The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde BBC#118

Hello everyone,

Today, I thought it would be best to go back to our BBC list and discuss a book I think is... well interesting.

A couple months ago, a few friends and I decided to start a book club. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend because of school duties. I did however try to read the book, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

About the book:

The book begins with the tale of an artist, Basil Hallward, painting a young gentlemen by the name of... you guessed it, Dorian Gray. Dorian Gray is claimed to be handsome, innocent, and an all around sweet guy. Basil, who becomes great friends with Gray, puts it upon himself to keep him innocent for as long as possible. However it is not to be. Dorian soon becomes like everyone else in the world; tainted with bad news and ill fates. Although as the years progress, Dorian notices that he is not aging. In fact, the portrait that Basil painted of the man is aging. Afraid, Gray hides the portrait and denies anyone access to see it, even the painter himself.

What I thought of it:

To tell you the truth, I could not get into it. The beginning is, in my opinion, quite slow and very boring. After 150 pages, I moved on to other texts. The first pages deal with the set up of the plot, and the romance that occurs ( you would have to read to find out about that). I will hopefully be able to finish the novel, but I thought I would post on it, to give everyone a heads up. I did hear that it has a fantastic ending, very Stephen King like. So, if you can get past the first ten chapters or so, let me know if it's worth continuing. As I stand now, I will give it a 2 out of 5. If I do finish it, I will repost with perhaps a different outlook.


Does it deserve to be on the BBC?

I want to say no due to the beginning being slow, but I will say yes because of its message. I think everyone should get an understanding of the words between the lines of this book. Does it deserve to be number 118? Probably not. I think it should be farther down on the list, like very far down.



On a side note, I decided to become part of the reading revolution and buy a Kindle Fire. I will be rating and reviewing this particular eReader soon. I can say that so far, it's a nice thing to have (just don't let it replace your favorite printed novels).

I noticed that most of the classics are free on Amazon. I find this helpful because I get to read a good portion of the BBC books for free. If you are following what I read, and you have a Kindle, it might be a good idea to check those out ( I do know that The Picture of Dorian Gray is free).

I hope everyone has a Happy Halloween! I find that the Legend of Sleepy Hallow is a great read for tomorrow night:)

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Michael Palmer vs. Robin Cook

Hello Everyone,

As promised, I have a comparison of the top two medical suspense novelists, Robin Cook and Michael Palmer.

I personally enjoy medical suspense, due to the fact that medicine has a wide variety of interesting subjects. The two stars of this genre are probably the ones we are discussing today

Robin Cook has great talent ( how many books has he sold again?) and he writes about a wide variety of medical areas. Whether it be in the hospital, or in the morgue, you can bet Robin Cook has written about it.

Michael Palmer on the other hand, varies in a different way. Most of his early novels involve doctors that work in a hospitals, while his later works are more political, dealing with Presidents, Senators, and other officials( but are still medical).

Both authors are doctors, and have adequate knowledge in regard to what they are writing about.

Robin Cook has the upper hand when we talk about experience. Cook has been writing a few years longer than Palmer.

As far as writing talent is concerned, I think that Palmer has the upper hand. He tends to keep you enthralled in the story, while Robin Cook can't keep me interested, he tends to get wordy.

Looking at who won, I would have to say... it's up to you. I am a little biased due to the fact that I have read only one Cook, and several Palmers. I suggest that you go and judge for yourself. If you have an opinion, feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me. I enjoy hearing your comments:)



Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I am halfway through The Panther by Nelson DeMille. I should have it finished this coming up week. I also went to Hastings the other day, and found the sequel to a book I enjoyed very much, Unwind. If you are not familiar with the novel, I have a quick review of it in a previous post. I should hopefully have that book starting soon.


If you have a book you want me to read, let me know and I will add it on my list. Otherwise, have a great Sunday!

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest

Hello everyone,

Well, here we are. I've completed the last book in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series. It is kind of a sad day for me, but all good things must come to an end. I will definitely be reading them again soon.

The last book in the series is an addition to the second novel. The plot lines are very close together, and if you don't read The Girl Who Played With Fire it won't make sense.

The book, to be honest, is a little slow in the middle of the book. It uses other stories that aren't apart of the main plot as fillers. The beginning is very entertaining, as well as the ending. The conclusion to Lisabeth Salander's story is very dramatic and leaves you satisfied.

I will give this book a 3.5 out of 5. It is not as good as  the other too, but it is worth reading till the end.

 I have a couple tips for reading the series

READ them in order. The first one is not completely related to the other two, but it is a great book and if you read the second novel, it will give the ending away.The last two books are completely related and should be read in order. 

Make memos. The book uses names that are uncommon to our language, and writing names and a brief description of who it is will make your life easier.

And finally, if you are uncomfortable with sexual content in you novels, you might want to consider reading these books. There is not A LOT but I always try to make the reader aware.


On another note, I have bought The Panther by Nelson DeMille. I am not very far into it, but so far it is pretty good.

This book is the sixth addition to the John Corey Series, here are the books in order if you are interestted.

Plum Island

The Lions Game

Nightfall

Wildfire

The Lion

The Panther

They are great books if you enjoy mystery crime fiction. I suggest you read them.


Everyone have a great Sunday! I should be posting again in the next couple days, so keep tuning in.

What Am I Up To?

Hello Everyone,

I was thinking about what I wanted to post on today, and before you log off thinking I'm going to ramble on about myself, it is about books.

Since I only get to mention what I am reading AFTER I read it, I do not get to really share with you on what's ahead (unless I do it at the end of the blog).

So, instead of giving a brief mention of what I am up to, I thought it would be an interesting idea to write a whole post on what you as my readers have to look forward to.

As of this morning, I have knocked out 500 pages in The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest, I hope to finish it before this weekend.

The next book on my agenda is one I mentioned a couple posts ago. Nelson DeMille released a new novel in his John Corey series( one of my favorite series'), and I intend to give it my undivided attention. I should also post about the series in general ( which I have not yet done) so if you have not heard of it I will give you an brief description of the five books in the series, plus the recent sixth addition. Of course I can not mention a whole lot in the novel( due to the fact that it arises from the previous five and I do not intend to ruin those books for you:) but I will give you a taste.

 When I get around to it, I will hopefully be able to finish the last five books in the Janet Evanovich series everyone seems to be enjoying. I also heard from a little birdie that the 19th addition to that series is being released soon. I should have these and all the previous books I have not discussed coming your way ( I can discuss these in more detail, since the books are only remotely related to each other).


Michael Palmer is also in my huge stack of books to read. I have four books on my shelf and I intend to get them done  before summer rolls around again. I also have a few I have already read that need to be mentioned.

http://vicbooks.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/bending-bookshelf.jpg

I have already stated this in a previous blog, but soon I will have my first comparison of authors (coming rather soon actually). The two contenders will be Michael Palmer and Robin Cook. Now, I am sure most of you know who I think the winner will be ( I have several Palmer books and only one Cook) but there are strengths and weaknesses in both authors. I hope this will give you some insight on who you would prefer to read in the medical suspense category.

Besides what I have previously spoke of, I have Stuart Woods, James Rollins, James Patterson Michael Connelly, Pearl S. Buck, and a few good non-fiction titles such as David McRaney's You Are Not So Smart, and Stephen King's On Writing on my long list. As always, look for BBC Titles, they seem to come out of nowhere (hint: one may be coming soon!)

On a local note, If you happen to be in the Caldwell or Boise area, please stop by  The Rubaiyat on Oct. 25th for an event from 4:00 to 6:00pm. Bob Sobba, Michael Dittenber & Sandra Bernsen (all local authors) will be there, along with great local wine, food, and wonderful company. Please stop by and get to meet some of treasures Idaho has to offer.

I will also have an audio interview with Amy Perry, owner and operator of The Rubaiyat. We will discuss the aspects of owning a used book store and the enjoyment she has in running it each and every day. The interview will be posted on my blog, and on The Rubaiyat's Facebook page (link on the right hand side of my blog). You should expect it early next week


Well, that's all follks!





Keep Reading!




Picture Sites
http://vicbooks.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/bending-bookshelf.jpg

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Michael Palmer's Miracle Cure

Hello Everyone,

I have been fascinated by Michael Palmer's writing over the past few months, and I know possess 10 of his novels, and I hope to finish them all shortly.

One of his earliest works, Miracle Cure, has proven to be (at the moment) my favorite of his books, and one of my top reads so far this year.

The main character is Dr. Brian Holbrook, a recovering addict of prescription meds. He was found smuggling drugs he ordered for himself and was revoked of his doctor status. After dealing with his addiction, he tries to return to his previous profession. This is where the story starts

picture fromhttp://www.michaelpalmerbooks.com/miracle-cure

Brian's father, Jack Holbrook, has been having heart conditions, and is in serious trouble. A recently discovered drug, that supposedly cures atherosclerosis (the Miracle Drug). After seeing the results on trial patients, Brian is convinced that his father should be on the drug as soon as possible.

However, as Brian digs deeper into the trial patient. He notices that some of the first trial patients are dying suddenly. Does the Miracle Drug have a factor in these deaths? Did Brian potentially sign his fathers death certificate without knowing it?

The book is great... if you enjoy medical suspense. I personally cannot get enough knowledge about human anatomy, so I covet these types of novels. On the other hand, if you do not know a whole lot about anatomy, you will not be boggled down with terminology.

I will give the book a 4 out of 5. If you like this kind of stuff, you will definitely enjoy this novel,and probably all the others by Michael Palmer.


Please keep tuning in for more books!! I have had a great turnout after my drought of posting, and I appreciate those who did not forget me. More Michael Palmer's will be posted on ( newer novels by him) and I will also try to compare him with another medical suspense author.. you guessed it, Robin Cook.

Stay tuned also for my first interview!! It will be a recorded interview with Amy Perry of The Rubaiyat Used Book Store. Hopefully that will be coming to your ears before the end of the month.

Everyone have a great week!!

Upcoming Novels, New Releases, and New York Times Bestseller's List

Hello Everyone,

I found some great books that are coming up,and I thought I would share them with you all.

I know for a fact that Stephen King released another Dark Tower novel, and I hope to get my hands on it soon and read it. I also hope to read a couple more books by him in the upcoming months.

Jean M Auel has the final book in the Clan of the Cave Bear series published (not really new but it's new to me) and I will have the whole series to post on shortly.

J.K Rowling has also released another book... for ADULTS (matter of perspective). I have been eying The Casual Vacancy for a while now and it looks very promising.

Nelson DeMille has a new book in the John Corey series (# 6 in that particular series). If you have not read that series, and you enjoy mystery/police novels, I recommend you read this series. I think they are absolutely great and John Corey is one of my favorite characters.

James Patterson (of course) has another novel being releaseed soon, and even though I have not read any of his novels (I have one on my list) I think his books are noteworthy enough to mention. I mean how many books has he released? A lot of people like his books so they must be worth something.

If you are interested in American history, Colin Woodard's

American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America is available , and could be enjoyable for those history buffs out there.

 

 If you are looking for new books, The New York Times Bestseller List is a great way to start. 

 Please check out the list, see what's new and if you happen to find a good one and you want me to read it, shoot me a comment or an e-mail.

 

I have some great reads ( and a couple not so great) coming up, so stay tuned!!  

The Girl Who Played With Fire

As a young college student, I don't get the chance to read as much as I would like. It took me about three months to finish the second novel in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series. My plan was to finish the 700 page book within the next two weeks and attend to Michael Palmer and his novels on my shelf ( I find that taking a break from authors gives the books they write a better feel as you read them).

I ended up finishing it Thursday morning (right before my English class), and immediately after  I pulled The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest out of my backpack and started reading.


To say the least, even though it took me three months, The Girl Who Played With Fire is a great sequel to the first novel

The book begins a couple months after the conclusion of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. There is a new plot ( almost nothing to do with the previous one), tension between the main characters, and a storyline that makes you stay up all night to finish. Lisabeth Salander is by far one of the most memorable characters in mystery novels, and I suggest you get to know her well. I highly recommend having the third book, The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest, on your bedside table when you finish this book.

Lisabeth Salander from The Girl Who Played With Fire

NOTE: I did not mention this in my blog on The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, but these books do contain adult content of the sexual kind. If that is offensive or unappealing to you, please do not read these books!

Currently, I have knocked out a little less than two-hundred pages in the third novel. If my teachers are willing, I can finish the book within the next week or so.


Upcoming Reads:

Here pretty soon, I have a few novels in store for you that I have been holding to post on.

James Rollins Subterranean, Michael Palmer books, and of course, more BBC books.

I do have a selection menu on the right-hand side of my blog for posts specifically on my BBC books. I am working on it currently, but as I go, you may click on the ones I have set up and look at them. They will be in numerical order from 1 to 200. If you do not see one I have posted yet, you can always go in my Blog Archive and find them there.

As always if you would like to e-mail me, you may do so, my blog e-mail is codywolf2011@gmail.com. I also have  Twitter page and you can follow me by clicking the follow button on the right hand side. I'm also trying to set up a facebook page (got to be patient with that one).

 Thanks for reading, have a great weekend!

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

About a month ago I went to my favorite bookstore in Caldwell, The Rubaiyat. I decided to give The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo a chance, so I read it. To say the least it was probably one of the best books I have spent money on.

I know all of you have heard of it, and I am sure that most of you have or know someone who has read it. But I am here to talk about it anyways.


If you enjoy mystery as much as I do, you will enjoy the book. The plot line in this story reminds me of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None (Great book. If you haven't read it please do) mixed with Stephen King to throw in a pinch of weirdness. However, this book is in its own class of talent. I place it on my bookshelf as an equal to my Stephen King novels.

Currently, I am in the tail end of the sequel, The Girl Who Played With Fire. Hopefully it will be posted soon and I can get started on the Michael Palmers I have waiting for me and all the other books I need to continue on.

If you would like to purchase a copy of this novel, or most others I post on, please take a drive to The Rubaiyat. They reside at 720 Arthur St. in Caldwell next to The Bird Stop Coffee House (they have great coffee and smoothies!) Get yourself a nice book, a nice cup of coffee and enjoy downtown Caldwell.

Thanks for reading!

Textbooks

I may not be able to post every day, or every week, or even every month (considering my last post was April 15th). I can, however, continue my blog and try to post as frequently as possible



Today's topic doesn't involve the Presidential Election (that is your job to decide who you want to vote for, I will not do it for you), it involves the most important item for any students anywhere. Of course I am talking about textbooks.

As I sit here writing this, I have three out of six textbooks sprawled next to me. I have two from previous semesters sitting atop my bookshelf, and I intend to keep many more throughout my college career.

Most of my books are published by Pearson (probably the head of textbook material). My chemistry, math, and biology books are all published through this business. As far as I am concerned, Pearson is a great resource for students. I remember using the same brand in high school, and even middle school (in fact, my biology book this semester is the same version we used in my AP Biology class my senior year).

Do I intend to use the books I keep? Absolutely yes. Biology is something I can read over and over again and still enjoy it. I mean come on, I have a copy of The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin for my own entertainment. My anatomy book is great to look up illnesses and facts about our body. And not to mention my handy dandy Pocket Style Manual to give me pointers on Works Cited and grammar ( something I need all the time).

So what makes a book worthy of keeping? Well, it's easy to assume that books related towards your major are worth keeping, and that is true. But what about those that don't? I do not intend to keep my Pre-calculus book, and I will probably use this information throughout my life. It's all about interests. I love Medical Terminology, but it's not related to my major. But I kept it anyways. English and math are vital subjects for education, but the fact is I will never use my math books and English books again (besides the Pocket Style Manual), so I don't keep them.

Remember, college teaches you what you love. So highlight your books, study them like you study a bestseller novel, and enjoy the ride.


For all the local authors out there, I do need more to place on my wall :)
So send me a pic and some info, and I'll talk about your book and place it on the Wall of Local Authors.

Keep Reading!