All About Books discussion

Here I will list all the books (50 minimum) that I will read this year. I will also include a rating and a review if available.

1) Fear Nothing by Lisa Gardner (3 stars).

My review of Fear Nothing is here.

2) The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb (4 stars). My review, if interested, is here.

3) Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (3 stars).
Review to come later.

My Fablehaven review can be found here.

4) The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin (5 stars).

Hope you write a review of this - I'd like to read your thoughts! It's one of those "How come I've never read it?" books for me.

I've tried to write one before, but I'm never quite satisfied with it. Perhaps it's time to try again.

Sometimes it does take a while for thoughts and an overall impression to come together in your mind ...

My review of The Origin of Species is here.

5) The Village by the Sea by Anita Desai (3 stars). My small review is here.

Glad you tried again. Charbel. Very nice review !

Thanks Angela :)

6) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (5 stars). My review is here.

Charbel wrote: "6) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (5 stars). My review is here."

This is in my wishlist since a lot of years but I never read it!

One of my son's favourite "set" of novels. He likes all of them and reread them every now and then.
I find them on the contrary a bit ... fragmentary. And also "dated". But like them nontheless

Dely, I definitely recommend it. Particularly on a gloomy day!

Laura, I've only read this one, but I hope to read the others soon. I surprisingly didn't find it outdated, as I'm usually very picky about those kind of books.

De gustibus ...
;)

One of my all time favourites

Heather wrote: "One of my all time favourites"

Completely understandable.

7) The Dawkins Delusion?: Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine by Alister E. McGrath. (1 star). Review to come.

My review of The Dawkins Delusion?: Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine is here.

8) The Extended Phenotype: The Long Reach of the Gene by Richard Dawkins. (5 stars). My review is here.

9) Think Like a Freak by Steven D. Levitt (3 stars).

10) The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams (4 stars).

Charbel wrote: "10) The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams (4 stars)."

:) Fun book!

Leslie wrote: "Charbel wrote: "10) The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams (4 stars)."

:) Fun book!"

Yes it was. I didn't think there was a need to write a review because it would have been similar to the first one.

11) The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True by Richard Dawkins (3 stars).

12) The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter (4 stars).

13) The End of the Jesus Era by Danail Hristov (2 stars) (giveaway from the author).

14) Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel (5 stars) (Review to come).

Charbel wrote: "14) Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel (5 stars) (Review to come)."

5★!! Did you read Wolf Hall first?

Leslie wrote: "Charbel wrote: "14) Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel (5 stars) (Review to come)."

5★!! Did you read Wolf Hall first?"

Yes I've read Wolf Hall. It was great, but this one is better.

My review of Bring up the bodies is here.

Great review!

Thanks Leslie :)

14) The Madman by Kahlil Gibran (3 stars).

15) Band-Aid for a Broken Leg by Damien Brown (5 stars). My review is here.

16) X-Events: The Collapse of Everything by John L. Casti (3 stars).

17) Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (4 stars).

This was the first Austen book I've read in years. The actual first was Emma and after that Pride and Prejudice. I didn't really enjoy them that much, but I was around thirteen or fourteen when I read them, and I think that I might enjoy them more now. Therefore I'm considering working my way slowly through all of Austen's main works. Sort of like a challenge without a deadline; I don't want to rush through them.

Charbel, I do think Austen's comedy of manners and subtle social commentary are easier to understand as an adult. She has a limited sphere that she operates in, but within that sphere, I think Austen is fantastic. I find most of her books highly enjoyable reads.

Greg wrote: "Charbel, I do think Austen's comedy of manners and subtle social commentary are easier to understand as an adult. She has a limited sphere that she operates in, but within that sphere, I think Aust..."

Well put Greg! I understand what you mean about that sphere, something that is delineated by the common themes through all her books. Themes that she excels at presenting.

My review of Northanger AbbeyNorthanger Abbey is here.

Charbel wrote: "My review of Northanger AbbeyNorthanger Abbey is here."

Nice review Charbel! And I am happy that the more mature you enjoyed her writing :D

Thanks Leslie- it's always fun to look back and see how my taste in books has changed. Joining this group in particular has led me to acquiring a much more diversity in my choice of books.

Charbel wrote: "Thanks Leslie- it's always fun to look back and see how my taste in books has changed. Joining this group in particular has led me to acquiring a much more diversity in my choice of books."

Yes, it has had that effect on me too!

18) Under the Dome by Stephen King (5 stars). My review is here.

19) Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. (4 stars).