I've been meaning to particpate in Weekly Geeks for well... quite a few weeks now. So, I'm jumping in today with both feet.
This week, Dewey tells us to...
1. In your blog, list any books you’ve read but haven’t reviewed yet. If you’re all caught up on reviews, maybe you could try this with whatever book(s) you finish this week.
2. Ask your readers to ask you questions about any of the books they want. In your comments, not in their blogs. Most likely, people who will ask you questions will be people who have read one of the books or know something about it because they want to read it.
3. Later, take whichever questions you like from your comments and use them in a post about each book. I’ll probably turn mine into a sort of interview-review. Link to each blogger next to that blogger’s question(s).
4. Visit other Weekly Geeks and ask them some questions!
Here are my books, listed by month in which I read them... some of these will also be reviewed shortly...
April 2007 (yes, I know!)
Book Crush, Nancy Pearl
Junie B. Jones: Dumb Bunny Barbara Parks
Yang the Youngest and his Terrible Ear Lesley Namioka
From a Crooked Rib Naruddin Farah
The Invention of Hugo Cabret Brian Selznick
Special Topics in Calamity Physics Marisha Pessl
Exit A Anthony Swofford
Midnight at the Dragon Cafe Judy Fong Bates
Name Me Nobody Lois Ann Yamanaka
May 2007
Chicks with Sticks: Knit 2 Together Elizabeth Lenard
June 2007
The Embroidered Couch Lu Tiancheng
July 2007
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows J. K. Rowling
September 2007
Bad Boys Ahoy! Sylvia Day
Drina Dances in Paris Jean Estoril
Drina Dances in Madiera Jean Estoril
Drina Dances in Switzerland Jean Estoril
Drina Dances on Tour Jean Estoril
Drina Ballerina Jean Estoril
Ask For It Sylvia Day
Champagne Rules Susan Lyons
October 2007
Jack of Fables: Jack of Hearts Bill Willingham
January 2008
The Murder of Bindy MacKenzie Jaclyn Moriarty
The Spell Book of Listen Taylor Jaclyn Moriarty
Regarding the Bees Kate Klise
February 2008
Tithe Holly Black
April 2008
Shopgirl Steve Martin
June 2008
Fables: The Good Prince Bill Willingham
July 2008
Stop in the Name of Pants! Louise Rennison
Serve the People Yan Lianke
Franklin and Lucy: President Roosevelt, Mrs. Rutherford and the Other Remarkable Women in his Life Joseph E. Persico
Snow Falling in Spring: Coming of Age in China During the Cultural Revolution Moying Li
Ask Away!
23 comments:
Hi, Jennie! I'm a great fan of the HP series so I'm going to ask questions about Deathly Hallows. How did you like it? Was it very far from what you expected? And what did you think about the epilogue?
I loved the Harry Potter novel. What were your thoughts on the revelations Snape revealed to Harry right before the last battle? What did you think of the "Deathly Hallows"?
Okay, alessandra beat me to the epilogue question, for Harry Potter, so I'm going to ask, how the various character deaths affected your reading of the book?
And on a lighter note, what you thought of the mis of prose and artwork in Hugo Cabret?
My question is about Stop in the Name of Pants by Louise Rennison. I have one big question! Does it have Dave the Laugh? And how much is he in it?! And how about this one...is Georgia any closer to growing as a character? Or is it the same old, same old? When it comes to the last page are we back where we started on page one? Georgia confused about boys once again!?
Jaclyn Moriarty is one of my favourite authors.
I haven't yet read the Spell Book of Listen Taylor but I've read reviews of The Spell Book of Listen Taylor that wondered if the novel would really appeal to a YA audience. So, do you think that it does?
Hello :) I have one about the Sylvia Day. How did you like it? Are all the heroes those uber-alpha toughies with muscles as big as heads, that kind of thing? Are the heroines strong and smart or more typical?
Did you think Tithe by Holly Black was dark? Would you recommend it to the YA crowd it's intended for?
And is Shopgirl good? I just picked it up awhile back at book sale. Not sure if it's going to be my thing or not.
I'm ashamed to say I haven't read much on your list! But I do have a question about Shopgirl...
By any chance, have you seen the movie? If so, how does it compare to the book?
Also, what did you think of Steve Martin's writing? Was it what you'd been expecting?
People seem to either love or hate the Pessl novel. Which side do you fall on, or is your view more moderate? Why?
What did you think of the FDR/Lucy biography? Was it a scholarly effort, or just salacious gossip?
I have a question about The INvention of Hugo Cabret...What is this book about basically? Is this considered a young adult book? I have a 12 year old who really likes reading fantasy--Harry Potter, Brian Jacques, the Warrior series, ect...you get the picture! Would this book be up his alley. I am tired of buying him a book and having him be done in 2 days! This book looks like a pretty big tome which might take him 3 days to devour instead!!
*smiles*
Kim
I'm curious about Special Topics in Calamity Physics, about which I've read a lot of varying reviews. Some people hated it, others loved it. Where did you fall and why?
My question is also about Special Topics in Calamity Physics Marisha Pessl, (Im hoping to read this over the summer)
What I would like to know is whether you considered reading or re-reading the books she lists as her chapter titles? I know that many book groups have suggested this for furthering the enjoyment of the book, what are your opinions?
My girl who is 5 loves Junie B. How old is she in Dumb Bunny?
How is Book Crush? Would you recommend it to your fellow book fiends or should we pass?
Junie B. Jones is written for kids who are just starting to get into reading, say, kindergarten or first grade. Does it bug you that the author makes deliberate grammar mistakes?
On Harry Potter: I am a long time Harry Potter disliker though I am attempting to amend that. Why do you find the series and particularly the final book appealing? Was it what you expected? Are you disappointed that it's the end of the Potter world?
Is the Knit 2 Together book referring to knitting two socks at once? Have you mastered this method? Would you recommend this book to beginning sock knitters?
Did the visual art in The Invention of Hugo Cabret appeal to you? Do you think the images furthered the story as much as the text did?
I assume you enjoy the Drina series since you read so many of them! What is Drina like?
What did you learn about China's culture that surprised you in Snow Falling in Spring?
I'm secretly glad to see you have so many unreviewed boks, because I get just as behind, and it's nice to know I'm not alone in this. :)
Midnight at the Dragon Cafe: excellent new Canadian fiction, or just another Amy Tan ripoff? I read it and liked it, but have since heard mixed reviews... I'd be interested in your take.
My question is on the FDR book. Did you find that the author relied on the historical record, or did he rely more on anecdotes, suppositions, and the like? Also, did the author present the relationships in their historical contexts?
Have you read The Year of Secret Assignments and Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn M? If so, how do you think they compare with Bindy Mackenzie?
The Spell Book of Listen Taylor is, as far as I can tell, the North American, YA-marketed version of her "I Have a Bed Made of Buttermilk Pancakes". I thought the title was wonderful, but sadly I didn't love the book - too quirky even for me. Perhaps it worked better as a YA novel? What did you think of it?
What did you think of Jack of Fables? Do you recommend being up to date on the Fables series before picking it up?
It seemed like The Invention of Hugo Cabret was really big when it came out. I was working in a bookstore at the time that sold new books, and we couldn't keep it in stock. Very quickly, though, it crept into the shadows, and now it's hard even to ask someone about it, because no one has ever heard of it.
Does the book give any insight into this - was it disappointing? Did it fail your expectations of it? Or did it just not stand out as much as it seemed like it would have?
I'm interested in the technique and art of storytelling itself so anything along that line would interest me. My questions are for any or all of the titles in your list:
How was Point-of-View handled? Was there a single POV character or did it alternate among two or more. Was it always clear whose eyes and mind were filtering?
How was language used to set tone and mood?
Was the prose dense or spare? Were sentences generally simple or complex?
How was metaphor used? Were associations fresh or did they tend toward cliche? Did they add to your understanding of the theme?
What was the central or organizing theme?
How does the title relate to the story? Was it fitting?
>>>>
BTW I'm hosting a book giveaway this week. Four copies of Still Summer by Jacquelyn Mitchard. Four chances to enter until Saturday 3PM PST.
Hi Fellow Weekly Geeker! I'm a HUGE Nancy Pearl fan, but have not read Book Crush. As someone who has not read a lot of teen and tween books, would I still enjoy Book Crush?
My second question is about Shop Girl. I've read the book and seen the movie. Which did you prefer?
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