Mount TBR 2014 Challenge discussion

Finished a lengthy climb to the first stop for Mount Blanc, book 13 in my ever higher Mount TBR. I read The Impressionist by Hari Kunzru. It was a very long 465 pages. I gave the book 3 stars, maybe would give it 3 1/2 if half-stars were available. Yet I don't really recommend the book. See my short review here.

Hurray to progress. I've commented on '3 stars' many times in reviews; that it's the closest we have to neutral but it doesn't consistently reflect 'mediocre' or 'great'. Many times 3 stars have been a reluctant grace, many times I rave about the book but explain why I couldn't grant anything higher. 3 is a chameleon, an enigma.

Speaking of my reviews, I've put in a lot of work on them (I strive for 'a professional' 300 words; not a word more). GRIN! Since I prefer getting views/votes at Amazon, I use HTML code to link them on here. I don't think there's a button to press if it isn't to reference a Goodreads page. A ton of links are finished in messages 1 & 2 of my mountain thread. :)

Yeah, 3 star ratings can be enigmas. Good for you on your reviews Carolyn.

Book 14 completed last night with In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Álvarez.

This historical novel was an admirable imagining of what the Mirabal sisters lives were like. Three of the four were assassinated on November 25, 1960 due to their deep involvement with the rebellion against the dictator Trujillo in Dominican Republic. Although the book is about these revolutionary sisters, most of the action is really domestic - growing up, meeting husbands, family life and such.

I gave the book 4 stars, but really 4 1/2. I just can't keep to only full stars. Anyway, if you want to see my full review, click here.

Book 15 completed with Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse. I gave it 4 stars. A book that I've owned since the mid-1990's. Happy to finally have read it.

Already working another one already so the next step should be up quickly. Owned it for ten years. Nice to get to some of these longtimers.

Book 16 completed on Saturday with The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve. The writing really pulls you into the story, so I gave the book a very generous four stars. There was much of the plot I didn't like very much and the ending was just too much. It ruined the whole book for me.

Four stars is a hard one because it's supposed to signify "extremely good, one thing missing from it being a best-ever favourite". I understand three can feel too neutral if there was a part you liked a lot but it ends up being my most frequent level. So if one browsed my reviews, sometimes it's three by a thread, sometimes it's a three with praise. I have Anita Shreve books but if they aren't mystery or a ghost doesn't show up; they might sit another seven years or so.

C. wrote: "Four stars is a hard one because it's supposed to signify "extremely good, one thing missing from it being a best-ever favourite". I understand three can feel too neutral if there was a part you l..."

To politely disagree with your rating system... your four stars are somewhat different than what goodreads says, which is only "really liked it" and leaves much room for personal opinion.

For me, Shreve's writing in this book was good enough for four stars. I haven't read any of her other works, so maybe it doesn't hold up well compared to those books and some people may have higher expectations from Shreve. But if compared to other books by different authors, poorly written, this book shines above those. And yes, despite the shocker last sentences. For example above listed The Impressionist by Hari Kunzru. Not that it was poor writing but it was quite dull at times, thus the writing not as good as Shreve and I gave it a lower rating.

I am agreeing with you, regardless how I may phrase it. What I said amounts to "like it a lot"; but that some aspect kept it from being five stars (aka "top favourite"). That it shines above others despite offputting parts. I pretty much stopped by to say "I know what you mean".... but perhaps failed to convey what **I** mean. ;-)

:-) Carolyn.


Okay, finished another book....number 17 down. This one an old classic The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. I had read a small portion for a class years ago and finally got around to reading the entirety.

Been a good month for climbing, book number 18 done. A solid five stars with The Last of the Savages by Jay McInerney. My review is here. The book surprised me, mainly by being something I owned...don't remember seeing it before, and the great writing.

Book number 19 done. Four and a half stars for The Meaning of It All: Thoughts of a Citizen-Scientist by Richard P. Feynman. Three lectures transcribed into a short book. The book sat for years on my bookshelf and I wish I had gotten to this sooner! I listened to the audio version, somewhat like the original lecture, just different speaker. My full review here.

Book number 20 completed. The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester earned three stars. Review here.

Earlier in the year I read Reading the OED: One Man, One Year, 21,730 Pages (library book, so not counted for my mountain). I think the order would have been better the other way around.

I am considering book number 21 done, even though I could only get about a third the way through. I had high expectations for Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez, but found it uninteresting. I stopped about a month ago and haven't gone back to it, my first DNF for this challenge. Onto other more engaging books!

Book 22 done! I finished On Gold Mountain: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family by Lisa See yesterday. Lots of interesting parts, but also many areas that could have been pared down. It was a little too long. I gave it three and a half stars.

Book 23 completed today with the four star book of Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America by Barbara Ehrenreich.

One more to finish this peak, should be able to manage it.

Book 24 done last night: Lit by Mary Karr. Really good writing, I gave it 4 stars.

With this book done it means I'm standing on the peak of Mt. Blanc! YAY!!!

Way to go!