Everyman144 reviews Philip Roth Vintage, 2007 "Old age isn't a battle; old age is a massacre" + Contingency, Irony, and Authenticity + Sparce, but powerful This book opens, aptly, with the funeral of a nameless protagonist. It then follows on with a series of flashbacks on his life, raising probing questions concerning his (or really, everyman's) existence - on the tedium of day-to-day living, the pain of regret and loss, the debilitating nature of ...             I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence212 reviews Amy Sedaris Grand Central Publishing, 2006 Have Fun & Be a Successful Host & Hostess! + Hilarious and Useful + Funny, but falls flat + This book is not for ladies who want to serve tea and sandwiches...             Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood172 reviews Marjane Satrapi Pantheon, 2004 A story without the confines of traditional boundaries + Brave New Girl + Fresh perspective People often associate comic books with childrens' fiction, as if the medium itself is inflexible. Some of us the comic lovers know that is not the case. And case in point Persepolis - where the emotions of a little girl in the politically and socially charged Iran takes us through what would have ...             The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao222 reviews Junot Díaz Riverhead Hardcover, 2007 Not So Brief, But Just As Wondrous + One of the best bad novels or one of the worst good ones? + Joys, suffering, fears and passions + The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao             Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival203 reviews Anderson Cooper Harper Paperbacks, 2007 Such an honest account! + Dispatches From the Edge + Excellent + Liked AC before - respect him (more) now + Dispatches from the Edge             Pastoralia54 reviews George Saunders Riverhead Trade, 2001 Failing into Grace + Author is a must read + NEEDS SOMETHING + Great Tales + more pleasure from mr. saunders.             Cloud Atlas: A Novel169 reviews David Mitchell Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2004 Highly unique and worthwhile + When Humanity Consumes Itself + A Daring and Beautiful Novel + Rare Masterpiece + Interruptions and emancipations             The Attack: Novel25 reviews Yasmina Khadra Nan A. Talese, 2006 The Attack + an understanding + winner + Lots to think about in this novel             Digital Fortress: A Thriller916 reviews Dan Brown Thomas Dunne Books, 2004 Fun But Unbalanced Digital Fortress offers up nail biting suspense but only with characters that could have used greater development. The heroes and villains lack depth and complexity but nevertheless follow a plot line that is interesting and informative and with occasional surprises to make this an overall good ...             Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans: The Best of McSweeney's Humor Category17 reviews Vintage, 2005 Cran-Pepper Hen Loaf, Spiced Saucetail, And Fleen + Great doorknob + Hm. My rating stars may be tainted. + GET THE DOOR. IT'S ... THE LUNATIC FRINGE!             Swim against the Current: Even a Dead Fish Can Go With the Flow80 reviews Jim Hightower Wiley, 2008 Brings Hope Into Focus + Jim "Whole Hog" Hightower + You don't have to be a jerk to be successful + The current seems too strong             Kitchen Confidential Updated Ed: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (P.S.)574 reviews Anthony Bourdain Harper Perennial, 2007 Brings Back Memories + Oh the Memories! + A great read! It has been over 20 years since I worked in the restaurant business, but reading Bourdain's book brought back a lot of memories of what the business and the many characters who inhabit it are like. I found Bourdain's book to be very entertaining and reflects much of what I remember about the world ...             The Road (Oprah's Book Club)1606 reviews Cormac McCarthy Vintage Books, 2007 Wow. What a great book but - whew - don't expect to be lift up. Another outstanding book from Cormac. And out of his normal genre. I really enjoyed the book but it is gonna leave you feeling like you need some sunshine afterwards. Dark book, dark story telling done very well.             Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress: A Novel220 reviews Dai Sijie Anchor, 2002 entertaining + Worth the reading! + Re-education for dummies fast, easy read. Liked the characters, made you think, laugh, and smile. Overall an enjoyable read.             Old Man And The Sea (Scribner Classics)685 reviews Ernest Hemingway Scribner, 1996 The sea giveth...and the sea taketh away + Well, he nailed the title . . . + the super old man + Great transaction             A Cook's Tour121 reviews Anthony Bourdain Amazon Remainders Account, 2001 More Focused Than Bourdain's Television Escapades + Fun! + as if you were with him all along + Great Condition             The World Without Us244 reviews Alan Weisman Thomas Dunne Books, 2007 I agree with the other reviews + A fascinating intellectual exercise + Great Book + excellent             Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (P.S.)321 reviews Barbara Kingsolver, Camille Kingsolver, ... Harper Perennial, 2008 Terrific book! + You Take the Good, You Take the Bad + True Inspiration Barbara Kingsolver has struck a wonderful balance among educating readers about gardening, slow food, food science and telling a great tale of a family's adventure of local eating. The recipes are great, too! What a revelation to learn that we have all been anesthetized by the large ...             Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time1441 reviews Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin Penguin (Non-Classics), 2007 What I Learned From "Three Cups of Tea" + Amazing book! + An Inspiring Read + Greg Mortenson's life work should humble us all.             Water for Elephants: A Novel1502 reviews Sara Gruen Algonquin Books, 2007 wonderful and entertaining + Under the big top, under the bright light... + A SURPRISE READ + Gripping Story and Characters + great book