50BC11 #2: Dark Tide:The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919

Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 by Stephen Puleo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


If you aren't aware of the Molasses Flood of 1919, you are likely, as I was, to chuckle just thinking about the Boston waterfront coated in the sticky stuff. But Stephen Puleo's narrative of this event is terrifying, heartbreaking, dramatic, yet never seems sensationalist. He opens the door to reveal a history not just of an isolated terrible tragedy, but the ongoing struggle between corporate power, politics, and ethnic/class stratification. This book isn't just about the fifteen foot high wave that killed over 20 people (according the legal ruling) and injured multitudes of others, but is about what justice really means when an unexpected tragedy takes center stage against the backdrop of society's everyday tragedies. Beautifully written and extensively researched, this is one of the most riveting historical accounts I've ever read.

50BC11 #1: The Book of Joby

Happy New Year!
Well, I spent the first day of 2011 reading--and doing little else. I managed to polish off the last 300 pages of this one, which now qualifies as my first book in 2011's 50 Book Challenge.


The Book of Joby by Mark J. Ferrari

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book was an epic undertaking for a first novel, and succeeds admirably, if sometimes a bit unevenly. From about page 300 to page 638, I had trouble putting the book down. Ferrari's rhythm of revelation is masterful, keeping facets of the narrative in the dark for the reader and the characters, but rarely at the same time. The beginning set up does feel a little cliché at times and maybe even corny, but as you read further into the book, the characters become important in and of themselves, no matter who they "represent." It is a wonderful read--full of imaginative description and plenty of action, but also with a lot of allegorical insight for the reader who wants more than just a fun story. My only real criticism is the Epilogue. I'd outlaw epilogues for fiction If I could. Sometimes it is ok to just leave loose ends rather than to tie them up in a few short pages.

50BC10 #9: Corduroy Mansions (Corduroy Mansions #1)

TITLE: Corduroy Mansions AUTHOR: Alexander McCall Smith GENRE: Fiction PAGES: 353 STARS: 4 out of 5 Just when I was feeling a bit down because the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series had run its course for me, I discovered Corduroy Mansions. This book is fantastic--vivid and humorous characters (including an adorable "Pimlico terrier") whose capers tend to dwell on that fine line between reality and fiction. I found that the characters here are not as reliant upon rhetoric as in the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series, and that lack of predictability makes this my favorite book from AMS thus far.

50BC10 #8: Brida

Brida: A Novel by Paulo Coelho

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I enjoyed the writing, as I always do with Coelho, but I couldn't decide if this was a story about Brida or a tutorial in Wicca. I had a hard time pinning down the main protagonist (Brida), although I think that was partially the point. Her soul searching came across as almost irritating, partially because of her own sense of martyrdom and suffering. All of that said, there are some lovely descriptive passages and the back story between the Magus and Wicca made the story more interesting.

50BC10 #7: Persepolis

The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have an aversion to hype borne out of my own ego, I suppose (if I'm really honest), but also experience. Here is one instance where the book lived up to the hype and the pages of my copy are tear-stained to prove it. The graphic novel format does not keep Satrapi's experience at arm's length, but rather magnifies the inexplicability of life through the eyes of a child. An absolutely amazing book and one everyone should read, especially if you are clueless about the events in Iran in the 20th century.

View all my reviews >>

50BC10 #6: Spartan Gold

Spartan Gold by Clive Cussler


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I borrowed this book from my grandfather because I needed something to read and was pleasantly surprised. The story is one riddle too long, in my opinion, but the Fargos are great characters and the mystery managed a pretty good dose of the Indiana Jones factor but was still believable. I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to read all his books, but will certainly prioritize Cussler's works for my next airplane read.

50BC10 #5: Requiem, Mass.

Requiem, Mass.: A Novel by John Dufresne


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Dufresne creates a family that is all at once Agee, Burroughs and Sedaris. Johnny's family redefines "function" in dysfunctionality, and the book will make you laugh, shudder with recognition, and wallow in the mire of human experience.