Friday Finds – July 10, 2009
Friday Finds is hosted by Should Be Reading and asks one question: “What great books did you hear about/discover this past week?”
I have three more books to share here this week – two come from fellow bloggers, and one is a classic thriller I’ve rediscovered.
“Cutting For Stone” by Abraham Verghese
Designated a ‘Must Read’ by Boston Bibliophile.
“A sweeping, emotionally riveting first novel – an enthralling family saga of Africa and America, doctors and patients, exile and home.
Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful Indian nun and a brash British surgeon at a mission hospital in Addis Ababa. Orphaned by their mother’s death in childbirth and their father’s disappearance, bound together by a preternatural connection and a shared fascination with medicine, the twins come of age as Ethiopia hovers on the brink of revolution. Yet it will be love, not politics – their passion for the same woman – that will tear them apart and force Marion, fresh out of medical school, to flee his homeland. He makes his way to America, finding refuge in his work as an intern at an underfunded, overcrowded New York City hospital. When the past catches up to him – nearly destroying him – Marion must entrust his life to the two men he thought he trusted least in the world: the surgeon father who abandoned him and the brother who betrayed him.
An unforgettable journey into one man’s remarkable life, and an epic story about the power, intimacy, and curious beauty of the work of healing others.”
-From the publisher
“The Art of Racing in the Rain” by Garth Stein
Recommended by Kathy at Bermudaonion.
“Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn’t simply about going fast. Using the techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life’s ordeals.
A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life…as only a dog could tell it.”
- From the author’s website
“The Day of the Jackal” by Frederick Forsyth
Rediscovered by me at my sister’s cottage – a classic thriller.
“The Jackal. A tall, blond Englishman with opaque, gray eyes. A killer at the top of his profession. A man unknown to any secret service in the world. An assassin with a contract to kill the world’’s most heavily guarded man.
One man with a rifle who can change the course of history. One man whose mission is so secretive not even his employers know his name. And as the minutes count down to the final act of execution, it seems that there is no power on earth that can stop the Jackal.”
-From the publisher
© 2009, A Few Minutes With Michael. All rights reserved.
Thanks to Mishel at mis(h)takes
Thanks to Deb at Bookmagic
26 comments
The Art of Racing in the Rain sounds fantastic. It is definitely going on the TBR list. Great finds!
jess´s last blog ..Friday Finds — 7/10
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Michael Reply:
July 10th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Thanks for coming by, Jess. My sister-in-law also read “The Art of Racing in the Rain”, and she enjoyed it as well – she misses her dog.
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I remember The Day of the Jackal! Loved that book, and it was sooo much better than the movie remake they did with Bruce Willis. Enjoy!
Alexia561´s last blog ..Book Review: Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward
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Michael Reply:
July 10th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Hi Alexia, thanks for the comment. I’d have to say that I preferred the older movie, with Edward Fox as The Jackal. Seemed much truer to the novel, as I recall – but it’s been a while since reading or watching either.
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I have The Art of Racing in the Rain on my TBR list. I saw it in Starbucks a while ago and thought it sounded pretty good =)
Mishel´s last blog ..Day 216 – Friday Finds [5]
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Michael Reply:
July 10th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Hi Mishel, I have a feeling I will be waiting until September or so to read “The Art of Racing in the Rain” – unless I get surprised by a copy showing up in the mail. But whenever I do get to it, I’ll be posting a review shortly after.
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Cutting the Stone looks good. Thanks for sharing the info on that.
Sheila DeChantal´s last blog ..Morning Meanderings….
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Michael Reply:
July 10th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Hi Sheila, I see that you have started using that image. Unfortunately my local library is not open on the weekends, so I’ll have to wait until my visit early next week to get a replacement book.
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Sheila DeChantal Reply:
July 10th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
No problem at all Mike.
I was thinking… maybe we could make the coffee cup part of it more of the focus with the book as I always mention my morning coffee (the coffee and I… we are a team) LOL
Have a great day!
Sheila DeChantal´s last blog ..Morning Meanderings….
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I’ve heard great things about Cutting the Stone and it sounds fascinating!
avisannschild´s last blog ..Friday Finds (July 10)
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Michael Reply:
July 10th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Hi Avis, I’ve only heard good things about”Cutting for Stone” so far, but I hope I’m not setting the bar too high.
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The Day Of The Jackal is one of my fav. Nice finds..
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Michael Reply:
July 10th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Thanks for coming by, Shona. I haven’t read it for several years now, so it will be entertaining to dip back into it.
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Cutting for Stone sounds like an awesome book. Must remember to look for it!
Book Bird Dog´s last blog ..Killer Summer by Ridley Pearson, book review
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I’d go for The Day of the Jackal. Sounds like a classic.
Karoline´s last blog ..Friday Finds
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Michael Reply:
July 10th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Hi Karoline, it is, indeed. Thanks for the Tweetdeck suggestion, but the app just won’t play nice on my netbook yet.
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The Day of the Jackal sounds interesting – I read all of Robert Ludlums’ books and have yet to find an author in that genre that I like as much – from the blurb, this seems along those lines. I will have to give it a try.
Cathy´s last blog ..Kreativ Blogger Award
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Michael Reply:
July 10th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Hi Cathy, I’d say that there is likely a high proportion of Ludlum readers who are also Forsyth readers, at least back in the 70s – 90s.
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Nice finds. The Art of Racing in the Rain sounds so interesting! Sounds like something I would read. I’m going to look it up, although my TBR pile is going out of control! =P
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Michael Reply:
July 10th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Hi Linda, tell me about it. I only started blogging a few weeks ago, and my lists and reading piles are already growing out of control. But I agree about “The Art of Racing in the Rain”.
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I loved “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” it was such a great read, very touching. & “Cutting for Stone” made it onto my TBR list recently.
Phantom Inkheart´s last blog ..Friday Finds
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Michael Reply:
July 10th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Hi Victoria, thank you for commenting. It is good to hear an additional opinion that “The Art of Racing in the Rain” is a solid read. We’ll hopefully be able to compare reviews of “Cutting for Stone” in the not too distant future.
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I LOVED the audio version of The Art of Racing in the Rain, and I’m also looking forward to Cutting for Stone.
diane´s last blog ..104 – A Happy Marriage; Rafael Yglesias
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Michael Reply:
July 11th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Hi Diane, I’ve not done much audio books, although my father enjoys the occasional one. I think he’d listen to more, but there was one that the reader was simply terrible, and now he’s not as keen on it.
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I just received Racing in the mail. The other two sound excellent. I know Jackal was a movie and I remember liking it, so the book is probabaly a 1000 times better.
Jennygirl´s last blog ..Guest Post by Tomi Akinyanmi, author of A Worthy Legacy
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Hi Jenny, you will likely read “The Art of Racing in the Rain” before me, so I will be interested to read your review.
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