Reading 2009 The Angel of Grozny by Asne Seierstad

Image via Wikipedia

I was unfamiliar with the author and journalist Asne Seierstad until I ran across her book "The Angel of Grozny at the library not long ago." The summary below is from Wikipedia-

Angel of Grozny attempts to give an accessible and impartial account of the complicated historical and political forces at play in the Chechen conflict whilst also describing her encounters with combatants and civilians on both sides. The book features an account of her meeting with Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov. As well as trying to understand the mindset of the Chechen and Russian people, one of the books key themes is the exposure of corruption in the process of reconstructing Chechnya.

The Angel of Grozny of the book's title is a Chechen woman Hadijat Gatayeva who has turned her home into an orphanage for street children of the war.

One of the key themes may have been the corruption but another theme was more prominent to me. I was saddened to read the stories of the women and children caught up in a society torn apart just trying to survive. It certainly makes me thankful to live in a place where war is not on the doorsteps of our homes and schools. What are we doing to the children of the war zones around the world. My heart bleeds for them.

Reading 2009- The War Within by Bob Woodward

Cover via Amazon

Typical of me once again I am catching up on my reading posts. During all my traveling I finished several books and will spread out posts about them over the next couple weeks or so. Many of them came from the library but sometimes I want to own a book to read again and find a good selection at Amazon books. My intent which I seem to fail at so miserably at is to finish a book and then post about it and move on to the next book.

I read The War Within by Bob Woodward hoping to learn more about behind the scenes planning and policy making in the Bush Administration and I certainly did. It was not an easy read, informative but not entertaining but then I doubt the author meant it to be. This book covers two years of the Bush White House, from 2006 to 2008, with an emphasis on the Iraq War, the high level decision makers, politicians and military involved during those years.

To this day I still wonder what it was about George Bush that caused Americans to elect the man president not once, but twice. I did not end my confusion by reading this book.

Reading 2009- Harry Potter Series

Early this year I figured it was time to read the Harry Potter books. I found them all in the young adult section of the library and got started. I read one through four quickly and enjoyed them all. I am not an in depth literary critic so that is the best you will get from me most of the time. I read for enjoyment or to learn something new. I try not to over analyze anything and maybe that is just my lazy way of getting through life but frankly is saves me a lot of stress.

Anyway back to Harry. When I went to get the fifth book they were all checked out. On later visit I was able to get the last three books and read them all together. The story was wonderful and I enjoyed it from beginning to the very end. I have two thoughts to share with you about the whole thing. First as I was reading the books I felt that I was not only following the students of Hogwarts as they grew up but seeing the author becoming a better storyteller with each book. The one place I think she lost it a bit was at the very end. I am a bit confused about how Harry came back to life after his final conversation with Dumbledore. I don't know how it could have been done better though and that is why I only write on this little blog and not novels.

Have you read them all? Have you not bothered to read them? What do you think about the books versus the movies that have been made? I love comments so feel free to leave some.

Reading 2009- Divine Justice by David Baldacci

Another bit of fast paced reading by one of my favorite authors. You just know the bad guys will get it in the end but getting there keeps you turning the pages. John Carr has some pretty amazing friends in his Camel Club.

You can find out all about the author David Baldacci and his work at the David Baldacci website.

If you have been following this series of Reading 2009 posts this is the last of the books that I took back to the library on the 4th of May. I have spread out publishing the posts over a couple weeks. I don't want the blog to be all about one thing. I plan to post books from now on after I finish them but knowing me I will probably write them all up on library day just before I take them back and will mix the book posts in with others.

Reading 2009- Moscow Rules by Daniel Silva

This book fed my need for a spy thriller that was fast paced and entertaining. do you ever read these things and wonder if situations as presented in this kind of book ever really happen? Then again maybe we really never want to know.

Other books by this author, Daniel Silva are

• The Defector ( coming in July 2009)
  
• The Secret Servant
• The Messenger
• Prince of Fire
• A Death in Vienna

and more.....

If this kind of book is something you enjoy you can find out a lot more at Daniel Silva Books.

If you read spy thrillers is Silva one of your favorites? What other authors do you recommend?

Reading 2009 - Eyes at the Window by Evie Yoder Miller

Evie Yoder Miller has created a story that follows a community and its families brought together and pulled apart by the murder of a small child. For fifty years the effects on the people involved are told in multiple character voices against a background of pioneer movement west and the Amish church at the time. The event was real but the next 50 years to the real ending are told in a way that puts you inside the lives of those affected.

If you enjoy historical fiction about American in the early 1800's you will want to find this book published in 2003.

Reading 2009- Come on Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All by Christina Thompson

What a mix this book was! Cultural, historical, biography and autobiography all in one text about a wandering American who discovers New Zealand and finds a husband. I thoroughly enjoyed all parts of it.

The author, Christina Thompson for now lives in Boston with the discovered husband and 3 sons.

To learn more about this book in a much better way than I could ever do go to the Come On Shore webite. If you read this book let me know. I would love to hear from you.

Reading 2009 Dying to Live by Joseph Nevins

I have decided to try a post about all the books I read. The posts will be titled and tagged reading 2009. I am mainly doing this for myself. I am a big list maker and since I have this blog I thought the best way to make a book list for myself is to use it.

If you find a book here that you enjoy or makes you laugh, cry or think in a new way on my list that would thrill me. I read all kinds of things so what you find in my posts may be light entertainment, a mystery, a biography or who knows? If you have read anything I post about feel free to leave a comment after all that is what bloggers hope for with every post. We want to engage the audience (that is you) in some small way or at least I do. I guess I shouldn't speak for all bloggers, right?

Dying to Live is not the first book I read this year but is is the first book since I decided on this project. I don't buy many books so the early reads of 2009 are back at the library and I don't even want to try to remember them all. Written by Joseph Nevins it personalizes the story of the border between Mexico and the US. It makes me so sad to think that so many journeys started with hope end in tragedy.

If you have read this book please leave a comment. I would like to know how it affected you.