Books and Icelandic Ice floes Sept - Dec 2016
Jokulsarlon, Iceland is a bay at the base of a glacier. The ice falls off the glacier, floats around in the bay, gets swept into the relatively narrow channel, goes under the bridge and then out to sea. The whole process can take years, but those ice chunks in the channel erode quite quickly due to the swift water. It was fascinating. We sat and watched the same spot for over an hour, getting really involved in the drama of which ice chunk would collapse next, where the seal would pop up, the different birds fighting over fish. I would go back here to sit for the afternoon no problem!
-by Eric Schmidt and Johnathan R.
How Google Works: This is the one for entrepreneurs/new companies. I'm not really the audience, but it feels cool to learn how the insides work
-by Nicola Griffith
Hild: Historical fiction about the early life of St. Hilda. Both a coming of age story and a how to survive in a royal court story. Rich, dense, descriptive writing is lovely, all the people/places without a map slowed me down a bit.
-by John Green
The Fault in Our Stars: I am a bit behind the curve here, but yeah, this is a good book. Even though it is about kids with cancer it is funny...and feels real, not cloying. I'll try his other books.
-by P.D. James
Innocent Blood: God what a good writer! She wrote this in 1980 and except for the lack of cell phones it feels completely relevant to today. These are always so easy to read-I kind of don't want to run out of them, so I kind of ration them, so I can always read more.
Black Tower: Having just said I ration them...I went ahead and read another right away. This is one of her first, nice set-up, lonely English countryside.
-by Ann Liecke
Ancillary Sword and Ancillary Mercy: Final books in the trilogy. Satisfying read, I know it is sci-fi, but it is so much character development and world building. Main protagonist is such a great set up for the story, but the writing is good so I would read other things from her.
-by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik
Notorious RBG: all about Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I could tell she was awesome, but the book goes into explanations for the non-lawyer. She is one awesome lady!
-by Ann Lamott
Crooked Little Heart: This has been on my shelf for a bit, should have read it sooner! The internal workings of women of a bunch of different ages and personalities is so well described.
-by Lev Grossman
The Magicians: This seems to be all the hotness, apparently there is a tv show? And I like the premise, but the protagonist is whiny and so is was just meh for me.
-by Jenny Blake
Pivot: This is about how to change careers, especially if you want to work for yourself. Not what I need now, but I really liked how she gives different view points and some exercises. Best point that stuck with me is: Start with what is working for you, build from there!
-by Laurie King
Mary Russell's War, The Beekeeper's Apprentice, A Monstrous Regiment of Women: Comfort re-reading!
-by Dan and Chip Heath
Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard: Nice job pulling together a bunch of stuff I have liked before to give a straightforward game plan for change. The easiest to remember process as well.
-by Ursula LeGuin
Tales from Earthsea: Okay, another one that I thought I had read before and didn't love...but now I think I never actually read it. It is of course delightful. Fun little stories that give some history to the world. Best read between book 4 and 5? Or after 5?
-by John Green
An Abundance of Katherines: I really liked this, not as powerful as The Fault in Our Stars, but still. He has a couple themes that seem to pop up repeatedly. The car trip of great meaning, the awkward teen sort of coming into their own, small mysteries that only the teens know. But the writing is still good and fun, I'll clearly be reading anything he writes.
-by Bill Bryson
The Road to Little Dribbling: Giant sad! This was so disappointing. Previous books have set expectations high and this one just isn't funny. Most towns he visits fail to be charming and productive. Then he laments there is nothing he can do. And that is the whole book, ugg.
