Curlygeek04

LATEST ARTICLES ( 463 )

• Thirteen Books on My Fall TBR List

  This week’s Top Ten topic, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, is our Fall TBR List.  I like to post a reading list every quarter, as a way of looking at what... Read more

  Posted on 18 September 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• R.I.P. XIII: Readers Imbibing Peril

  One of my favorite annual blog events is Readers Imbibing Peril, or RIP.  Because let’s face it, the real world is scary enough. Read more

  Posted on 16 September 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review: The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

  This is a book that’s gotten a ton of praise, and has been described as Agatha Christie meets Groundhog Day.  As a murder mystery, it’s great fun, playing on th... Read more

  Posted on 12 September 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Attending the National Book Festival

  

  The National Book Festival has been going on for 17 years in DC, and I’ve never been.  Not because I didn’t know about it; some of my colleagues go every year... Read more

  Posted on 07 September 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Summing up My 20 Books of Summer

  

  This summer I read 21 books for the 20 Books of Summer, hosted by Cathy at 746 Books.  From my original list, I read 11 books, which isn’t bad since I rarely... Read more

  Posted on 03 September 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• My August Reading Wrap-Up

  Ah, August.  My co-workers are freaking out about the heat and all I can think is, just a little longer please!  I’m never ready for summer to end (and yet it... Read more

  Posted on 01 September 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Ten Books to Help You Learn About the United States

  

  It’s Back to School week at Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl), so I decided to write about ten books that can help us learn about America. Read more

  Posted on 28 August 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

  Those who love a good gothic novel will certainly appreciate this one, as will those looking for more LGBTQ stories and characters in their reading. Read more

  Posted on 26 August 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review: In the Shadow of Statues by Mitch Landrieu

  I saw Mitch Landrieu on the Daily Show a few months ago and immediately put this book on my TBR list.  It’s a fascinating look at race and the history of the... Read more

  Posted on 22 August 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review: A River of Stars by Vanessa Hua

  I wanted to like this book but in the end was disappointed.  I was really interested in the story, which begins with a young woman traveling from China to the... Read more

  Posted on 09 August 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• My July Reading Wrap-Up

  July was a busy, stormy month. It began in California where I visited Catalina for the first time and rode in a (small) July 4th parade.  It ended with seeing... Read more

  Posted on 03 August 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Reading Nonfiction: the Doing Dewey Challenge and Mini-Reviews

  

  I never used to read nonfiction.  I’ve always said I learn more from a memorable story and characters than from a recitation of facts. Read more

  Posted on 30 July 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review: The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey

  This was another read for Read Harder 2018, which checks two boxes: it’s a mystery by a woman of color and it’s set in India.  It’s also a period mystery,... Read more

  Posted on 28 July 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review: Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey

  I read this book for the Read Harder 2018 challenge, because it had a female protagonist over the age of 60 (thanks to those who recommended it). Read more

  Posted on 21 July 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Top Ten Short Story Collections

  

  This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, is about favorite short stories and novellas.  I don’t read a lot of novellas, but I’ve really... Read more

  Posted on 17 July 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review: What We Were Promised by Lucy Tan

  I really enjoyed Lucy Tan’s debut novel about a family living in modern-day Shanghai.  Wei, Lina and their teenage daughter Karen are a wealthy family  living i... Read more

  Posted on 14 July 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Top Ten Books Read This Year (So Far)

  

  Today’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, is about the ten best books we’ve read so far this year.  It’s always good to do this halfway into th... Read more

  Posted on 10 July 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review: Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado

  It’s tempting to compare this book to What it Means When A Man Falls from the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah.  Both are debut short story collections from diverse... Read more

  Posted on 09 July 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• My June Reading Wrap-Up

  

  ne was a tough month nationally, but a good month for blogging.  It was a much quieter month than May, except for the last week, which I spent at a conference i... Read more

  Posted on 02 July 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE

• Review: What It Means When a Man Falls From the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah

  I loved this book of short stories.  Arimah has a really vivid way of telling a story, and her stories covered a wide range of issues and genres.  The title... Read more

  Posted on 29 June 2018 BOOKS, CULTURE