msjamgochian'sinfinitebooklist

I've been reading reviews of this book all year. It was nominated for the National Book Award and the Michael L. Printz award. I read it last weekend and I almost forgot to post, but here it is: This is essentially a sad, albeit funny, story about a high school senior who spends most of his time in what he calls "the spectacular now." A few chapters into the book I wanted to give him a hug and send him to a residential alcohol treatment center; it was hard to watch him drinking in the early hours of the morning and forgetting where he'd parked his car the night before. Sutter is always the life of the party and doesn't get it when his best friend and girlfriend both (gently) abandon him for the company of more forward thinking friends. He takes an interest in Aimee, a shy girl with a tragic home life, and the two of them set off on an alcohol-induced collision course with the future. I enjoyed this book but it was painful to read at times - as I said, I wanted to

You'll fall in love with ex-museum curator Jim Rath, the protagonist of The Unknown Knowns . Convinced that an underwater world, Nautikon, exists, he sets out to prove it to his wife Jean and anyone else who will listen. Unemployed, restless, and sweet, Jim winds up the victim of homeland security and a particularily paranoid and devious agent, Les Diaz. Jeffrey Rotter has been compared to Vonnegut and Kafka, and based on this book, he deserves the comparison. I'm a huge fan of Vonnegut, and The Unknown Knowns didn't disappoint me in that regard. Rotter also brings to mind David Mitchell and Peter Carey. I'm looking forward to his next book; this one digressed at points (much like David Mitchell's Number Nine Dream) with the Nautikon subplot. If you enjoyed Torsten Kroll's Callisto , you'll like this book as well.

I read the graphic novel adaptation of Coraline in one sitting (as I'm reading most books this summer)! This is an excellent example of the genre and would work very well for Grade 6 students all the way up to adults. It is a bit scary at times - and I think the movie will be quite creepy. The parents' button eyes are the worst part!

It's our first day of summer vacation and I started my celebration reading Little Bee in its entirety. I have a stack of books, treats I have been saving, waiting for the end of school so I could read exactly what I wanted to, and Little Bee didn't disappoint. To be honest, I'm not sure how to follow it up - maybe Sebastian Barry's The Secret Scripture will fill the bill. T Nancy Pearl recommended this book via her Book Lust podcast, and I ordered it immediately. There are several things that will stay with me: Little Bee's voice and humour and resignation Sarah's memory of Andrew representing the breadth of the ocean to her for that moment in time Batman This quote: "To survive, you have to look good or talk good. But to end your story well - here is the truth - you have to talk yourself out of it ."