A Weekend to Relax
This has been the week from hell! I've had a close encounter with a Seoul Immigration officer that resulted in a hefty fine and almost being expelled from the country. Those three days were terrible (well two at immigration and election day in between), which resulted in two sleepless nights and a near breakdown. So, today has been a day a recuperating and tomorrow is the great Seoul Book Exchange.
I took my time getting up in the morning and spent the day in bed reading. I read a good portion of The Known World by Edward P. Jones, reading this for Bookleaves, the book club I'm a part of in Seoul. This is a great book; I'm really enjoying it. I didn't think I would like this book so much but I really find it interesting. At first I found the continuous use of the word slave and the big "N" word offensive and very off putting. It's language I'm not used to hearing and the amount of times it was said seemed like it was being crammed down my throat.
I've been enthralled in this novel, I found it much better after the first chapter. Since getting into to I've found it difficult to put down, I just want to consume the entire book. It's been more than I thought I could be. I'm looking forward to the discussion that this book would bring about at our meeting next weekend.
Now that I've gone out and had dinner and picked up my latest vice (lemon twist strawberry smoothie from Smoothie King) I thought I would come back and do some blogging. I've been meaning to write about last weekend. Which was a weekend of book buying. I was at three different bookstores and got a total of 18 books (including the 4 that I ordered from What the Book).
The books are of several genres and a range of topics. Just to wet everyone's appetite I'll give you the list;
Non-fiction:
The Devil's Picnic by Taras Grescoe
Taras has traveled the world in pursuite of finding all the forbidden foods.
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
This book explores what happens to the body after it's expiration date. Not only the act of embalming but also the various uses of bodies post mortem.
Devices & Desires: A History of Contraceptives in America by Andrea Tone
An everything you have ever wanted to know about contraceptives (and probably things you never wanted to know about this industry). I'll be using this book as my fifth book for the Non-Fiction Five Challenge starting in May.
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Gilbert talks about her travels in Italy, India and Indonesia.
The Reluctant Communist: My Desertion, Court-Martial, and Forty-Year Imprisonment in North Korea by Charles Robert Jenkins
Jenkins tells his side of the story, explaining his experiences in North Korea. I am interested in the book for several reasons; I'm currently living in South Korea, and I watched the film Crossing the Line by BBC which follows one American that crossed the line at the DMZ to defect to the North. Jenkins was one of four to have crossed at about the same time. Jenkins appears in the film.
Tolkien A Biography by Michael White
This man led an interesting life and wanted to find out more about him and learn more about his influences while writing The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. I've wanted to know more about the man after taking Tolkien and Medieval Literature in University.
The Key to My Neighbor's House: Seeking Justice in Bosnia and Rwanda by Elizabeth Neuffer
This book explores the lives of those on both sides of conflict in these areas of the world and looks how they are trying to restore both justice and find a sense of normalcy after such atrocious acts.
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
The life of one boy living in Sierra Leone and his travels to America.
Young Adult:
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The story of a girls love affair with books and she amasses her collection of books. Winner of the Printz Award.
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
The story of Matteo Alacran and his unlikely...um...harvest. Winner of the National Book Award, Newbery Honor, and Printz Award.
Fiction:
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
The story of Calliope Stephanides and three generations of the Stephanides family. This is a book for Bookleaves.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
This requires no explanation. I picked this one up because of my commitment to attempt to read more classics while doing last weeks Booking Through Thursday.
Graphic Novel:
The Manga Bible by Siku
The Bible told as a graphic novel.
Buddha: The Forest of Uruvela (Book 4 in the series)
This is a collection of books that retell the life of Buddha. I loved the first three books and I've waited a while to get this one.
I'll leave the list of books I ordered until they show up. This is already a very long list. But I'm excited to read them all and will be using a number of them for challenges I'm participating in.
Well, this is already getting quite long and I have more reading to get to. And I wanted to mention the book giveaway that is happening at Naked Without Books. Susan is giving away a copy of Korea Bug, so go there and enter your name if you are interested in learning for more about South Korea.
I took my time getting up in the morning and spent the day in bed reading. I read a good portion of The Known World by Edward P. Jones, reading this for Bookleaves, the book club I'm a part of in Seoul. This is a great book; I'm really enjoying it. I didn't think I would like this book so much but I really find it interesting. At first I found the continuous use of the word slave and the big "N" word offensive and very off putting. It's language I'm not used to hearing and the amount of times it was said seemed like it was being crammed down my throat.
I've been enthralled in this novel, I found it much better after the first chapter. Since getting into to I've found it difficult to put down, I just want to consume the entire book. It's been more than I thought I could be. I'm looking forward to the discussion that this book would bring about at our meeting next weekend.
Now that I've gone out and had dinner and picked up my latest vice (lemon twist strawberry smoothie from Smoothie King) I thought I would come back and do some blogging. I've been meaning to write about last weekend. Which was a weekend of book buying. I was at three different bookstores and got a total of 18 books (including the 4 that I ordered from What the Book).
The books are of several genres and a range of topics. Just to wet everyone's appetite I'll give you the list;
Non-fiction:
The Devil's Picnic by Taras Grescoe
Taras has traveled the world in pursuite of finding all the forbidden foods.
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
This book explores what happens to the body after it's expiration date. Not only the act of embalming but also the various uses of bodies post mortem.
Devices & Desires: A History of Contraceptives in America by Andrea Tone
An everything you have ever wanted to know about contraceptives (and probably things you never wanted to know about this industry). I'll be using this book as my fifth book for the Non-Fiction Five Challenge starting in May.
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Gilbert talks about her travels in Italy, India and Indonesia.
The Reluctant Communist: My Desertion, Court-Martial, and Forty-Year Imprisonment in North Korea by Charles Robert Jenkins
Jenkins tells his side of the story, explaining his experiences in North Korea. I am interested in the book for several reasons; I'm currently living in South Korea, and I watched the film Crossing the Line by BBC which follows one American that crossed the line at the DMZ to defect to the North. Jenkins was one of four to have crossed at about the same time. Jenkins appears in the film.
Tolkien A Biography by Michael White
This man led an interesting life and wanted to find out more about him and learn more about his influences while writing The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. I've wanted to know more about the man after taking Tolkien and Medieval Literature in University.
The Key to My Neighbor's House: Seeking Justice in Bosnia and Rwanda by Elizabeth Neuffer
This book explores the lives of those on both sides of conflict in these areas of the world and looks how they are trying to restore both justice and find a sense of normalcy after such atrocious acts.
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
The life of one boy living in Sierra Leone and his travels to America.
Young Adult:
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The story of a girls love affair with books and she amasses her collection of books. Winner of the Printz Award.
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
The story of Matteo Alacran and his unlikely...um...harvest. Winner of the National Book Award, Newbery Honor, and Printz Award.
Fiction:
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
The story of Calliope Stephanides and three generations of the Stephanides family. This is a book for Bookleaves.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
This requires no explanation. I picked this one up because of my commitment to attempt to read more classics while doing last weeks Booking Through Thursday.
Graphic Novel:
The Manga Bible by Siku
The Bible told as a graphic novel.
Buddha: The Forest of Uruvela (Book 4 in the series)
This is a collection of books that retell the life of Buddha. I loved the first three books and I've waited a while to get this one.
I'll leave the list of books I ordered until they show up. This is already a very long list. But I'm excited to read them all and will be using a number of them for challenges I'm participating in.
Well, this is already getting quite long and I have more reading to get to. And I wanted to mention the book giveaway that is happening at Naked Without Books. Susan is giving away a copy of Korea Bug, so go there and enter your name if you are interested in learning for more about South Korea.
