modestgoddess
Hamilton Public Library
modestgoddess's Completed Shelf
Filter your results by...
Beyond Birds and BeesBeyond Birds and Bees, BookBringing Home A New Message to Our Kids About Sex, Love, and Equality
by Rough, Bonnie J.Book - 2018 | First Edition.Book, 2018. First Edition.
modestgoddess's rating:
Added Apr 26, 2023
The Housekeeper and the ProfessorThe Housekeeper and the Professor, Book
by Ogawa, YōkoBook - 2009 | First Picador edition.Book, 2009. First Picador edition.
modestgoddess's rating:
Added Jul 23, 2021
Comment:
Wonderful compelling engaging tale - I'm surprised it's on HPL's list of fiction set in Japan. If you like math, baseball, Japan, or any story with finely drawn characters and a story that pulls you through, you'll enjoy this one. Beautiful.
Added Nov 24, 2020
Comment:
Great fun, and perfect for the holiday season - non-tradition-specific. Actually doesn't even mention the solstice...but it's obvious we're at the shortest day of the year and the gentle message about rampant consumerism is wonderful. Love Coyote and his friends, and their new "reindeer" friend too - the illustrations are fun and funny (look for the stores "Stuff", "More Stuff", and "Even More Stuff" at the mall). New holiday tradition for me. ❤️Great fun, and perfect for the holiday season - non-tradition-specific. Actually doesn't even mention the solstice...but it's obvious we're at the shortest day of the year and the gentle message about rampant consumerism is wonderful. Love Coyote…
Learning to Swear in AmericaLearning to Swear in America, Book
by Kennedy, KatieBook - 2016Book, 2016
modestgoddess's rating:
Added Aug 22, 2020
Comment:
Loved this book so much. I laughed, I cried (mostly from laughing but also with relief at one point), my heart rate sped up and I was on the edge of my seat.... Crazy wonderful excellent first novel, and you definitely don't have to be a teen to read and enjoy it. So much delight, so much wise commentary on life without being preachy, so much humour (my favourite line: "That's Dr Jackass to you."). It did leave me wondering, how on earth could American high schools be this terrible?! And I confess I have a love-hate relationship with the ending - it made sense but I wanted something different anyway.... Highly recommend.Loved this book so much. I laughed, I cried (mostly from laughing but also with relief at one point), my heart rate sped up and I was on the edge of my seat.... Crazy wonderful excellent first novel, and you definitely don't have to be a teen to…
Fifteen DogsFifteen Dogs, BookAn Apologue
by Alexis, AndréBook - 2015 | First edition.Book, 2015. First edition.
modestgoddess's rating:
Added Aug 03, 2020
Comment:
Lots to tease your brain in this one. I enjoyed finding the dogs’ names in the poems & enjoyed the characters of many of the dogs. Friends in my book club said the author did a great job reading this as an audiobook so I’m now listening to it & enjoying it all over again - have definitely found a new author to read more of.
All that being said, I was disappointed in how Alexis got a couple of things really wrong with regard to dog breeds (& one thing with regard to biology & chemistry)....& much of what happens in the pack seems highly unlikely. Suspending disbelief was a struggle (I know, I know - it starts with Hermes & Apollo in the Wheat Sheaf! but still, the rest is supposed to be something that might really happen....)
SPOILERS: beagles, being hounds, eat EVERYTHING - no way would a beagle be the one to lead the pack to a “death garden”, having previously avoided them himself. And no way would the amount of warfarin in traps designed to kill mice be enough to kill a beagle. Just a couple of quibbles - but I also found it unbelievable that the dogs were so violent. Still, an enjoyable read/listen overall.Lots to tease your brain in this one. I enjoyed finding the dogs’ names in the poems & enjoyed the characters of many of the dogs. Friends in my book club said the author did a great job reading this as an audiobook so I’m now listening to it &…
modestgoddess's rating:
Added Aug 03, 2020
Comment:
Teen fiction not just for teens.... Recommend for anyone interested in Victorian times/customs, women in science, mysteries, supernatural elements. Well written & captivating. Confess I did not see the twist coming...!
Days of AweDays of Awe, BookA Novel
by Fox, LaurenBook - 2015 | First edition.Book, 2015. First edition.
modestgoddess's rating:
Added Aug 03, 2020
Comment:
I’m a little conflicted about this one. Loved the writing - some wonderful turns of phrase & throwaway lines, & in a couple of places I laughed till I cried. Loved the main character & some of the secondaries. That being said, the story jumped around in time far too much to be enjoyable - made it very difficult to keep track of where things were chronologically, to no real point or purpose. I’d read it again for the delightful prose - but I’d have to have a notebook the next time so I could keep track of where I was in the chronological timeline in order to make better sense of things. Could’ve done with some judicious editing in that regard.I’m a little conflicted about this one. Loved the writing - some wonderful turns of phrase & throwaway lines, & in a couple of places I laughed till I cried. Loved the main character & some of the secondaries. That being said, the story jumped…
The Man Who Made Things Out of TreesThe Man Who Made Things Out of Trees, Book
by Penn, RobBook - 2016 | First American edition.Book, 2016. First American edition.
modestgoddess's rating:
Added Aug 03, 2020
Comment:
I love everything about this book. A thoughtful, well-researched, captivating ode to wood & trees - particularly the ash, with which Robert Penn seems to have had a lifelong love affair (& with good reason). A deep dive into the far-reaching impact ash trees have had in human history & into the skills of the tradesmen who work with wood. Some of the science was a bit beyond me but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. Wonderful. Just wonderful.I love everything about this book. A thoughtful, well-researched, captivating ode to wood & trees - particularly the ash, with which Robert Penn seems to have had a lifelong love affair (& with good reason). A deep dive into the far-reaching impact…
TED TalksTED Talks, BookThe Official TED Guide to Public Speaking
by Anderson, ChrisBook - 2016 | First Canadian edition.Book, 2016. First Canadian edition.
modestgoddess's rating:
Added Aug 03, 2020
Comment:
Lots of great coaching on how to speak well in public - bolstered by lots of examples from various TED Talks - most of which I’ve added to my to-be-watched list! (Convenient list in the back of the book has almost all the talks mentioned but I also kept a record going through & realized some were missing.)Lots of great coaching on how to speak well in public - bolstered by lots of examples from various TED Talks - most of which I’ve added to my to-be-watched list! (Convenient list in the back of the book has almost all the talks mentioned but I also…
The Billion Dollar SpyThe Billion Dollar Spy, BookA True Story of Cold War Espionage and Betrayal
by Hoffman, David E.Book - 2015 | First edition.Book, 2015. First edition.
modestgoddess's rating:
Added Jul 31, 2020
Comment:
Fascinating glimpse into the incredible amount of work that goes into running an agent in the field. Also very interesting on the subjects of motivation (not necessarily what one might think) & treason - & what it looks & feels like from either side.
Added Jul 31, 2020
HacksHacks, Audiobook CDThe Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House
by Brazile, DonnaAudiobook CD - 2017 | Unabridged.Audiobook CD, 2017. Unabridged.
Added Aug 27, 2018
Comment:
First heard about this book when Anna Maria Tremonte interviewed Donna Brazile on The Current on the CBC - I was most impressed with Ms Brazile then, and having listened to her book I'm even more impressed. Hacks is very interesting but also very crazy-making. Reveals the DNC as being quite as broken as the GOP, though in different ways. (Sad!) Ms Brazile reads her own book well, though I did have a little difficulty with her accent from time to time (eg, she talks about holding "wine and wangs" events - "wangs?" I said to my husband, who nodded, puzzled I hadn't understood...wangs = wings. Oh, now I get it...!). Wondering if the Divided States will ever recover from that disastrous election. Ms Brazile's account made me fear for the future of democracy, not just in the States but everywhere.First heard about this book when Anna Maria Tremonte interviewed Donna Brazile on The Current on the CBC - I was most impressed with Ms Brazile then, and having listened to her book I'm even more impressed. Hacks is very interesting but also very…
modestgoddess's rating:
Added Jul 30, 2018
Comment:
Definitely a good beach read - should keep you guessing.
Added Jul 20, 2018
Comment:
Really enjoyed this - evocative, wonderful style.
The LobsterThe Lobster, DVDLe Homard
DVD - 2016 | Widescreen.DVD, 2016. Widescreen.
modestgoddess's rating:
Added Apr 02, 2018
Comment:
As at least one other commenter says (below), I was excited to watch this movie...until I started watching this movie. Gave up on it before it was half over and wish I had bailed sooner. While the violence takes place offscreen (at least in the first half), you can't escape the effects, and they are gruesome. I don't ask for all art to be deep and meaningful - but if it's not going to be illuminating somehow, I'd like for it to be entertaining. This didn't give me anything - and instead, left me with some pretty disturbing images I can't get rid of. The trailer makes it look quirky and delightful and amusing. Don't be fooled. It's quirky all right, but not delightful or amusing at all.As at least one other commenter says (below), I was excited to watch this movie...until I started watching this movie. Gave up on it before it was half over and wish I had bailed sooner. While the violence takes place offscreen (at least in the…
MoanaMoana, DVD
DVD - 2017 | Widescreen.DVD, 2017. Widescreen.
Added Nov 07, 2017
Comment:
Wow. We watched this and couldn't understand what all the hype is about. Very thin story (theme: you are who you are!) spun out by wannabe-hit songs that advance neither action nor plot nor character development, and weird side-trips into bizarre nonsensical, um...side trips. (What was up with those coconuts anyway?) Not sure why this got such a high rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Totally not worth seeing. Two hours of my life I'll never get back. The rooster was cute but still not worth sitting through the whole thing. - We were curious as to how Polynesian people might feel about this so looked it up - and discovered Moana was a very calculated marketing ploy by Disney, to "sell" their Hawaiian resorts and push a whole bunch of merchandise. All actually bad for the environment (especially increasing tourism to sensitive areas, and the plethora of plastic toys). Nice try, Disney - you hypocrites. No wonder we hated it.Wow. We watched this and couldn't understand what all the hype is about. Very thin story (theme: you are who you are!) spun out by wannabe-hit songs that advance neither action nor plot nor character development, and weird side-trips into bizarre…
This Is Not My LifeThis Is Not My Life, BookA Memoir of Love, Prison, and Other Complications
by Schoemperlen, DianeBook - 2016 | First edition.Book, 2016. First edition.
Added Jan 14, 2017
Comment:
Engrossing and thought-provoking - I couldn't put it down. I love how contemplative Schoemperlen is about the relationship, and I found some of the details were eerily reminiscent of some of my own past affairs (none with convicts, but perhaps in the end men are men and women are women?!). Her reflections and her honest approach took me right along with her through the whole doomed relationship. (Being from Kingston originally, I was also fascinated by some of the details of life in the city - of course prisons loomed large in the municipal consciousness before Harper closed most of them in that area.)Engrossing and thought-provoking - I couldn't put it down. I love how contemplative Schoemperlen is about the relationship, and I found some of the details were eerily reminiscent of some of my own past affairs (none with convicts, but perhaps in…
Added Jan 05, 2017
Comment:
My husband grew up in Tehran - before the revolution. His parents sent him to university in Canada and he never went back. I was curious to read this to learn more about Iran - and it was a compelling and frightening glimpse into a world, once civilized, gone crazy. Really shows the impact of the revolution on normal/ordinary people, and how insane a corrupt power can be. The drawings are wonderful and the tale, though horrific in places and hard to take in, is presented in a palatable way.... "Palatable" is not really the word I'm looking for but I can't think how else to phrase it. Hard to read, but possible to read - perhaps that's what I mean. A coming-of-age story set in a time and place where the government, such as it was, became more infantile and controlling - growing up in a country that is dumbing down.My husband grew up in Tehran - before the revolution. His parents sent him to university in Canada and he never went back. I was curious to read this to learn more about Iran - and it was a compelling and frightening glimpse into a world, once…
The Hatred of PoetryThe Hatred of Poetry, Book
by Lerner, BenBook - 2016 | First edition.Book, 2016. First edition.
Added Jan 05, 2017
Comment:
This was a fascinating read. Somehow I'd thought I was getting a poetry collection by Ben Lerner (why doesn't the library have one?!) - instead I cracked this and discovered a thoughtful, intelligent, meaty essay on poetry. Totally absorbing and real brain food. Loved it. Gave an excellent perspective on poetry that made sense to me - though I wouldn't say that I, too, dislike it...! (although some poetry I definitely do dislike - but not poetry in general - and there are poems I love. But Lerner makes some excellent points about how society approaches poets and poetry - and a good argument for why it can never succeed - but also why poets will/should always continue to try)This was a fascinating read. Somehow I'd thought I was getting a poetry collection by Ben Lerner (why doesn't the library have one?!) - instead I cracked this and discovered a thoughtful, intelligent, meaty essay on poetry. Totally absorbing and…
The DinnerThe Dinner, BookA Novel
by Koch, HermanBook - 2013 | First edition.Book, 2013. First edition.
modestgoddess's rating:
Added Nov 05, 2016
Comment:
This novel is very well written, but by the end I was extremely frustrated and irritated by the turn events took. The wife's protracted stay in hospital is never explained - ditto the narrator's "syndrome". I even tried to look it up - and discovered, from an interview with the author that I found on GoodReads, that he made it up and says that that is the only piece of "science fiction" in the book. No no no - not allowed! Very disappointed in this book.This novel is very well written, but by the end I was extremely frustrated and irritated by the turn events took. The wife's protracted stay in hospital is never explained - ditto the narrator's "syndrome". I even tried to look it up - and…
Added Nov 05, 2016
Comment:
Beautifully drawn graphic novel - enjoyed this very much. There are so many stories going on here. The monarch's journey is lovely and I found myself drawn into the lives of the couple - both their individual journeys and the journey of their relationship. Despite the title and the apparent theme, it seemed to end on a hopeful note for all concerned. Nicely done.Beautifully drawn graphic novel - enjoyed this very much. There are so many stories going on here. The monarch's journey is lovely and I found myself drawn into the lives of the couple - both their individual journeys and the journey of their…
Nylon RoadNylon Road, BookA Graphic Memoir of Coming of Age in Iran
by Bashi, ParsuaBook - 2009 | First U.S. edition.Book, 2009. First U.S. edition.
Added Oct 08, 2016
Comment:
Enjoyed this very much. My husband is from Iran so I found it fascinating to learn more about the social, cultural and political situation there, post-revolution (his family left just prior). I like the concept of the modern Parsua interacting with her past selves on different points. The ending was a bit of a let-down but everything leading up to it was engaging and interesting.Enjoyed this very much. My husband is from Iran so I found it fascinating to learn more about the social, cultural and political situation there, post-revolution (his family left just prior). I like the concept of the modern Parsua interacting with…
The Winter of Our DisconnectThe Winter of Our Disconnect, BookHow Three Totally Wired Teenagers (and A Mother Who Slept With Her IPhone) Pulled the Plug on Their Technology and Lived to Tell the Tale
by Maushart, SusanBook - 2011 | First American edition.Book, 2011. First American edition.
Added Aug 19, 2016
Comment:
Just fascinating. I loved that the whole family rediscovered lost pleasures - like making music, cooking, and sleep! Reassuring (I am not quite as addicted to technology as this family) and disturbing (ack, I have done so many of the horrible things Maushart confesses to!). Wish the whole world would pull the plug, just for a week, to see what happens...but suspect if the planet went technology-free even for a little while I would fall apart just as much as the next person. I like the phrase "digital hygiene" (I think that was it, not "technological") and mean to mind my own a bit more closely since reading this. Highly readable. Also makes me want to read Walden....Just fascinating. I loved that the whole family rediscovered lost pleasures - like making music, cooking, and sleep! Reassuring (I am not quite as addicted to technology as this family) and disturbing (ack, I have done so many of the horrible things…
DisplacementDisplacement, Graphic NovelA Travelogue
by Knisley, LucyGraphic Novel - 2015Graphic Novel, 2015
Added Aug 19, 2016
Comment:
I was quite captivated by this and read it in one sitting. Love the graphics and found the story very interesting (perhaps more so because my mother just turned 90, and because I've also read Roz Chast's excellent Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?). One observation I found particularly telling: that perhaps it takes a generation of distance to care for the elderly. Being the child of an aging parent can cut close to the bone; grandchildren are so much farther from aging themselves that perhaps it truly is easier for them. I loved the relationship between Lucy and her grands - how caring she is with them. This was not a vacation for her, for sure, and one wonders why on earth the grands wanted to, seeing as they got so little out of it...?!I was quite captivated by this and read it in one sitting. Love the graphics and found the story very interesting (perhaps more so because my mother just turned 90, and because I've also read Roz Chast's excellent Can't We Talk About Something More…
Added Jul 24, 2016
Comment:
I'm curious to know what other people think of this...or rather, I guess I'm curious to know if anyone else didn't like it (because the reviews everywhere are overwhelmingly positive). I've never been a fan of first-person present-tense, but I do understand the author couldn't have written this any other way, and she certainly does a fine job in that regard. That being said, I didn't like Tegan or Gabe and when the "surprise twist" came at the end I felt deceived. "Three-hanky" ending? Nah, not even one.I'm curious to know what other people think of this...or rather, I guess I'm curious to know if anyone else didn't like it (because the reviews everywhere are overwhelmingly positive). I've never been a fan of first-person present-tense, but I do…
Comment: