Saturday, August 16, 2008

Upstate

This was interesting enough. Not something that was really great I would say, but interesting. I like books about prison, or people in prison. I also like books written in letter style. I think this book would have done more if it were not fiction. Though, I think it was powerful. I was glad in the end it wasn't exactly a happy ending. It made it more believe able. It think it showed the true power of how prison can effect relationships and families. (Not that that needed proving I guess....) I thought the characters felt very real and that the story was well written. It kept my attention, but I can't say it's at the top of any of my lists.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Happy Two Year Anniversary!

Happy two year anniversary to me! It has been two years since I started this goal/blog. Still going strong! 29 books to go and 72 down!

The Kabul Beauty School

This book didn't do a whole lot for me. It wasn't what I expected. I mean, what Rodriguez did was very interesting and even brave, but I felt like she kind of tooted her own horn a lot. (look at me, look how great I am). Maybe it is because I have a hard time relating to the whole "beauty school thing". If it were me, I would have tried to get these women involved in education in a different way. I understand where she is coming from, but I think there are many other ways to help the women in Afghanistan other than a beauty school.

I also found it strange that she was able to just up and leave her children back in the states while she ran off to do this. Her sons are mentioned once or twice. One even comes to visit her, but then she never mentions it again. I was also a bit put off by her marriage to an Afghani man. It just seemed all so strange to me, considering she had already had a bad marriage back in the states, why would she marry a man she knew for 2 seconds and couldn't communicate with? I do understand how he was able to help her and protect her a little bit, but still.....

The writing style was mishmash for me too. She tends to jump all over the place and I got confused a few times on where were. She mentions something briefly, but then never follows through on it. Plus, I found the ending very abrupt. She is definitely not a writer by trade.

This book was just so-so for me.

And now after some curious investigation, I found this story: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10634299

Which just makes me more aggrivated! She left these women, and promised them money from the royalties of the book and they haven't seen anything! My feelings dislike for this woman are now solidified after reading this story.