50 Book Challenge

#31. “The Gunslinger” by Stephen King
I can't believe I hadn't read this sooner. Roland is such a compelling character even though he gives so little away. I'm hooked!:)

#32. “The Pinkerton Casebook” ed. Bruce Durie
Really interesting, Like a real life Sherlock Holmes. It's amazing to think how many practices started with the pinkerton men.

#33. “The Drawing of the 3” by Stephen King
Also amazing, can't wait to read the rest.

#34. “The Power and the Glory” by Graeme Greene
Couldn't put this down. This story should be depressing but its not. It's so much more than that, by a deliberate lack of feeling throughout it makes it more powerful. Recommended

#35. "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan.
I love this book. It has some amazing stories. I love the format. 4 mothers, 4 daughters, each of their stories reveals a new perspective not only on their relationships but also of being an immigrant. Brilliant.

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23. It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini - Eh, it was okay. I watched the movie, thought it was okay but thought the book would better, turns out I kind of liked the movie more. One review on the back says "a book about depression that isn't the least bit depressing." I disagree and thought it was kind of depressing. It does end on a happy note though but it was just eh.

24. Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare - You know, it's Shakespeare. I read this about like 8 years ago and had to re-read it again. Re-reading Shakespeare after not reading him in a while is a bit of a struggle for me so I had Spark Notes to help me out. I enjoyed it though, felt bad for Shylock but still liking Portia and what she did. I kind of want to see Al Pacino be Shylock since he is apparently so good at it, I just think him as Shylock is such a weird idea.

Title: Sleepers
Author: Lorenzo Carcaterra
Year: 1995
# of pages: 370
Date read: 6/5/2010
Rating 3*/5 = good


Description:

"This is the true story of four young boys. Four lifelong friends. Intelligent, fun-loving, wise beyond their years, they are inseparable. Their potential is unlimited, but they are content to live within the closed world of New York City's Hell's Kitchen. And to play as many pranks as they can on the denizens of the street. They never get caught. And they know they never will.

Until one disastrous summer afternoon.

On that day, what begins as a harmless scheme goes horrible wrong. And the four find themselves facing a year's imprisonment in the Wilkinson Home for Boys. The oldest of them is fifteen, the youngest twelve. What happens to them over the course of that year--brutal beatings, unimaginable humiliation--will change their lives forever.

Years later, one has become a lawyer. One a reporter. And two have grown up to be murderers, professional hit men. For all of them, the pain and fear of Wilkinson still rages within. Only one thing can erase it.

Revenge.

To exact it, they will twist the legal system. Commandeer the courtroom for their agenda. Use the wiles they observed on the streets, the violence they learned at Wilkinson.

If they get caught this time, they only have one thing left to lose: their lives.

Sleepers is the extraordinary true story of four men who take the law into their own hands. Brilliantly written, it is a searing portrait of a system gone awry and of the people--some innocent, some not so innocent--who must suffer the consequences. At the heart of Sleepers is a sensational murder trial that ultimately gives devastating, yet exhilarating, proof of street justice and truly defines the meaning of loyalty and love between friends. Told with great humor and compassion, even at its most harrowing, Sleepers is an unforgettable reading experience. It will leave you breathless." -- from Amazon.com

My thoughts:

This was a very intense account of brutality and courage. Not everyone made the right decisions, but all faced hardships straight on.

Title: Total Recall
Author: Sara Paretsky
Year: 2001
# of pages: 524
Date read: 6/9/2010
Rating: 3*/5


Description:

"For private eye V. I. Warshawski, the journey begins with a national conference in downtown Chicago, where angry protesters are calling for the recovery of Holocaust assets. There, a slight man steps forward to tell an astonishing story of a childhood shattered by the Holocaust. . .a story that has devastating consequences for V.I.'s friend and mentor, Lotty Herschel.

Lotty was just nine when she emigrated from Austria to England, one of a group of children saved from the Nazi terror just before the war. Now, stunningly, it seems someone from that long-lost past may have returned. With the help from a recovered-memory therapist, Paul Radbuka has unearthed his true identity. But is he who he claims to be? Or an imposter who has usurped someone else's history. . .a history Lotty has tried to forget for over fifty years? Desperate to help her friend, V.I. digs into Radbuka's past. And as the darkness gathers around Lotty, V.I. struggles to decide whose memories of a terrible war she can trust, and moves closer to a chilling realization of the truth--a truth that almost destroys her oldest friend." -- from the back cover

My thoughts:

This was a good mystery with the past of the Holocaust affecting the events in the present. I liked how V.I. gradually learned about Lotty's past.