Cranfod

I finished it, and I think that it was interesting. Was it a serial? It seemed like it was... a chapter an issue.

The masterpiece theater says that it was a compilation of three of the Cranford novels, so there were two more than I read, but I suspect the other two weren't called Cranford. What does you book say?

I got this book for Christmas and I think it should be our next read

Cranford and Other Stories, By Elizabeth C. Gaskell

There are several Cranford books, so the ISBN-10 for this one is:  1840224517

I checked the Kindle and they have Cranford, so we could see if they were the same or had different stories.  This is the book that the TV mini-series was based on.  

Stupidest Angel

I loved the first half of the book. Laughed my butt off, and really enjoyed it. But then the second half started. I expected it to be witty and have an interesting ending. But I was really disappointed in the ending. The kid makes a wish and the angel grants it???? Seriously, my catz could have come up with a more interesting ending.

Sorry for the long absence

So just in case this isn't just Jen and I (which I doubt) :)  the next book is...

The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore

I forgot how much I loved his quirky sense of humor.  I didn't realize when I chose this book that it was set in the same town as "Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove."  It's great though.  He's one of the few authors who makes me laugh out loud.  

Finished

Ok, I finished this book.  I don't think my opinion was changed by the last couple of stories.  Bland, boring, predictable.  

The stories I did like were the cheating wife who broke her ankle and the ghost minister.  I can't say that if I had read them on their own in McSweeny's or something that I would have liked them, but they were the most enjoyable of the book.

Overall, I'm pretty disappointed.  

I say for the next book we try a different set of short stories.  Stephen King oddly enough has some really good ones.  I've also heard that the Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing (not actually about hunting or fishing) is a good one.  Or we can go for a McSweeny's.  

Not Yet finished

I'm still working my way through the book.  It is my train book, so I only get to read it while traveling to and from uni.  

I'm trying to figure out what it is that links the stories together.  At first I thought it was supposed to be one area of London, perhaps stories about a certain neighborhood.  However, that doesn't seem to be the case.  I'm not sure if there is a unifying theme or quality.

I also think a lot of the stories are predictable.  Just a few paragraphs in and you can guess the direction she is taking with them.  Maybe I've read too many short stories in my life and I'm a bit cynical about them, but hers don't inspire.  I would like to see some surprises in the stories.

Anyway, I'll see what I think when I reach the end.  

Finished

Well, that was an easy read - I finished it at lunch today.

I have to admit, some of the "stories" were interesting, but none of them unique. Most of them were just rehashes of other people's stories with different names. I could have watched Paranormal State on A&E and gotten most of the book.

The ones I kind of liked:

The one about the black bishop
The one about the kid going to med school during the war

well, actually I guess that was it. I didn't really like the first story, but the lawyers made me want to read the book (that I think is an actual book) about them.

On the whole, I'd give it two out of five stars. Mostly lacked originality or style.