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My TBR List From Luncher's Reviews Pt. 1

Dec 20, 2010

by djevoke
posted in Cafe Libri: Reviewing Books & More

I've been reading a ton of great book reviews here lately and every time I say, I have to add this to my TBR list but, I never have a pen and paper handy. I wanted to organize those books while giving some much deserved props to the wonderful Lunchers who have shared their books with me! In fact, there are so many of you out there that I had to make this into a Part One!

Beowulf on the Beach: What to Love and What to Skip in Literature's 50 Greatest Hits

After reading @RebeccaSchinsky's review of Beowulf on the Beach, I thought it sounded like a must read. There are books that will live on in infamy under that much desired literary title of classics and the question is do you need to read all of them? Maybe, answers this book which will give you the inside tips as to what's a must read and what to skip and why. @Fionnabhair and @Jerry_Saperstein also helped make the book intriguing to me.

Well Deserved

@ZintaAistars's review of Well Deserved almost made me hit the Amazon button right there! I love authors that write out the scene as you'd see it in real life and celebrate the poetic beauty of everyday life. This book sounds like it does just that as it weaves the story of four different lives in a small town that all culminate in a short gun battle.

Damp Squid: The English Language Laid Bare

@SamSattler's review of Damp Squid had me because I love languages and writing. Did you know that even the largest dictionaries only have 300,000-450,000 words when the English language actually has upwards of 2 million? Neither did I! If I would've read the summary, I might not have gotten this book on my own but, thanks to Sam, I want to check it out!

Gay Bar: The Fabulous, True Story of a Daring Woman and Her Boys in the 1950s

I love stories about women who go against the grain and folks, this one sounds just like one of those stories. @amoslassen's reivew of Gay Bar: The Fabulous, True Story of a Daring Woman and Her Boys in the 1950s made me add this to my TBR list."As far as we know, the 1950s were an infamously anti-gay period in American history and this was when Helen decided to open her bar." This sounds like an incredibly intriguing true story of a woman who wanted to give her friends a place where they could socialize just like everyone else, even if it was illegal.

Coraline (novel)

I loved the film and when I read @Adrianna's review of Coraline (book), I decided that I'd probably love the book too. I really enjoyed the dark nature of Coraline and the life lessons she learned along the way. It's a nice refreshing take on the same old fairytale!

Sister Wife (Young Adult Novels)

I have a curious fascination with all things unknown to me or completely different from the world I come from. Sister Wife fits neatly in both categories. I never would've known this book existed if it wasn't for @taminator40's review of Sister Wife.It tells the story of a 15-year-old about to be married to the Prophet told by three different points of view- Celeste (the 15-year-old), Taviana (a runaway adopted into Unity and then, forced out), and Nanette (Celeste's younger sister). The review and that fact made this seem like quite an intriguing read!

Vixen (The Flappers)

I love the 20s but, I've never known where to start in the literary world when it came to the Roaring 20's besides the High School classic English assignment, The Great Gatsby. But, where do you go from there and what about the women, themselves? I came across @missprint's review of Vixen (The Flappers) and not only did I find a well-written review that pulled me just enough into the story to make me want to go out and get it but, she also included an incredibly helpful "Possible Pairings" section with other books and music to go along with her review choice.

Enjoy Your Money!: How to Make It, Save It, Invest It and Give It

@plappen's review of Enjoy Your Money had me at the title of the book- who doesn't need to know how to make, save, invest and give money wisely? In these times, I think we all do and I definitely need help with money management with a couple of major events in 2011 that are going to cost me a big chunk of it. He states that it is a must-read for anyone in their early 20s and I agree but, I'd add everyone else onto the list as well.

The Numbers Man

I'm semi-fascinated with the world of online dating- I've done some research on it for a piece once, my good friend is heavily involved in all the major sites, @devora's review of OKCupid and @dalydose's review of eHarmony added some interest and my cousin met her husband on Match.com. @Beatleman1ac's review of The Numbers Man added more to my fascination, especially his line about female readers wondering if they really want to know how a man truly thinks of a woman. Yes, yes I do!

My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands

I used to be a lukewarm fan of Chelsea Handler. Then, I read her interview in Glamour and gained some new respect to this wonderfully outspoken, kind, loyal and funny woman. Then, I read @Kasia_S's review of My Horizontal Life which convinced me finally to put this book on my TBR list.

Academics of Street Art

I love Hip-Hop Culture, as many of you know. One of the most misunderstood art forms of that culture is graffiti. People often tend to link it to tagging (or the writing of initials and gang symbols often linked to gang activities) which is their first mistake. Graffiti is an urban art form that should be respected as such. Just because these kids don't have the money for art classes or canvases, that shouldn't take away from the fact that this is art. After reading @sammiches review of Academics of Street Art, I had to add it to the list. I've seen many books on graffiti but, I haven't found a good one on the history and growth of it. Plus, I figured it'd be a great coffee table book!

Mt Kilimanjaro and Me

I love being outdoors and hiking. I'm not so sure about epic backpacking adventures, I still have to work up to those. My favorite line from @Fionnabhair's review of Mt Kilimanjaro and Me was: "This account will inspire some to climb their own mountains, while at the same time satisfying armchair travellers like me." That right there as well as the rest of her well-written review made me add this book to my TBR.

Disneystrology: What Your Birthday Character Says About You

I've always been fascinated by astrology and ever curious about what my birthday reveals about my "true self". Sometimes it's right- I can be stubborn and am extremely loyal and sometimes it's wrong, I wouldn't classify myself as materialistic. I read @JanetBoyer's review of Disneystrology and thought, what an interesting concept for astrology. After getting her seal of approval (in case you didn't know, she's an expert on these things), I decided that it was a fun conversation piece and that it should be added to my TBR.

The Imposter - How a Juvenile Criminal Succeeded in Business and Life

I have a lot of respect and admiration for those that pull themselves out of life's deepest wells to find the light of day and the warmth of the sun's rays. The author shares with us his story of his own deep well and how he climbed out of it after hearing all of his life that he'd never make it out of there. After reading @kathypiano's review of The Imposter, I knew that I had to add it to the list.

What did you think of this list?

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TooFondOfBooks January 03, 2011

CORALINE is on my list, too (would you believe I haven't even seen the movie!?) So many books, so little time ...

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zephyr2050 December 27, 2010

This is a really awesome, eclectic list of books! Thanks Debbie! ^_^

djevoke December 28, 2010

Thanks Tu!

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Butter December 27, 2010

I just added a couple books to my wishlist. Thanks for the list and thanks to the reviewers!

djevoke December 28, 2010

Anytime, glad I could help :)

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woopak_the_thrill December 23, 2010

Hey! I thought I had already commented on this. My list would be similar save that your #'s 13 and 6 would be in the top 5. Thanks for this!

Adrianna December 28, 2010

Aw, so sweet of you! *tee hee* :)

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devora December 23, 2010

Nice, Sam! Thanks for compiling this :D

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Scotman December 23, 2010

This is interesting. I think the Disneyana book is the most interesting to me. My book choices tend to lean towards science fiction, but the 2010 books including Steigg Larson's books and Suzanne Collins also peak my interest. And this is the first year I became interested in Hugo winners (which I was not that impressed with, frankly). Great list!

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Adrianna December 21, 2010

Absolutely love your list and am honored that my read of "Coraline" was mentioned. You rock, Sam!

djevoke December 21, 2010

Thanks Adrianna!

Adrianna December 21, 2010

Welcome! I look forward to featuring this list in my next newsletter and on the homepage in the near future. :)

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About the list creator

Samantha (djevoke)
Ranked #17

I'm a human jukebox that is constantly changing my station depending on my mood! Feel free to share your passion with me in my communities: Pass the Remote!, Hip Hop Culture, Wedding Planning … more

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