"A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" by Mark Twain

Not as easy a read as I expected from Mark Twain, and ended up skimming parts of it. But a good read overall. I've been curious about this book for years, because of its subject matter. Now I can start reading my Christmas presents.

"A Dirty Job" by Christopher Moore

I've been curious about this author for awhile, because I like the supernatural. The book was an easy read in a humorous, forgettable manner. Good for the beach or airplane.

"Cloud Atlas" by David Mitchell

Read the book because I really enjoyed the movie, which happened to be a flop in the theatre. The book was more subtle than the movie and very well written, but the ending did not give me the same emotional punch as the movie. Realized that this is the author I once heard interviewed on my way to Petawawa to babysit Lucas. I was driving alone, which is a big thing for me. Mitchell really impressed me, so that I even meant to check out his work. Heard his interview a 2nd time some weeks later, coming back from Petawawa with Ray.

"Foggy Mountain Breakdown" by Sharyn McCrumb

I enjoyed this book of short stories very much. Sharyn McCrumb can be very amusing and very serious, and shines a light on the life of very poor Appalachian people. She has been on my radar since I read her "Bimbos of the Death Sun". I was always afraid that she couldn't duplicate the sense of humour that went into that book, but I was wrong.

"Through Black Spruce" by Joseph Boyden

At first I wasn't too sure about this book because it contains an awful lot of violence. But by the end, I would have to say that it was an enjoyable read. I liked how it handled families, friendship, overcoming hardship and tragedy. Everything came together nicely. It's cleverly written from 2 points of view. One is Annie, who is searching for her missing sister, Suzanne. The other is Will, Annie's uncle, who is in a coma. I learned a bit about the Indian way of life. It's mentioned matter-of-factly, and is integral to the plot, not at all heavy-handed.

"The Day of the Locust" by Nathanael West

Published in 1939, this book is by some standards one of the great novels of the 20th century. There's certainly lots of room for interpretation, if you're in to that sort of thing. I was excellent at it when I was in school, but I now find it doesn't really interest me. I read a book, and am usually satisfied with an overall impression. This book gave me the feeling of living a dream, perhaps a nightmare. The characters were more archetypes than real people, and the entire setting and events were described in a very surreal fashion. I guess I would say it was an interesting read, but I wouldn't read this author again. One interesting tidbit. The name of one of the characters in the book is Homer Simpson. The things you find out. P.S. I came across this book in the book cart of the Royal Ottawa Hospital. The main reason I read it is that I'm interested in life in Hollywood.

"A Storm of Swords" by George R.R. Margin

Book three of "A Song of Ice and Fire. This was a very lengthy book, but the numerous and unexpected plot twists made it well worth the read. Now that I have resigned myself to the fact that people die, I am quite enjoying participating in George R.R. Martin's world. Its level of detail is mind boggling.