Debra Garfinkle's Journal
[Most Recent Entries]
[Calendar View]
[Friends]
Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in
Debra Garfinkle's LiveJournal:
[ << Previous 20 ]
| Friday, April 5th, 2013 | | 3:27 pm |
Haiku Book Reviews
My favorite books I read in the last few months: HELTER SKELTER: THE TRUE STORY OF THE MANSON MURDERS by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry. Nonfiction. Well written tale of brutality and evil. It’s terrifying. THE BEGINNER’S GOODBYE by Anne Tyler. Novel. Smart, lovely story of a widower’s journey. I love Anne Tyler. PERFECT TIMING by Jill Mansell. Novel. Romantic hijinks and silly fun in England. A jolly good read. ME BEFORE YOU by Jojo Moyes. Novel. A disabled man and a woman scarred inside fall in love. Great book. TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL: PARENTING FOR AUTHENTIC SUCCESS by Madeline Levine. Nonfiction. Anti-Tiger Mom says children should be well loved but not too pressured. MEMORY BOOK: THE CLASSIC GUIDE TO IMPROVING YOUR MEMORY AT WORK, AT SCHOOL, AND AT PLAY by Harry Lorayne and Jerry Lucas. Nonfiction. Visualization techniques really help when I can remember them. SHARP OBJECTS by Gillian Flynn. Mystery. Great writing, but too horrific for wimps like me. Children are murdered! WRITING MOVIES FOR FUN AND PROFIT by Robert Garant and Thomas Lennon. Nonfiction. Entertaining book from comedy screenwriters. I laughed while I learned. LAST LETTER FROM YOUR LOVER by Jojo Moyes. Novel. Brits in the sixties contend with romance and pain. I couldn’t put this down. PRETTY IN PLAID by Jen Lancaster. Memoir. Coming of age remembered acerbically. It’s hilarious. WHY WE GET FAT by Gary Taubes. Nonfiction. Why? Sugar and carbs. If they don’t kill us first. Sigh. Decline the donuts. | | Sunday, January 13th, 2013 | | 7:00 am |
Haiku Book Reviews
My favorite books of the last few months:
ARGO by Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio. Nonfiction. CIA hijinks and an exciting escape. Better than the film.
EINSTEIN: HIS LIFE AND TIMES by Walter Isaacson. Biography.
Fascinating life advancing math and physics and a great deal more.
TOP OF THE ROCK: INSIDE THE RISE AND FALL OF MUST SEE TV by Warren Littlefield. Nonfiction.
Self-serving but fun spin on Seinfeld, Cheers, and more from a top exec.
I’D LIKE TO APOLOGIZE TO EVERY TEACHER I EVER HAD by Tony Danza. Memoir.
Danza describes the year he spent teaching high school. Entertaining book.
THE LUCKY DOG MATCHMAKING SERVICE by Beth Kendrick. Novel.
A charming romance featuring a character with a way with dogs.
MY MOTHER WAS NUTS by Penny Marshall. Memoir.
She knew everyone in showbiz back in the day. I loved all the dish.
WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE by Maria Semple. Novel.
A zany joy ride filled with winning characters. I adored this book.
COMMITMENT by Dan Savage. Nonfiction.
Gay relationship divulged with great thoughtfulness and hilarity.
CODE NAME VERITY by Elizabeth Wein. YA novel.
A well-researched and heartbreaking tale of female spies in World War II.
ME, EARL, AND THE DYING GIRL by Jesse Andrews. YA novel.
A cancer novel with heart, plus raunchy humor. My son liked it too.
THERE’S CAKE IN MY FUTURE by Kim Gruenenfelder. Novel.
Three best friends and their kooky love life dilemmas. Chick lit at its best.
| | Sunday, January 6th, 2013 | | 11:49 am |
My Favorite Books
I read or listened to 78 books this year. After listing my favorites, I realized all my fiction faves were written by women and all my nonfiction faves by men. Weird, huh? Here they are: Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler. I've read all her books except her new one and love them all. She writes such deep characters. The ending is especially terrific. I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella. Another author I adore. Great pacing, plotting, characters, and humor. The scene in the jewelry store is one of the funniest things I've ever read. Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple. So quirky and clever. The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan. An overflowing lifeboat stuck at sea. Who will survive? Chilling. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Another chilling book. There's good reason it's so popular. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. So I'm a little behind the curve. Exceeded my high expectations. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Not exactly the nicest guy in the world, but fascinating. Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer. The history and techniques of memorization. Sounds like a bore, but totally compelling as told by Foer. J.D. Salinger: A Life by Kenneth Slawenski. Incredibly well researched bio of my favorite writer. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Who knew statistical analysis could be so much fun? Argo by Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio. Really cool CIA stuff. Even better than the movie. | | Sunday, November 25th, 2012 | | 12:09 pm |
| | Tuesday, November 20th, 2012 | | 7:23 pm |
Haiku Book Reviews
Some of my favorite recent reads: THE WEDDING BEAT by Devan Sipher. Novel. I bet you’ll like this if you like Nick Hornby’s books. It’s funny and sweet. THE STUFF OF LIFE by Karen Karbo. Memoir. A woman takes care of her dying, distant dad. Sad but lovely book. J.D. SALINGER: A LIFE by Kenneth Slawenski. Bio. The best bio yet of this sad, complex man and amazing writer. OBJECTS OF MY AFFECTION by Jill Smolinski. Novel. Page-turner about an organizing wiz with a messy home life. OUTLIERS by Malcolm Gladwell. Nonfiction. Compelling reasons for some people’s great success and others’ failures. GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn. Thriller. Imaginative and very creepy thriller that I couldn’t put down. MY HAPPY DAYS IN HOLLYWOOD by Garry Marshall. Memoir. Funny, sunny look at a nice-guy director’s successful career. THE JOURNAL OF BEST PRACTICES by David Finch. Nonfiction. Man with Asperger’s tries to improve his marriage. Great humor and heart. MONARCH BEACH by Anita Hughes. Novel. Really fun beach read that made me long to live in a fancy hotel. THE PROPER CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF FRIENDSHIP by Lisa Virge Higgins. Novel. Three women--best friends-- each discovering her own direction in life. OPEN by Andre Agassi. Memoir. He seems like a jerk. But in his defense he had a tough childhood. ARGO by Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio. Nonfiction. Fascinating tale from a CIA agent. Better than the film. ANYWAY by Arthur Salm. Children’s novel. A funny novel about coming of age and making true, good friends. | | Friday, November 16th, 2012 | | 10:36 am |
My New Toy!
 I love my new toy! I've been on it every day since I got it a few weeks ago. I walk one to three miles a day on it, at a super slow rate of one to one and a half miles per hour. That rate allows me to play around on the Net and talk on the phone easily and nearly guilt-free. And I don't even break a sweat (yuck). I haven't tried actually writing novels while on it, but I will soon. My treadmill desk takes up about the same amount of space as a small couch. I was inspired by author Arthur Slade, who made his own treadmill desk a few years ago and does write novels on it. I was also inpired by studies showing that sitting on your tush all day, even if you exercise an hour of that day, is really bad for the ole health. The best thing about my treadmill desk: It easily holds an extra-large pepperoni pizza. Kidding. It can't fit more than a large size. | | Tuesday, August 28th, 2012 | | 10:22 am |
Haiku Book Reviews
THE LIFEBOAT by Charlotte Rogan. Novel. A teeming lifeboat and unnerving characters. Horrifically great. STUMBLING ON HAPPINESS by Daniel Gilbert. Nonfiction. I learned that we can’t predict what will make us happy. But that that’s okay. THE MAGIC ROOM by Jeffrey Zaslow. Nonfiction. An uplifting book about love and marriage by a wonderful man. GOD, NO! SIGNS YOU MAY ALREADY BE AN ATHEIST by Penn Jillette. Nonfiction. Crude, irreverent, and anti-religion. But it’s hilarious. LOVE YOU MORE by Lisa Gardner. Thriller. With great pacing and sympathetic characters, I couldn’t put this down. MY KOREAN DELI by Ben Ryder Howe. Memoir. Two Ivy League grads buy a deli in Brooklyn. I loved this sweet book. MOST TALKATIVE: STORIES FROM THE FRONTLINES OF DAYTIME TV by Andy Cohen. Memoir. A charming tale of making it in Hollywood, with fun TV dish. DEVINE INTERVENTION by Martha Brockenbrough. Young adult novel. Guardian angel and the mortal girl he loves. Romantic and fun. JENERATION X by Jen Lancaster. Memoir. My go-to author whose rants about life always make me laugh out loud. THE SKINNY RULES by Bob Harper. Nonfiction. A quick, smart read with great tips for healthy eating and recipes too. Also, five novels, a memoir, and a YA that I didn’t like much. | | Thursday, June 28th, 2012 | | 10:21 pm |
| | Sunday, June 3rd, 2012 | | 7:30 am |
Haiku Book Reviews
THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT by Jennifer E. Smith. YA novel. American girl finds love and finds herself too in England. Well done. PLAIN, HONEST MEN: THE MAKING OF THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION by Richard Beeman. Nonfiction. A lengthy treatise. But it’s well worth the time spent. I learned a great deal. NOAH’S COMPASS by Anne Tyler. Novel. Great, intelligent, character-driven novel. And what an ending! THE MEMORY OF RUNNING by Ron McLarty. Novel. Stephen King loved this. As for little ole me? Eh. Not my cuppa tea. WHY WE BROKE UP by Daniel Handler. YA novel. Gorgeous, romantic novel by—surprisingly-- Lemony Snicket. TALENT IS OVERRATED: WHAT REALLY SEPARATES WORLD-CLASS PERFORMERS FROM EVERYBODY ELSE by Geoff Calvin. Nonfiction. The key to success: Work hard to conquer your flaws. Fascinating read. I’VE GOT YOUR NUMBER by Sophie Kinsella. Novel. I love Kinsella. And this is one of her best. Endearing and fun. NOTES FROM THE UNDERWIRE: ADVENTURES FROM MY AWKWARD AND LOVELY LIFE by Quinn Cummings. Essays. The Goodbye Girl girl grew up to be a charming and witty writer. BEAUTIFUL BOY: A FATHER’S JOURNEY THROUGH HIS SON’S ADDICTION by David Sheff. Memoir. The father of a meth addict shares his story. Painfully good read. TEN THINGS WE DID (AND PROBABLY SHOULDN’T HAVE) by Sarah Mylnowski. YA novel. Amusing chick lit about two teens secretly living on their own. IWOZ: COMPUTER GEEK TO CULT ICON by Steve Wozniak and Gina Smith. Memoir. The writing doesn’t do justice to his great life. Read Jobs’ book instead. WONDER by R.J. Palacio. children's novel. Wonder-ful story of a deformed boy and the people who love him. | | Friday, April 27th, 2012 | | 11:36 am |
| | Wednesday, March 28th, 2012 | | 8:36 pm |
Haiku Book Reviews
STEVE JOBS by Walter Isaacson. Biography. Jobs was brilliant, but what a horrible person. Fascinating book. THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins. Young adult novel. It’s as terrific as everyone said it was. Fantastic suspense. FICTION RUINED MY FAMILY by Jeanne Darst. Memoir. Alcoholism and the damage it causes, shown with dark humor. DIVINE JUSTICE by David Baldacci. Novel. Okay I’ll suspend my disbelief. But I won’t annihilate it. THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN. Novel. A well-loved novel narrated by a sweet dog. It wasn't my thing. SUPERSTUD, OR HOW I BECAME A 24-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN by Paul Feig. Memoir. A loveable nerd’s teen years mortified him, but made me laugh a lot. THE TIPPING POINT BY MALCOLM GLADWELL. Nonfiction. Great anecdotes and analysis wrapped in a fun and fast-paced read. THE SUMMER WE READ GATSBY by Danielle Ganek. Novel. Wealthy half-sisters with first world problems. I wish there were more at stake. DITCHED by Robin Mellom. Young adult novel. Adorkable girl recalls her disastrous prom. Sweet and funny book. BREADCRUMBS by Anne Ursu. children's novel. Lovely prose belies a horrifying story. Good, but depressing. MOONWALKING WITH EINSTEIN by Joshua Foer. Nonfiction. Memory techniques and the people devoted to them. A great read. | | Saturday, January 7th, 2012 | | 9:49 am |
My Fave Books
I read/listened to 73 books last year. Here are my ten favorites: NOVELS A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD by Jennifer Egan In these linked short stories, Egan brilliantly uses a huge variety of settings, time periods, and techniques. The stories are character-driven and thoughtful, yet fast-paced too. My favorite book of recent years. THE LINCOLN LAWYER by Michael Connelly Engrossing and incredibly well-researched legal thriller about an L.A. defense attorney. I couldn’t put it down. AN OFFER YOU CAN’T REFUSE by Jill Mansell Funny, sweet, and romantic beach read with a British female protagonist. Like Sophie Kinsella’s best work, and I love Kinsella. THE UNDERSTUDY by David Nicholls Funny, sweet, and romantic beach read with a British male protagonist. Like Nick Hornby’s best work, and I love Hornby. BEAUTY QUEENS by Libba Bray Funny, intelligent young adult novel about a planeful of beauty pageant contestants stranded on an island. AU REVOIR, CRAZY EUROPEAN CHICK by Joe Schreiber Very fun young adult novel about a guy whose prom date turns out to be an assassin. NONFICTION TECHNIQUES OF THE SELLING WRITER by Dwight V. Swain A how-to book on the craft of writing, first published in 1965. I learned a lot about writing effective scenes. THIS TIME TOGETHER by Carol Burnett Charming memoir with fun anecdotes from a mega talented, classy woman. NO BIKING IN THE HOUSE WITHOUT A HELMET by Melissa Fay Greene Fascinating memoir about raising five internationally adopted children in addition to four birth children. THIN IS THE NEW HAPPY by Valerie Frankel Inspiring memoir about a woman’s journey toward loving her body and herself. | | Monday, January 2nd, 2012 | | 12:41 pm |
Book Review Haikus
HISTORY OF A SUICIDE: MY SISTER’S UNFINISHED LIFE by Jill Bialosky-nonfiction Sad but engrossing story of a young woman’s death and its impact. AN OFFER YOU CAN’T REFUSE by Jill Mansell-novel Fun, fluffy romance. Like Kinsella at her best. I loved this novel. FIRED! TALES OF THE CANNED, CANCELED, DOWNSIZED, & DISMISSED edited by Annabelle Gurwitch-nonfiction Interesting book. But the quality of the stories was quite mixed. LIFE ITSELF by Roger Ebert-memoir Honest account of a flawed man and great writer. I was riveted. MRS. DALLOWAY by Virginia Woolf-novel I needed Spark Notes to understand this novel. Gorgeous and brilliant. MURDER AT THE PTA by Laura Alden-mystery novel Cozy mystery. It’s cute and fun, but a bit slow-paced for my taste. THIN IS THE NEW HAPPY by Valerie Frankel-memoir A woman like moi learns to treat herself better. Very inspiring. THE UNDERSTUDY by David Nicholls-novel Sweet and funny book as good as Nick Hornby’s work. And British to boot. HOOKED: WRITE FICTION THAT GRABS READERS AT PAGE ONE AND NEVER LETS THEM GO by Les Edgerton-how-to book I found much of this too basic, but some advice really dazzled me. LOOK AT ME by Jennifer Egan-novel Thoughtful, lovely book giving hope to horribly messed up characters. | | Friday, December 9th, 2011 | | 4:26 pm |
Friday Five
1. My ZEKE MEEKS series got its first official review, from Kirkus Reviews. I hear it's a good one, calling Zeke Meeks an "easier-to-read option to the Wimpy Kid series." Yay! Phew! I've never read the Wimpy Kid books, but my sixth-grader and his friends are big fans. And I believe they sell pretty decently too. :-) The first four Zeke Meeks books and the Kirkus review come out in January. 2. Three movies I'm dying to see: The Descendants, and not just because of George Clooney; Young Adult, about a young adult author; and We Need to Talk About Kevin, based on one of the most memorable and creepiest novels I've ever read. 3. To whoever stole my daughter's wallet: Thanks at least for returning her driver's license and student ID card yesterday. 4. I'm still not over the tragic travesty of Cochran getting voted out of Survivor. 5. This huge fan of Sophie Kinsella found an author just as good: Jill Mansell. And I found an author like the wonderful Nick Hornby: David Nicholls. | | Sunday, December 4th, 2011 | | 10:19 pm |
Haiku Book Reviews
IN ZANESVILLE by Jo Ann Beard-novel True and nostalgic study of adolescence. But nearly plotless. DOMESTIC VIOLETS by Matthew Norman-novel A famous author’s son works on his own novel. Sweet and funny book JUST KIDS by Patti Smith-memoir Gorgeous prose from a rocker/poet. But it’s too disjointed for me. SLEEPING WITH WARD CLEAVER by Jenny Gardiner-novel A woman questions her longstanding marriage in a fun, witty way. A LINCOLN by Ronald C. White, Jr.-biography Now that I’ve read this humongous tome, I feel like a Lincoln expert. STORM FRONT by Jim Butcher-novel Wizard/detective fights monsters and vampires hilariously. THE DIVORCE PARTY by Laura Dave-novel First world problems of beautiful, wealthy women. Nice prose but slow paced. HALF EMPTY by David Rakoff-essays Insightful, funny, and diverse essays make for great entertainment. THEN CAME YOU by Jennifer Weiner-novel I’m a Weiner fan. But she repeated plot points of her CERTAIN GIRLS. COULD IT BE FOREVER? MY STORY by David Cassidy-memoir He’s a cocky jerk. But, okay, yeah, I admit I enjoyed his book. LIFE AS I KNOW IT by Melanie Rose-novel Freaky Friday-ish novel was intriguing, though a bit slow at times. AU REVOIR, CRAZY EUROPEAN CHICK by Joe Schreiber-young adult novel A wild prom night with a vicious assassin. Totally fun romp. | | 5:42 pm |
| | Wednesday, November 30th, 2011 | | 11:52 am |
Missya!
Livejournal, I've been gone awhile.  I promise to come back to you soon. | | Tuesday, October 11th, 2011 | | 1:36 pm |
Yay!
You know the ZEKE MEEKS children's chapter books I wrote? The first four come out in January. That's right, the FIRST four. I just signed a contract to write four more! | | Tuesday, October 4th, 2011 | | 9:25 am |
Book Review Haikus
I THINK I LOVE YOU by Allison Pearson-novel Character-driven book that’s lovely and funny, but slow in some parts. THE SOCIOPATH NEXT DOOR by Martha Stout-nonfiction Sociopaths are fascinating, albeit horribly scary. THE ESPRESSOLOGIST by Kristina Springer-young adult novel Teenage matchmaker mixes romance with coffee. What’s not to like here? MATCH ME IF YOU CAN by Susan Elizabeth Phillips-novel Fun read, except for the stereotypical sad career woman. ROOM by Emma Donoghue-novel A grim story told by a sweet, loveable boy. Wonderfully voiced. RUNNING THE BOOKS: THE ADVENTURES OF AN ACCIDENTAL PRISON LIBRARIAN by Avi Steinberg-memoir Harvard graduate works with felons in Boston. An eye-opener. SUCH A PRETTY FAT: ONE NARCISSIST'S QUEST TO DISCOVER IF HER LIFE MAKES HER ASS LOOK BIG, OR WHY PIE IS NOT THE ANSWER by Jen Lancaster-memoir Queen of snarkiness goes on a diet in this very funny book. | | Friday, September 30th, 2011 | | 4:05 pm |
Friday Five
1. I'd have a lot more time without Gawker.com in my life. 2. I finally finished the 28-hour audiobook about Abraham Lincoln. I feel so accomplished. 3. I love Nicki Minaj even though I don't understand most of her songs. I even looked up the lyrics to Super Bass and still don't understand it. 4. Survivor's pretty meh this season, except for Cochran. Gotta root for the funny Jewish lawyer. 5. My rabbi's great. His Rosh Ha Shana sermon was on heroes, including Lady Gaga. |
[ << Previous 20 ]
|
dlgarfinkle
