Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

He had me at apostrophes

Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer

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On page 36 of Dreyer’s English, author and Random House copy chief Benjamin Dreyer makes use of the fearsome CAPS LOCK key to make a point about never, EVER using an apostrophe to pluralize a word. Having been driven to contemplate felonies by the sight of signs saying, for example, “DVD’s for sale,” this was enough to win my loyalty. However, Dreyer goes on to explain that in Britain these unnecessary punctuation marks are called “greengrocer’s apostrophes,” because you’re likely to find them on signs […]

“Men were too often nervous to learn of things that contradicted their dearest falsehoods.”

The King at the Edge of the World by Arthur Phillips

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You know that feeling you have when an author you love has a new novel out? When you scoop it up and get to reading, because previous novels have dazzled you? When you dig in with excitement and anticipation because you know it’s gonna be great? And then you get to the last page and realize it was. . .  fine? Arthur Phillips has written two of my favorite novels of the 21st century: The Egyptologist and The Tragedy of Arthur. Granted, Kim’s Favorite Novels […]

“It’s a calming thing, to learn there’s a word for something you’ve felt all your life, but didn’t know was shared by anyone else.”

The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig

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That sentence from the introduction of The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows sums up what this book is about. A dictionary of “made-up” words (I know, as if there are words growing naturally in the wild somewhere), it gives voice to the thoughts and feelings that we have every day but didn’t know anyone else shared. Part linguistics, part philosophy, part self-help, and a (very little) part humor, this book will make you feel, above all else, that somebody out there gets you. Author John Koenig […]

Should be listened to in audio format if at all possible

Still Just a Geek: An Annotated Memoir by Wil Wheaton

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I have wanted to listen to an audiobook narrated by Wil Wheaton (of “Stand By Me” and Star Trek fame) for a while and when his annotated memoir Still Just a Geek came out it seemed like a good one to try.  Fellow Cannonballers, I did not expect the emotional journey I was about to take when starting this book.  In the opening, Wheaton says that he is going to try his best to make it seem as though he is sitting down having a conversation […]

I read this book back in February, sorry for the rather lacklustre review

Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik

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Hello, welcome back to Malin reviews things she read several months ago, in this case – FIVE whole months. Let’s start off with the official book description: Octavia Zarola would do anything to keep her tiny, close-knit bounty hunting crew together—even if it means accepting a job from Torran Fletcher, a ruthless former general and her sworn enemy. When Torran offers her enough credits to not only keep her crew afloat but also hire someone to fix her ship, Tavi knows that she can’t refuse—no […]

Most unique ‘First Contact’ sci-fi I have ever read

The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu, Ken Liu (translator)

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It was impossible to expect a moral awakening from humankind itself, just like it was impossible to expect humans to lift off the earth by pulling up on their own hair.  To achieve moral awakening required a force outside the human race.  This thought determined the entire direction of Ye’s life. The Three-Body Problem has been on my TBR list for years.  It was on many best of lists when published in English and my husband loved it.  Unfortunately, the first time I tried to […]



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