A Hundred Millions

Challenge: read a hundred books randomly selected from The Millions. Guaranteed to emerge smarter, happier, or at least better-read.

[ahundredmillions]

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

It’s been months and months since I read this. I remember a humorous scene of the protagonist bumbling through his efforts to secure and present humble gifts for his bride; I remember poverty and greed; I don’t remember the ending. I’m usually not much of a reader of historical fiction and this one hasn’t stayed with me.

[ahundredmillions]

There was this luxury of living.

The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck

[ahundredmillions]

Currently.

[ahundredmillions]

The Madonnas of Echo Park by Brando Skyhorse

I’m sorry. I read this over the summer and I’m only now thinking up a min-review for it. Honestly at this point I only remember two things from it: the story about the bus driver and the one about the cleaning lady. I felt each story did a good job of transporting me to a certain time and place. And that’s about all I can still remember.

[ahundredmillions]

A woman can be a beautiful thing at arm's length, but get too close and you find they are distractions, there to manipulate men who have succumbed to accepting mediocrity and need someone to share it with.

Brando Skyhorse, The Madonnas of Echo Park

[ahundredmillions]

Summertime, reading outdoors, getting a tan.

[ahundredmillions]

Swimming Home by Deborah Levy

It was aiight. I vividly remember the opening chapter, and after that I don’t remember much at all. It’s been a while since I read it.

[ahundredmillions]

The world had become increasingly mysterious. And so had she.

Deborah Levy, Swimming Home

[ahundredmillions]

Swimming Home with a cat at home.

[ahundredmillions]

Quiet Dell by Jayne Anne Phillips

This was a decent novelization of a true-life murder mystery. I found the first section the most absorbing, when the villain was working his plot. The journalist working through her investigation was less interesting to me, and the romance wasn’t believable at all. Good read to get away from normal life for a while though.

[ahundredmillions]

Constructed space registered human intent and endeavor, Emily thought, far beyond the time allotted human lives.

Jayne Anne Phillips, Quiet Dell

[ahundredmillions]

Quiet night with Quiet Dell by Jayne Anne Phillips.

[ahundredmillions]

Anonymous Lawyer by Jeremy Blachman

An amusing fictional account of a corporate lawyer blogging his way through work drama. The entire format is email convos and blog posts. A speedy read. The plots tie themselves up too quickly for my taste (I feel like I say that a lot), but it's good poolside reading. Definitely reminds me that I appropriately avoided the corporate world, too.

[ahundredmillions]

Maybe a sign of maturity is realizing that sometimes practical concerns need to trump the feelings of the heart.

Jeremy Blachman, Anonymous Lawyer

[ahundredmillions]

Pool read.

[ahundredmillions]

The Story of Forgetting by Stefan Merrill Block

Two interwoven stories of Alzheimer’s affecting families (spoiler alert: it’s the same family). The mythical land theme didn’t do it for me, and the coincidences/too-good-to-be-true twists took me out of it. Overall too solemn for my tastes.

[ahundredmillions]

Look at me. Still jealous, after all these years. Why should I have to compare who cared the most? Life isn’t a competition, is it, with the one who cares the most getting the most? The lethargic and the cynical can live in mansions.

Stefan Merrill Block, The Story of Forgetting