First off, I finished the Hunger Game series back in April. I'd read Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins before, then saw the movie, then re-read the book for comparison. They made a few changes I wish they hadn't but on the whole, a decent adaptation.
But once I re-read Hunger Games, of course I had to go buy Catching Fire and Mockingjay. They did not disappoint. The thru-lines are believable and, even though I found the second book a little repetitive, it wasn't enough to stop me. Heck, it wasn't enough to even slow me down! I finished both books by the end of that week and enjoyed them very much. These three books have permanent places on my bookshelf and I'll go back and re-read them again.
Our book club chose Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Eric Larson. Long title! It's non-fiction and I found myself reading it with my browser open, checking out two sites with pictures of the 1893 World's Fair: the Columbian Exhibition in Chicago, IL. A Digital Archive of American Architecture is a good site that has examples and pictures of several periods of American architecture. The second site from the Illinois Institute of Technology, was my go-to site, though. It contains an interactive map that allowed me to click on the buildings and both read about them and see dozens of pictures of the fair as I read those sections in the book.
The book actually has two stories interwoven. Their only similarity is the setting of the book, although I suppose a larger comparison could be drawn between the protagonists of each story in that both were obsessed and both completed the work they'd forever after be known for during this time. Chilling, in that one of them oversaw the design and creation of the fair and the other was a mass murderer.
I also found this site that has some different pictures after I finished reading the book. I suppose that's a testament to the compelling nature of Larson's storytelling -- that I wanted to keep finding out more information after the book ended. He hooked me!
There's also a documentary narrated by Gene Wilder called Expo: Magic of the White City that I bought and watched because I wanted to know more. Yes, it's on DVD. :)
LOL Apparently I could write a whole blog post on just that book. Can you tell I liked it?
Read Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson. Sorry. Just not into emo books, I guess. I know several people who loved it and recommended it to me, but it didn't do anything for me.
And just finished The Offer by Catherine Coulter. Normally I really like her books, but the female protagonist in this one spent the majority of the book whining and being thick-headed. Drove me nuts. Not one of her best.
And that brings me up-to-date! Remember to sign up for my newsletter. I'm trying something new and embedding the code below. I don't do code, so crossing my fingers that it worked. Those who sing up by June 30th will receive a special surprise. I'll give you a hint: just contracted for a cover design. :)
Play safe!
Diana
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