Nikon D5100 From Snapshots to Great Shots - Rob Sylvan

The Infinity of Lists - Umberto Eco

The Kingdom of Ohio - Mathew Flaming

Good first fifty pages, terrible last fifty pages.  Might have been a good book if it was sigficantly shorter.

The Giant, O'brien - Hilary Mantel

In the Picture - Lee Friedlander

What a great collection from the fabulously whimisical photographer.  Seeing Friedlander's self-portraits over a 50 year span makes this book self-biographical.  Always exploring and challenging concepts of self-portraiture, Friedlander has been a huge influence on photography--maybe even moreso today with digital cameras, smart phones, and programs like instamatic.

Golden Gate - Kevin Starr

A very enjoyable and informative history of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Starr does an excellent job of bringing the history alive without bogging it down with too many details from research.  The author puts the construction of the bridge in historical perspective and leaves those who have travelled the bridge in even greater wonder.

The Marriage Plot - Jeffrey Euginedes

Very disappointing! I read the entire novel only because I loved Middlesex so much.  I am sure how a reader could engage with the characters, none of whom are particularly interesting or well-developed.  There is no plot in the novel and it reads like a very long, and dry, introduction to a story that is about to be told.

Napolean - Timothy Wilson Smith

The Geographer's Library - Jon Fasman

Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

Ancient Rome on Five Denari a Day - Philip Matyszak

An Object of Beauty - Steve Martin

This book highlights Martin's love of art, but it didn't go anywhere interesting.  Even the information about art wasn't enought to keep my interest up.

Modern Photography in Japan - 1915-1040

The Trial - Franz Kaftka

Let the Great World Spin - Colum McCann

A powerhouse of a book about New York City.  From the man who walked a tightrope between the twin towers in the 1970s to fascinating characters in the city, this book is is exquisite and moving.  McCann is a great writer who has written a great book that examines the pulse of New York.  Highly recommended.

Marketing Fine Art Photography - Alan Briot

Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami

The Best of It - Kay Ryan

Leaving Van Gogh - Carol Wallace

A disappointing book.  The last days of Van Gogh are told from the viewpoint of his doctor.  Unfortunately, the doctor, rather than Van Gogh, dominates the book and his not a very interesting or sympathetic character.  I wanted to think more about art, Van Gogh and madness but the book did little to stimulate my thinking in those areas.  I was baffled by how the doctor instantly recognized Van Gogh as an artistic genius, but as an art collector, never purchased any paintings from Van Gogh.

Amateur Barbarians - Robert Cohen

now reading...

Train Dreams - Denis Johnson

This short novel is filled with complex emotions, unique characters, and a story that will stays long after you finish the last page--in other words, it is a great book.  I couldn't believe the impact that is achieved in so few words.  It as gritty and tough as the old days on the railroad it encompasses.

Drama, An Actor's Education - John Lithgow

A fun to read as watching Lithgow act.  The book is a fascinating tale of an actor's life.  The autobiography is told with humor, warmth and humility by the author.  If you like Lithgow or enjoy acting, the book is a good reading choice.  

Winning Digital Photo Contests - Jeff Wignall

This is actually a good book to learn about what makes a photo a winner.  I may try entering some online photo contests, but even for someone with no interest in contests, the book does a very nice job of displaying great photos and pointing out what made them work.  It is more educational than you might expect from the title. 

White Noise - Don DeLillo

Photojournalism - Reuel Golden

Subtitled, 150 Years of Outstanding Press Photography, this book offers a few paragraphs with a couple pages of photos from over 100 photojournalists.  It is well put together and offers some interesting insights into many well-known and iconic photos.  A leisurely read, especially enjoyable for photographers and news junkies.

The Forgotten Waltz - Anne Enright

Enright is an excellent writer in the tradition of great Irish storytellers.  Her original style and insights make this book worth reading, but not one of her best.  It lost some steam midway through.

The Things They Carried - Tim O'Brien

A novel told in a series of short stories.  It is a war, it is Vietnam, it is ugly, it is surreal, it is real.  O'Brien has written a book that will stop you in your tracks.  Devastating and tender, it is simply superb.

Learning to See Creatively - Bryan Peterson

A very basic book on photo composition that is flawed by the author's insistence of only using his own photos as examples.  It comes off as more of a promotion for the author than a real educational tool.  It would have been great to show examples of various photographer's different use of composition techniques.

West Wind - Mary Oliver

The Sound of Waves - Yukio Mishima