The Hanging Tree

I am listening to Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. This morning I listening to the chapter that had the "The Hanging Tree" song and the song is stuck in my head. Here it is:

Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Where they strung up a man they say murdered three.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Where the dead man called out for his love to flee.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Where I told you to run so we’d both be free.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

I am enjoying the book. Since my last post, I have listened/read the following books:

• And Then There were None by Agatha Christie: Excellent book. I can't believe I never read her stuff. Loved the book. I can't wait to get my hands on the movie adaptations of the movie including Bollywood movie Gumnaam. It is a must read book. (10/10)
• Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: Another great read. I think there are enough great reviews online.(10/10)
• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins: I read this on the plane to and back from India. The book is okay. The first book in the series is the best. (8/10)
• Sisters Eight series - Book 3 & 4: Cute children's book.
• Scott Pilgrim Vol 1 & 2. I watched the movie and I must say the movie was quite random. After some research, I found that the movie was based on Scott Pilgrim Manga. I am not a big fan of Manga but I had to pick this one to find out more about the movie. The books are okay.
• Room by Emma Donoghue: I listened to this book and absolutely loved it. Whoever read this book, I suggest you pick up the audio book. Michal Friedman (an adult woman) narrated the character Jack and she actually makes the listeners believe that they are listening to a five year old. (10/10)

I am currently reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand on my iPad and enjoying the book very much.

I will do another post about the trip to India and my sister's marriage hopefully soon. Over and Out.

iPad: The Blog Killer

Two months ago, I bought my iPad, which is around the same time my last entry was posted. Do you see the connection? Every day I drove to work thinking that I will post something from my iPad today. However, every time I get a hold of my iPad, I am either reading, playing games, reading news...doing everything but blogging. Today morning I made a decision that I will write an entry the old school way - on my computer :)

After my rant, I am sure you have figured out why the title of the blog is "iPad: The Blog Killer."

Here is what all I have on my iPad:

1. Books: I uploaded tons of books on the iPad. I downloaded the apps iBooks, Kindle and Nook. I have used both iBooks and Kindle. All the classics books are free online. On top of that, Amazon has tons of free books, which include Tagore and historical non-fictions about India. I really liked the ability to highlight and comment on text and look up words in the dictionary while you are reading.

2. Games: I downloaded tons of games. The best ones are Fruit Ninja, Angry Birds, Sudoku, and Mahjong. What can I say? I am a nerd at heart.

3. Music: I love listening to music when I am doing chores around the house and having them on my iPad is definitely a plus. These two music apps, Shazam and SoundHound, recognize songs. It has happened many times when I have listened to a song on the radio and did not know the singer/band/album. Now I just record 30 seconds of it and let these apps figure out the song. It is awesome!!!

4. Photo editing apps: I am a sucker for photo shop and having the apps that make it easier definitely makes the whole iPad fun.

5. Other apps: I have news apps, entertainment apps (StumbleUpon), and social apps (Facebook and Twitter)

As you can tell, I love my iPad. Now if I can just find some cool noise-cancelling headphones :)

On to the books: I have read many books since my last book post. I am too lazy to talk too much about any of them.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bend - 5/10 - Some books start off good but leave a bitter taste in your mouth at the end. This was definitely one of those.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (Audio Book) - 9/10 - This book is among the good books I read this year.

What is This Thing Called Love? by Gene Wilder  - 7/10

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (Audio Book) - 10/10 - I am a fan of Neil Gaiman and love everything by him. This book was not an exception. I loved it. The book is actually based on the BBC show called "Neverwhere."

Serious Men by Manu Joseph - 9/10 - This was an excellent book. I felt this was better than The White Tiger.

I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak (Audio Book) - 7/10 - I am still so confused about the ending. If anybody knows what happened at the end, please let me know.

The Arabian Nights (Children version) - 10/10- I missed lots of stories but at the same time, the book brought back childhood memories. I remember reading Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves in grade school and some other stories. Someday I want to pick up the unabridged version of The Arabian Nights.

The Late, Lamented Molly Marx by Sally Koslow (Audio Book) - 8/10 - It is a chic lit - enjoyable.

Arranged Marriage by Chitra Divakaruni - 8/10 - I was so looking forward to Chitra Divakaruni's Arranged Marriage. It was good; however, I must warn you, the stories are depressing.

London is the Best City in America by Laura Dave (Audio Book) - 8/10 - Another chic lit- enjoyable.

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok - 9.5/10 - This was a really good book.

The story deals with Asian American emigration experience. Kim, who immigrated to America, has to balance between work life (she is underage) and school life. She works to help her mother and make ends meet. It is really a touching story.

The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession  by David Grann (Audio Book) - 8/10 - There are some topics that just appeal to me, and Sherlock Holmes is one of them. I have never read any of the mysteries but the books are definitely on my list. This book deals with real life events of "murder, madness, and obsession." I would listen to the stories and then check online afterwards for the full stories and the current status. I felt some stories did not relate; thus, I am giving it an 8. I highly recommend this book, along with other book that I rated above 7.

I read few more but I will talk about them in a separate posts.

I signed up the Audio Book Challenge last year. I chose the obsessed level, which was listening to 20 audio books. I had listened to 16 audio books before I took a hiatus. This post has five audio books, which puts me at 21 audio books. I just finished The M-factor, another audio book and will start The Hunger Games tomorrow. The total for this year is 23 audio books. I am done with the challenge. Yay!!!! This was fun. I am going to sign up again and will make a separate post.

P.S. I got my CPA license.

Time Quartet Series by Madeleine L'Engle

Before I start talking about the books, I have to say I only listened to the first three novels of the total five. I am mad at myself that I actually wasted time on the second and the third novel. I do not plan on finishing the series or reading any of the author's other works.

I checked out all three audio books together, which I shouldn't have done. Since they all were sitting in my car, I listened to all three.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle is considered a classic children's book. I am going to come out straight. I did not enjoy any of the three books. I feel like I wasted my time listening to them. The stories did not make any sense, especially the third book. The third book was very choppy and was very difficult to follow. I wish Ms. L'Engle had continued the story from the first book. The stories were unrelated and the only common thing between the books were the Murry family. The only character I liked was Calvin O'Keefe and Ms. L'Engle made sure that his role was less and less as the series progressed. I think he was the only sane and normal character in all three books.

I give all three books 2 out of 10. I do not recommend these books.

All three books qualify for the Audio Book Challenge.

Book Reviews

It has been a while since I wrote here. During that time, I finished three books. Here are really really short reviews of the books.

1. Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers:

Short summary: Life on the Refrigerator Door is a poignant and deeply moving first novel about the bonds of love and frustration that tie mothers and daughters together. Told entirely in a series of notes left on the kitchen fridge—some casual, some intimate, some funny, some angry—it is the story of nine months in the life of 15–year-old Claire and her single mother.

The concept was good; however, I felt that very important elements of the story could not make it to the notes. There were many parts where I was confused. Since the story is told by notes, the details of the story are missing. Lots of conversations take place outside the book, and the readers are left guessing. I give this book 7 out of 10.

2. I'll Mature When I'm Dead by Dave Barry:

Short Summary: A brilliantly funny exploration of the treacherous state of adulthood by the Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist. Some people may wonder what this subject has to do with Dave Barry, since Dave's struggled hard against growing up his entire life-but the result is one of the funniest, warmest, most pitch-perfect books ever on that mystifying territory we call "adulthood". In hilarious, brand-new pieces, Dave tackles everything from fatherhood, new fatherhood, self-image, the battle of the sexes, celebrityhood, technology, parenting styles, certain unmentionable medical procedures, and much more.
 I complained earlier that I will not be listening to any audio books because my brother will be carpooling with me. Well, his friend and he got tired of listening to the radio, and we decided to try audio books. First, we tried Jane Eyre because that is their summer reading. It was boring. Then we picked up Dave Barry.

This book has adult humor. Imagine listening to this book with two 17-year olds in the car. You bet I had to skip some chapters. Even then, I enjoyed this book. Along with essays, there are two spoofs of 24, TV show, and Twilight and something for dog lovers. There were several laugh out loud moments; however, there were some boring sections as well. Dave Barry did a good job reading the book. Overall, it was a decent book. I give it 8 out of 10.

This book qualifies for the Audio Book Challenge.

3. Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen:

Short Summary: One day I was 12 years old and broke. Then Grandma gave me Grandpa's old riding lawnmower. I set out to mow some lawns. More people wanted me to mow their lawns. And more and more. . . . One client was Arnold the stockbroker, who offered to teach me about "the beauty of capitalism. Supply and Demand. Diversify labor. Distribute the wealth." "Wealth?" I said. "It's groovy, man," said Arnold. If I'd known what was coming, I might have climbed on my mower and putted all the way home to hide in my room. But the lawn business grew and grew. So did my profits, which Arnold invested in many things. And one of them was Joey Pow the prizefighter. That's when my 12th summer got really interesting.

This book was one of the best children books. It was short, funny, and educational. Usually that combination is hard to find. My brother and his friend enjoyed this book, and that is saying something. Sadly, it was so short that we finished it in two days. We just could not wait to get back to the book. My brother decided to recommend his Economics teacher to assign this book to the students.

There is nothing to say about Gary Paulsen. He is simply a genius. I had a friend who had read Hatchet like million times. That book is on my TBR list.

All I can say is read this book. It is very good. I give this book 10 out of 10. Lawn Boy Returns was released on March 23, 2010, and I can't wait to get my hands on that book.

This book qualifies for the Audio Book Challenge.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is a classic children's book. I did not know that. This book has been on my TBR list ever since I created a spreadsheet to keep track of my books, which was about three years ago. It seems like whomever I mention this book to have either read the book or watched the movie.

Short summary: Claudia and Jamie decide to run away and live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City because Claudia feels she is not appreciated enough by her parents. The museum buys a statue called angel from Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and the statue is suspected to have been crafted by Michelangelo. Both children research to find out the truth.

The story is highly entertaining. I think almost every kid dreams about running away and living someplace exciting like the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I enjoyed listening about Claudia and Jamie's adventures at the museum and afterwards. Jamie is so darn cute and Claudia is equally smart. Jamie handles the money matters and Claudia does the rest. Mrs. Frankweiler is old and childish. She wants her own secrets and adventures just like the children.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading about adventures of two little kids. I listened to this book and the reader, Jan Miner, did an excellent job. I give this book 9 out of 10.

This book qualifies for the Audio Book Challenge.

The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg

This is one of those books where I want to jump up and down and say, "Read it." It was cutely good. The novel is about a 40th high school reunion. There are five main characters: Dorothy Shauman Ledbetter, Pete Decker, Mary Alice Mayhew, Candy Armstrong, and Lester Heseenpfeffer. There are other characters but the story mainly revolves around these characters.

The novel starts with each character discussing the reunion and the reason they are going. It is cute how some characters start acting like teenagers and decide to go to the reunion to "hook up with an old flame." The book then shifts toward the reunion, which starts with the arrival at the venue. The last part of the novel is about characters' lives after the reunion.

The story was cute. The reunion served as a self-awareness retreat for the characters. The characters are portrayed a certain way and the readers can see the development in the characters as the story progresses. I felt that at the end of the novel, the stories of the characters are also wrapped up nicely. I liked the ending. Overall, I enjoyed the entire novel and looked forward to listening to it every time I got in my car.

Secondly, the overall theme of a 40th reunion was an interesting topic. I graduated high school 5 years ago and a 10-year reunion sounds exciting to me. Imagine going back for 40th reunion. Nowadays, it is easier to keep in touch with friends through social networking websites like Facebook, Orkut, MySpace, etc.

Lastly, the book was read by the author. I am a fan of audio books that are read by the author. It gives the authors an opportunity to present the characters exactly how they imagined them. Same goes for Elizabeth Berg. I think she did an excellent job with the audio book, and I really enjoyed listening to it. Just from listening to Berg, I could make out that in the novel, Mary is the calm one, Peter is the impulsive one, Candy is lonely, Lester is satisfied with his life but he is missing something, and Dorothy is like a child.

I highly recommend this book and give it 9.5 out of 10.

This book qualifies for the Audio Book Challenge.

The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow

I finished the novel end of March but didn't get around to posting my opinion about it. I usually do that in lunchtime or in the evening at the library. I have been studying non-stop during those hours as I am so close to finishing the CPA exams and do not want to screw up. Due to which, I have stopped reading and listening to books. No No...I take that back. I am reading CPA related book and listening to CPA related material. I will post my opinion about those later (just kidding...or maybe I should do it). Anyways, after this post, I am taking a break from the blog until end of May. Time to get serious about the exam!

Now back to this book. Heidi W. Durrow has done a great job. I really enjoyed this book. Here is a description from the author's website:

A timely and moving bicultural coming-of-age tale about the daughter of a Danish immigrant and a black G.I. A beauty with light brown skin and blue eyes, she attracts much attention in her new home. The world wants to see her as either black or white, but that's not how she sees herself.

Meanwhile, a mystery unfolds, revealing the terrible truth about Rachel's last morning on a Chicago rooftop. Interwoven with her voice are those of Jamie, a neighborhood boy who witnessed the events, and Laronne, a friend of Rachel's mother. Inspired by a true story of a mother's twisted love, The Girl Who Fell from the Sky reveals an unfathomable past and explores issues of identity at a time when many people are asking "Must race confine us and define us?"

The book is beautifully written and the narrators did an excellent job. I did not like few things but I will talk about those later. The concept is original. I picked up this book by reading "inspired by a true story." Now I am curious to know how much of the story was actually true and which parts were fictitious. The book is thought provoking. I think this book would appeal more to others but I still liked it. Lastly, I don't know why, but the whole concept of a "blue bottle" inside everyone intrigued me.
 
Bad points: I felt the characters were not fully developed especially the grandmother, the father, and the aunt. I think the author should have written more about them to give the full picture. There were few events in the novel that I felt were unnecessary, and the story would have been better without them. I won't elaborate more on that. I was highly disappointed with the whole mystery. The author built it up by mentioning minor details here and there.
 
I give this book 8.5 out of 10.
 
This book qualifies for the Audio Book Challenge.

You Can’t Drink All Day If You Don’t Start in the Morning

One of the librarians recommended this book to me. I saw the title and thought, "This has to be funny." Well it was damn funny!!! The author is Celia Rivenbark. She is too good at what she does. This is my first Celia Rivenbark's book. My first Rivenbark book made me her fan. There are many many LOL moments in the book. Each chapter is a different story. I just loved her too much. I highly recommend this book. I just don't know what else to write. She simply is The Best in her genre. I give her 9/10. Read this book!!!

I found a YouTube video of Hilarie Burton's reading of the book. Check it out and decide for yourself:

 

This book qualifies for the Audio Book Challenge.

Time to watch Comedy Circus. Good Night!!!

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

I finished the book last Friday and I am glad I waited a week to blog about it. When I finished listening to it, I wanted to chuck the book out of my car. Thank god that I realized that the book belongs to the library. Now that should tell you how I felt about the novel. I think I am calmer about the book.

A short synopsis from Jodi Picoult's site:

Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate - a life and a role that she has never questioned… until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister - and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable… a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves. My Sister's Keeper examines what it means to be a good parent, a good sister, a good person. Is it morally correct to do whatever it takes to save a child's life… even if that means infringing upon the rights of another? Is it worth trying to discover who you really are, if that quest makes you like yourself less?

The story is told from various points of views. Chapters shuffle between characters. Anna is the main character (which is obvious from the synopsis). She is a typical 13-year-old girl, who is unsure most of the time. At the same time having dealt with a sick sibling, she is mature for her age. Then there is the sick sibling, Kate. She is not given a voice in the novel; thus, it is harder to judge her. There is an older brother, Jesse. At times, I felt that he is just hungry for attention, which is definitely present in the novel, but at the same time, it is his way of dealing with a sick sister. He cannot be a donor for Kate, which frustrates him. Then there are the parents, Brian and Sara. Brian is a firefighter and is closer to Anna. His character is bearable. Sara, on the other hand, is irritating. She is manipulative. I felt like at times Sara did not see Anna as her daughter but only as a savior of Kate.

Beside the Fitzgerald family, there is Campbell Alexander, the lawyer, and Julia Romano, guardian ad litem. Campbell has a service dog but does not explain why until later. His explanations for having a service dog bring comedy relief to the book. Julia is Campbell's ex-girlfriend and readers can easily see what will happen to them.

The book started out good. The story is captivating from the start. I liked how each situation is presented from different point of views. I wish Picoult had given a voice to Kate because I feel she is very important to the story. At the same time, I understand why Kate's character had to be mute in order for the story to build. Just like everyone else, I am not happy with the ending. I felt betrayed when I listened to it, but now I am somewhat okay about it. I still wish Picoult had taken a different route. I got teary-eyed twice during the book.

The audio book is read by various artists, where each character is represented by one. I liked that because I think it would have been difficult for one reader to present so many characters. Having various artists read the book definitely added to my likeness of the book.

I would give this book 7.5/10 for two reasons. One reason is Sara Fitzgerald and the second is the ending.

This book qualifies for the Audio Book Challenge.

Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury

This audio book was a full-cast radio play by the Colonial Radio Theatre (2 hours). This was my first "full-cast radio play" and it was a different experience. I liked Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and decided to try this book.


Wikipedia:  Two 13-year-old boys, Jim Nightshade and William Halloway, have a harrowing experience with a nightmarish traveling carnival that comes to their Midwestern town one October. The carnival's leader is the mysterious "Mr. Dark" bears a tattoo for each person who, lured by the offer to live out his secret fantasies, has become bound in service to the carnival. Mr. Dark's malevolent presence is countered by that of Will's father, Charles Halloway, who harbors his own secret desire to regain his youth.

Story was good. The characters were good. I liked everything about the book. Now on to the audio book. This was my first experience with radio play so I had no idea what to expect. While listening to it, I felt that I was watching a movie with my eyes closed. The cast did an excellent job but I really needed the visual with it. There were moments when one character said, "Look," and all I head next was different sounds. I was hungry for some description of the events. Because of which, I felt like I was missing bits of the story. I don't think I did. This audio book did make me curious enough to check out the original book soon.

I give this audio book 7/10 and the story gets 10/10, so the average is 8.5/10.

This audio book qualifies for the Audio Book Challenge.

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County - Tiffany Baker

You know there are some books that leave a sour taste in the mouth. Well, this was one of those books. I had very high expectations and at one point this book came close (not very) to meeting them, but then BOOM...it all came crashing down. I realize what happens in the book was necessary to the plot but at the same time, I don't think it was. Before I go more into it, here is a little summary of the book:

Truly is bigger than average in Aberdeen County. In fact, her teacher in school calls her "A little giant." Her mother dies in childbirth and the father becomes alcoholic. She has an older sister, Serena Jane, is opposite of Truly, beautiful and seemingly perfect. Serena Jane marries Robert "Bob Bob" Morgan, the son of the doctor of the county, against her wishes. After 8 years of marriage, Serena Jane disappears, leaving Truly responsible for taking care of Bobby, Serena's son. Men in Morgans family have always been the doctors of the county, starting from first Robert Morgan, who married Tabitha, the witch doctor. Tabitha has left the recipes of her remedies hidden in the house. The story becomes interesting when Truly discovers those remedies...

I hope I have not given away too much of the story. Overall, it was a decent story. It was original. However, the characters spoiled the fun for me. I found Truly, the main character, really really annoying. She does not speak up for herself and I felt that she is overly obsessed with her sister. Due to which, she doesn't appreciate the people who gave her roof over her head, the Dyresons. All was good and dandy, until certain events happened which made me unhappy (so there is a fault in the story...so I take my words back about it being a decent story). Serena Jane was just plain selfish. She didn't care about anybody, including her son. She was definitely the second character that I didn't like.

After I was done listening to it, I felt relieved it was over. I did enjoy most of the story. The story took some turns, which made me very unhappy. Since I enjoyed about 80% of the story, I give it 8/10.

This book qualifies for the Audio Book Challenge.

Before I end this post, I would like to wish everyone a Happy Holi!!!

The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris

The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris was something different to say the least. I enjoyed listening to it and I think the author did an excellent job narrating it. There is no differentiation in voice when it comes to different characters, but from the starting, I associated his voice with the main character, Tim.

Tim Farnsworth is a partner in a law firm. He has a beautiful wife named Jane and a daughter, Becka. However, there is a chance that he will lose it all. He calls his wife to say, "It's back" and that will change everything. Tim has a condition, which makes him walk. He walks miles and miles and for hours until he is so tired that he falls asleep. His wife picks him up from random places at random hours. At first, his daughter feels that Tim is doing all this on purpose. That changes over time as she grows order and sees her dad struggle with this condition. However, in the end, it is Tim who has to deal with it and stop himself from walking away from his life.

I read about this novel on NPR and found the plot interesting. Whenever I took a break from listening to the novel (when I got to work or home) I kept wondering what will happen next until I got a chance to listen to it again. Joshua Ferris creates these characters and makes them so real that the readers feel emotionally attached to them. Even though this novel is fiction, there is a non-fiction feel to it. I think some readers might be able to relate to the frustrations Tim and Jane face throughout the novel. The readers will sympathize with the characters, their triumphs, and their loses (not too many triumphs though). This novel is definitely on the sad end of the scale.

I felt that Joshua Ferris did not leave any questions unanswered and lose ends. The story starts from the beginning and ends at the End. The readers are not kept wondering about the future or wishing for an alternate end (at least I wasn't.) I felt the ending was very peaceful as compared to the whole book. I give this book 8.5/10.

This book qualifies for the Audio Book Challenge.

P.S. Here are the two NPR articles: An Aimless Walk With An 'Unnamed' Destination by Glen Weldon (book review) and Tracking A Man's Life, In Endless Footsteps (author interview).


Now I am listening to The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker and enjoying it so far. I am also reading M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

After listening to Neil Gaiman present The Graveyard Book, I have concluded that he is one of the best storytellers. Again, he did an excellent job creating the characters.

Here is the summary of the book:

Nobody (Bod) Owens is raised by the ghosts of the graveyard. His family was murdered by the Man Jack when Nobody Owens was a baby. He learns the ways of the graveyard such as fading, dreamwalking, etc. However, his ghost family cannot always protect him or shield him from the outside world. 

This book was awesome. There are short incidents of Bod's life such as his graveyard teachers from early 16th and 17th century, his days in school, Silas who is his guardian, and his encounter with the Man Jack. There is so much more than these few mentioned above. Readers will find out the reason behind the murders and other supernaturals. There are ghouls, vampires, werewolves, sleers, and ofcourse ghosts. There is so much that it leaves the readers hungry for more in the end. I have no comments about the ending. It was bitter-sweet for me which made me like this book even more.

I discussed this book with a colleague and we both concluded that we would love a sequel. There is so much more things to imagine. We want to meet Bod again and hear more about his life. I want to say so much more but I am afraid that I might give away some spoilers.

What's more exciting is reading about a possible movie for this book. Here is Neil Gaiman's journal entry about the movie. I am excited. I wonder if it will be an animated movie like Coraline. I would love to see this movie as real people with computer-generated imagery.

I will give this book 9.5 out of 10.

This book qualifies for the Audio Book Challenge.

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell was an interesting read. I enjoyed Gladwell's Outliers very much and just had to check out his other works.

The Tipping Point treats different phenomenon in the history as epidemics and discusses the three rules of epidemic that explain the phenomenon:

1.  The Law of the Few
2. The Stickiness Factor
3. The Power of Context

I liked that the author simplifies the concepts for the readers and uses case studies to explain them such as sale of the Hush Puppies and Airwalk shoes. The book is also different from the book Outliers. In Outliers, Gladwell built points after points and ended the book with a boom. This book, Gladwell mentions the points in the very beginning and explains them throughout the book. I give this book 8.45/10. I think I am going to add all Gladwell books to my wish list. I really enjoy reading his works.

This book qualifies for the Audio Book Challenge.


I found the following graph, which complements the book very well:

Now I am enjoying The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. He has become one of my favorite authors. I must say he is an excellent storyteller.

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Where do I start about Outliers? This was one of the best books ever. I enjoyed listening to it very much.

The book focuses on the opportunities and legacy. Under opportunities, Gladwell explains how the exceptional people or the "Outliers" do not become outliers only due to talent. They are presented with opportunities along the way to help them. The book starts with the explanation of the baseball players and how their success in the game is based on the date they are born on. Gladwell moves on to the 10,000-hour rule. He explains how famous band Beatles and world's richest man, Bill Gates had opportunities which led to them having 10,000 hours of practice in their respected fields. Then Gladwell discusses how one's environment can help in the success. He discusses this point by comparing Christopher Langan and Robert Oppenheimer. He wraps up this section by discussing the New Yorker lawyers. I have to say that was a brilliant finish to the section.

Gladwell then talks about culture and legacy and he starts this by discussing the airplane crashes in the history. He wraps up the book by going back into his family history. Gladwell's history will be a surprise to the readers.

The book was read by the author, and just like the book, the audio book was amazing. The writing was very clear and simplified. The author built up the each point to have a grand finale. The book is filled with many wow factors. I give this book 10/10 and highly recommend this book.

This book qualifies for the Audio Book Challenge.

Life Update and Books

Since my last post, many things have happened in my life. I will not post about most of them. I will talk about one new thing (a good thing) that happened. I donated blood for the first time in my life. The aftermath was not so good but that is not important. I wouldn't mind doing it again but I have to keep in mind that it is over the weekend and I can come home right after that. Today I received my Commit for Life blood donation card.

I also finished two books:

         

A Short History of Myth: I started this as an audio book but ended up reading the last chapter. The book was very dry. I thought I would enjoy it. The audio book was about 3 hours and it took me two weeks to finish it. Every morning after listening to it for 5 min. I would switch to the radio. Finally, I just checked out the book and read it. Even then I was like, "Why am I reading this?" I felt as if the author did the research and wrote the book but did not present it properly. I would give this book 4 out of 10 because there were some interesting stories. So I don't think this will qualify for the Audio Book Challenge.

The Christmas List: I read this book and enjoyed it very much. The story is a modern adaptation of A Christmas Carol. It is about a businessman names James Kier who only cares about money and success. In order to become successful, he destroys many lives. One day he sees his own obituary in the newspaper and reads other's reaction to his death. Then he realizes what he has done and decides to atone for his doings. He makes a Christmas list and goes on a journey looking for forgiveness. Now the readers have to find out if he can make everything okay or maybe he is too late. I give this book 8.5 out of 10.

Now I am listening to the Outliers and enjoying it very very much. I also have to pick up a book to read at night and I think I want something funny. I think I might read some Sophie Kinsella. That's it for tonight!

Neil Gaiman is back!!!

I finished Odd and the Frosted Giants by Neil Gaiman today on my way back home. It was read by Neil Gaiman and I think he is one of the best readers out there. He did an excellent job.

Summary: "Winter is lasting forever in the far north. But when 12-year-old Odd helps a trapped bear, he meets an eagle and a fox – all of whom are actually Norse gods trapped in animal form by the frost giants who have conquered the city of the gods. Odd must reclaim Thor's hammer, outwit the giants, and release the gods." Source: Audio Editions

I enjoyed the book very much. Neil Gaiman is an excellent storywriter and storyteller. His voice makes the listeners believe in the characters and I felt that he himself was enjoying reading the book. I look forward to his other works. I give this book 9 out of 10.

This is it. This is the last post of the year. Time to head to the party!!!

I hope next year brings lots of happiness and success to everybody.

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

I think I am going to make this my last entry for the year. I am not done listening to my audio book. If I finish it tonight, I don't know if I will get online to write the review. Tonight is PaRtY!!!!!

I finished Elsewhere on Tuesday. I was on the last disc before my vacation so I had a week break before I could finish it.

Elizabeth "Liz" Hall is fifteen years old and she dies in a hit-and-run accident. She ends up in Elsewhere. Elsewhere is the place where all the dead people and pets end up. It is similar to earth, and the individuals must take a ship to get there. The native of Elsewhere get younger as oppose to getting older. When they are 7 days old, they are sent back to Earth to start life over again. When Liz reaches Elsewhere, she meets Betty, her grandmother. Liz cannot comprehend the idea of this place and cannot settle down. It is her story in the world of Elsewhere.

I enjoyed the story very much. Even though it deals with death, it is not as sad as expected. The author is trying to convey the message that one should live life based on quality instead of quantity. It did make me curious about other animals that are not pets. What happens to them? Where do they go? Beside this curiosity, the story also did not leave any loose ends for me. I felt the story of Liz was followed through. The writing style was simple. I give this book 8.5 out of 10 and highly recommend it.

I did finish listening to my book on my way back from work so one more entry before the end of this year.

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

I finished the novel and I enjoyed it. Initially, I felt that I will not like the book as I was annoyed with some of the characters. After a while, I started to enjoy it. I liked most of the characters.

The novel is about the Bennet family. There are parents and five daughters: Jane, Elizabeth, Lydia, Kitty, and Mary. The novel's main character is Elizabeth Bennet. Mrs. Bennet is worried about getting her daughters married, so when rich Mr. Bingley come into the town, Mrs. Bennet tries to get Jane married to him. Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley's friend, joins him for the stay and notices Elizabeth. At first, he finds her plain, but slowly starts to fall in love with her. On the other hand, Elizabeth despises him due to his rude remarks at the ball. Another character, Mr. Wickham,  recounts his unpleasant dealings with Mr. Darcy, adding to Elizabeth's dislike. Eventually, Mr. Darcy confesses his love to Elizabeth, who rejects the proposal. As the story progresses, she reconsiders her opinion of him and her affection for him grows.

Even in my short summary of the novel, I have left out many characters and details that are important. This was a love story. The characters that annoyed me slightly were the mother, Mrs. Bennet, and Mr. Collins. I felt both characters were superficial, but seeing the society, I guess that is required. Elizabeth and Jane were definitely my favorite characters and I liked Mr. Darcy. His effort to please Elizabeth after their encounter was a nice gesture on his part. Even to the last disc, I kept wondering if they would get together. I mean, it is expected, but I was curious about how it will take place. In the end, I concluded that most of the Bollywood movies use this novel as the base story, add one or two twists, and add about ten songs.

When I started the book, I thought it is going to rate about 6 on my scale but I have to give it 9 out of 10. I am actually considering giving his 10/10. If I do, I will edit this post.

I look forward to Ms. Austen's other novels. I can't wait to see both Pride and Prejudice movies.

Btw...I got my phone...I am so excited about it..Yay me!!! Now I can access the web and hopefully I will be able to access the email soon. Ciao for now...off to my vacation.

Another Challenge

I can't believe I have decided to do this, after what happened with last two challenges. I do think I can actually finish this. This challenge is hosted by Royal Reviews and I saw it on the blog "Devourer of Books."

Challenge Guidelines:

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

--Non-Bloggers: Include your information in the comment section.

2. There are four levels:

-- Curious – Listen to 3 Audio Books.
-- Fascinated – Listen to 6 Audio Books.
-- Addicted – Listen to 12 Audio Books.
-- Obsessed – Listen to 20 Audio Books.

3. Audio books only.

4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.

 
I am going in as Obsessed and I think I can do more than 20 audio books. I think I will add a gadget on the side for this when it starts and add books to that list. Can you tell I am excited?
 
As for the book I am listening to now, I am on the 9th disc (last one) and dying to know what will happen. I am listening to Pride and Prejudice and I have to agree that I took a while to get  into this book, but it is getting better and better by each chapter. Then I will give the audio books a break for a week. I would hate to leave any audio book in the middle when I take my vacation. I think next audio book is going to be either Neil Gaiman, 1984 by George Orwell, Shopoholic 2 by Sophie Kinsella, or A Christmas Carol. I want to start Ayn Rand's third novel, Atlas Shrugged, soon. I think tomorrow will be the day.
 
No updates on the personal life beside CPA studies and audit world. Both could be better. I finally ordered my phone today and I am getting Samsung Mythic and I am very excited about that. My brother ordered the same phone, so now I am thinking about buying some sort of sticker to distinguish between the phones. I also got data plan so it will be nice to have access to email and internet at all times. I will post pictures when I get the phones but in the meanwhile here is a pic from AT&T's website:
 

Btw...I am not liking the new Blogspot compose page. There is no spelling check icon and I can't customize the picture size to my liking...urrgghhh..this is irritating!

It is past midnight now and I think it is time to sleep. So should I say Good Night or Good Morning?