single life saves the world entire." -The Talmud,/i>
As I read through this book, I was struck with amazement and horror at what some people can inflict on their fellow man. Events like the Holocaust prove the the existance of good and evil, and the reality of Satan's influences on this world. This important story of triumph and survival in the midst of chaos needs to be told time and time again so we don't forget.

Tuesdays with Morrie
Mitch Albom

One of the most profound little books I have ever read. Reflections on life and living and what it means to endure to the end. I learned that it is ok to experience sadness over situations outside your control and that it is not always necessary to be stoic.

finished: 3/1/2004

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The World According to Garp
John Irving

"In the world according to Garp, we're all terminal cases." This sentence ends both Irving's comic and tragic novel. "Garp was a natural storyteller," says the narrator of John Irving's incandescent novel, referring to the book's hero, the novelist Garp, who has much in common with Irving himself. "He could make things up one right after the other, and they seemed to fit."

finished: 2/15/2004

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The Fourth Hand
John Irving

Another interesting Irving tale of a man who gets his hand eaten off by a lion, has a replacement hand donated, and falls in love with the widow of the donor.

finished: 12/23/2003

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Madame Secretary
Madeline Albright

Secretary Albright was President Clinton's Secretary of State and the first woman to hold an office that high. She was a key player in many major foreign policy situations, from Bosnia to Yugoslavia, The Middle East to North Korea. She had a strong belief that the strong have a duty to protect the weak, and that the United States has a moral obligation to be a leader of democracy.

finished: 12/15/2003

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The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Mitch Albom

In this tale, you don't go straight to the Pearly Gates when you die. Instead, you meet five people who changed the path of your life in some way. Some you know about and others you never knew. Heaven is a full realization of where you came from and how you got there... and then taking your turn helping others through their journey.

finished: 11/15/2003

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