The following is the list of everything I read during my first attempt of the 100 days challenge from January 8, 2011 to April 9, 2011. Today is September 7, 2011 and I still haven't finished Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix.
CURRENTLY READING (as of April 9, 2011)
CURRENTLY READING (as of April 9, 2011)
Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix
COMPLETED BOOKS
in order of completion, with brief synopses
- Lit by Mary Karr. Nonfiction. A memoir about the author's struggles with writing, motherhood and alcoholism
- Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert. Nonfiction. Think you know what will make you happy? You have no idea.
- Find Your Strongest Life by Marcus Buckingham. Nonfiction. Just because you are "good" at something, doesn't mean you should pursue it as a career. Focus on your strengths, things that you love AND are good at.
- The pH Miracle by Robert & Shelly Young. Nonfiction. Eat more green, alkalizing veggies. Cut out the acidic foods: meat, dairy, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol (basically all the fun stuff).
- Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr. Nonfiction. Similar to pH Miracle, but a friendlier, funnier whole mind/body approach from a cancer survivor. Out with the acidic, in with the alkalizing!
- A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller. Nonfiction. Another memoir of sorts, a director wanted to make a movie out of the author's life and he realized how incredibly boring his life actually was. Live a good story, take risks, do things worth remembering.
- 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller. Nonfiction. Don’t just look for another job; figure out your career by focusing on your interests and passions and head in that direction.
- Nudge by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein. Nonfiction. How the government, businesses and other organizations can “nudge” employees and consumers to make the “best” choices for their health, wealth and happiness.
- The Millionare Next Door by Thomas Stanley and William Danko. Nonfiction. Think the average millionaire drives a brand new BMW and wears a fancy Rolez? Nope. The average millionaire drives a paid for car (usually bought used), wears regular clothes and paid less than $500 for their watch. How? They live within their means, save, save, save, invest and don’t worry about keeping up with the Kardashians.
- Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. Fiction. Novel about a butler in post-war England reflecting on his life and career.
- Say You Are One of Them by Uwem Akpan. Fiction. Novel containing heartbreaking short stories set in Africa, told through the eyes of children and young adults.
- Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klostermann. Nonfiction. A collection of hilarious essays on pop-culture, including an analyses of Saved By the Bell, backhanded compliments of modern country music and a Guns N Roses tribute band.
- Magical Thinking by Augusten Burroughs. Nonfiction. Hilarious (and often offensive) memoir about the author’s adult life in NYC, working in advertising, writing a book and various trysts along the way, some romantic, some far from it.
- In Defense of Food by Michael Pollen. Nonfiction. Eat (real) food, not too much, mostly plants.
- Assassination Vacation by Sara Vowell. Nonfiction. The author may actually have an obsession in presidential assassinations. Funny chronicle of visiting various historical sites while providing interesting historical facts along the way.
- A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. Fiction. Follows the lives of two childhood best friends, beginning in the late 1950s when the main character’s mother is killed by a foul ball hit by his quirky best friend, Owen Meany.
- Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris. Fiction. Collection of hilarious short stories in which the main characters are animals, but act very human (or inhumane).
- The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. Fiction. Suspense novel that you are probably sick of hearing about. Interesting characters, complex stories and lots and lots of violence.
- The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson. Fiction. Second novel in the Millennium serives that delves deeper into the complicated life of the main character, Lisbeth Salander.
- The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest by Stieg Larsson. Fiction. Final novel in the Millennium series that wraps up all the crazy, violent, intricate, complicated and entertaining plots surrounding Lisbeth Salander and journalist Mikael Blomkvist
- Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. Fiction. Incredibly well written novel that follows the lives of twin doctors, Marion and Shiva Praise Stone, across Africa and the United States. Love, medicine, family, heritage, fate...... go out and read it right now.
- Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson. Nonfiction. Follow up to Three Cups of Tea that chronicles the author’s heroic endeavors to build schools for girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan and encourage the fight against the Taliban and terrorism through schools and education.
