Ken Wharton's Divine Interventions is a SF novel set on another planet that's been colonized not that long before. The main character is a boy who's blind. It was fine, but nothing too exciting.

Kage Baker's Anvil of the World was the first fantasy novel of hers I've read (as opposed to her SF novels in the Company series). I like the Company novels better so far, but will likely read her other fantasy novels as well.

James Blaylock's The Land of Dreams left me with the image of a man rowing a giant shoe out to sea and will make me think twice before getting on a ferris wheel in the future.

Paul Auster's Moon Palace was another of those novels that made me think I should live in New York at some point before I die. The book had memorable little scenes, but I don't remember the ending at all right now. For some reason it's tied up in my mind with the plot of Nicholas Christopher's Veronica (another New York book with a mysterious female love interest).

When I heard that Robert Anton Wilson is dying, I decided I should re-read The Illuminatus! Trilogy (for the first time in years). Sex, drugs, and rock and roll, plus conspiracy theories, and Atlantis.

Wintersmith was typical Pratchett. Fortunately I really like typical Pratchett.

Several years ago at Powells I saw a book called Downers Grove (by Michael Hornburg). Since I used to live only a couple of suburbs over from Downers Grove, Illinois I decided I should pick the book up. I finally read it and found that the only part I really liked was recognizing some of the suburban landmarks. Otherwise it was a bit painful to read. Too much high school angst.

Dan Simmons' Children of the Night is a modern look at the Dracula story. Dracula in modern Romania with HIV and modern medicine.

Renee French's The Ticking is a disturbing little graphic novel with few words.

Annie Dillard's The Living was picked to be my book group's October read. Since we didn't end up meeting last month, I was a bit delayed in finishing it. Set in pioneer-era Northwestern Washington, I recognized many of the names from Seattle street names. Unfortunately it was one of those novels that was a really slow slog for me, even though I enjoyed it.

Jessica Abel's La Perdida was a spontaneous purchase at Powells last time I was down in Portland. American woman goes to Mexico and tries to absorb the local culture and gets mixed up with people she probably shouldn't have. In graphic novel format.

I'm currently reading Timothy Egan's The Worst Hard Time which is the book I'm supposed to have read for book group tonight. At least I started it.
posted by kristin at 3:44 PM

Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller is a series of snapshots from her African childhood. I enjoyed it, even as part of me constantly wondered what her parents had been thinking in their choices. This isn't a terribly romanticized version of the colonial period in Africa.
posted by kristin at 12:53 AM

Miriam Katin's We are on our Own is a graphic novel memoir of her and her mom's escape from the Nazis in World War II. Not as extensive as Maus, but moving.
posted by kristin at 12:51 AM