Books I Read

Click on the book name to read more about it

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Currently reading:

. The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil By Philip Zimbardo

Notes from the underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

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Books I recently read:

.Sophie’s World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy by Jostein Gaarder. What did I think? Click here.

. Three cups of tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. What did I think? Click here.

. She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb . What did I think? Click here

. Shopaholic’s gift set .Hilarious! The perfect no need to use your brain books. Recommend it f you want to unwind.

. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet. What did I think? Click here

The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger . Check out the book club discussion

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Brick Lane by Amina Ali

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood.

Shadow of the wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. What did I think? Click here.

A Spot Of Bother by Mark Haddon. What did I think? Click here.

Love in the time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez. Check out the bloggers book club discussion about this book.
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My Favorite books of all time:

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant This book is soooo good every woman has to read it, I highly highly recommend it

Lullabies for little criminals By Heather O’neill What an amazing Debut for this author

The curious incident of the dog in the night time By Mark HaddonThis book is so smart, I featured it on my blog, click here to read the whole thing , my all time favourite!

1984 by Gerorge Orwell Simply amazing from it the term “Big Brother” was coined

Arab and Jew: Wonded Spirits in a Promised Land By David K. Shipler An eye opener

Shake hands with the Devil By Romeo Delaire The movie came out Sept 28th 2007, this book is sooo heart breaking, there is also a documentary by Romeo that is worth watching

The outlander series by Diana Gabaldon little bit of Romance, a little bit of Si. Fi. , some history thrown in the mix, and oh , the hot Scottish stud with the kilt does not hurt the story at all! Addictive to say the least, six books already and waiting on the seventh to come out.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley . What did I think? Click here

. Sophie’s World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy by Jostein Gaarder. What did I think? Click here.

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Some books have no Links from this point onwards, too lazy to do it, I might get to it eventually.

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Books on my shelves:

Fiction:

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri review coming soon.

A Thousand Splended Suns by Khaled Hosseini. What did I think? Click here.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley . What did I think? Click here

Chicago by Alaa Al Aswani (Arabic) what did I think? Click here.

The Bachelorette Party by Karen McCullah Lutz ( It is such a chick/airhead book that does not require the use of any brain cells but its funny)
“Adam Bede” by George Eliot (the pen name of Mary Ann Evans) Loved it
A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews 3.5/5
The Birth House by Ami Mckay 3/5
• “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter” By Kim Edwards (depressing)
• “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” 4/5

• Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit by JRR Tolkien (Love it)

• The complete Harry Potter series (Love it)
• The complete Narnia series (Liked it but I thought it mirrors the bible stories, donno I don’t want my kid brainwashed reading it but it was good)
• Eragon and Eldest by Paolini (Haven’t read it yet but the movie Eragon was good)
• Emma By Jane Austin (Loved it)
• Little Women By Louisa Alcott (I read it a looooooong time ago, I have to read it again to remember if I like it)
• Withering Heights by Emily Bronte (Liked it)
• Jane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte (Liked it)
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin (Love it)
• The complete works of Najeeb Mahfooz (Well they are 6 HUGE books so I am making my way through them)
• In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant (was so so)
Gerorge Orwells 1984 (LOVED IT)
• Lullabies for little Criminals by Heather O’Neil (LOVED IT a must read)
• The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini (loved it)
• Snow by Orhan Pamuk (Haven’t read it yet)
• The Birth House by Ami McKay ( it was OK)
• The Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards ( It is soooo depressing that you should only read it if you don’t have suicidal tendencies, it was so so )
• My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk ( loved it, but it is a tough read)
• Reading Lolita in Tehran by Agar Nafisi (Loved it, it could also qualify as non fiction)
• Watership Down by Richard Adams ( really loved it)
• The Curious Incident of the dog in the nigh-time by Mark Haddon (My favorite book ever)
• Life of Pi By Yann Martel (loved it)
• The Chrysalides by John Wyndham (I liked it)
• The Love Poetry of William Shakespeare (I mean it’s Shakespeare)

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Non Fiction:

Me talk pretty one day by David Sedaris .

In Search of Fatima - Ghada karmi To see what I thought about it click here.

I am America ( And so can you) by Steven Colbert . What did I think? Click here.

Culture Jam: The Uncooling of America by Kalle Lasn also read this to have a better understanding of what culture jamming is. What did I think? Click here

Infidel By Ayan Hirsi Ali to see what i thought about it click here .
• Guns Germs and steel By Jared Diamond ( Took ages to finish but Loved it)
• Collapse By Jared Diamond ( Haven’t read it yet)
• Blink (Loved it)
• The Tipping point (Loved it)
• Queen Noor Leap of Faith ( It was nice, the pictures, the Royal family Stories, I wish there was more in the book though)
• Shake Hands with the Devil by Romeo Dallaire (I really Loved this book, very moving and you feel with Romeos struggle, because of this book, I hate the UN and they suck)
• My Life by Bill Clinton (OK I went through half of it and it was soooo boring I had to stop, lol, I haven’t even gotten to the part when he becomes president ???? or the peace talks piece, it’s 1000 pages for Gods sake, Well, Bill should never write because he put so many useless details it is crazy, like campaigning and stuff, spare me please)
• Arab and Jew by David K. Shipler ( I really like this book, it talks about how the relationship between Arabs and Jews living in the Palestine and Israel and how they fantasize about how the Israelis are like and the Palestinians are like since people are born and die before they interact with the other side, really good book)
• The battle for God by Karen Armstrong (Loved it)
• A history of God by Karen Armstrong (Loved it but it is a hard read)
• Muhammad by Karen Armstrong (REALLY good)
• America (The Book) by the Daily Show with john Stewart) ( prepare yourself for sooooooooo much fun and laughter and some history too )
• Rats by Robert Sulivan ( well I got it for 3 dollars and it’s a book about rats in New York, hehehehe so it is so so)
• Michael Moore’s Dude, where’s my country? ( haven’t read it eyet)
• A short History of Nearly everything by Bill Bryson (Loved it)
• A short history of Progress by Ronald Wright (Loved it)
• Sex Drugs and Coco Puffs by Chuck Klosterman ( interesting read)
• Oh Jerusalem By Larry Collins (Loved it)
• The world is Flat by Thomas Friedman (Loved it)
• Twenty Questions (haven’t read it yet)
• Greek Mythology (haven’t read it yet)

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I borrowed so many books from friends and library I can’t remember all of them but here’s a try:

“The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress” by Robert A. Heinlein 4/5

The Moonlit Cage by Linda Holeman 3.5/5 (was good until close to the end , a disappointing ending)

• Lovely Bones loved it
• The James fry Books, little tiny pieces and the my friend Leonard (he pissed me off cos he was a liar, PISSED ME OFF, cos the book is really good and he did not need to lie!)
• The Josephine books, the story of Napoleons wife
• Anne Rice , lots of books I can’t even remember all the names oh oh but the last one was Christ the Lord LOVED IT
• All the trendy books that are completely useless but so much fun to read l can’t even remember the names of the authors or the names of the books, like the shopaholic kind of style.

I’ll add more as I remember them

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Bloggers Book Club
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If you read a book you loved that is not on the list, drop me a comment

41 Responses to “Books I Read”

  1. I actually have “in search of fatima”, it’s been sitting on my shelf unopened forever, let me know how it is.

    I read the first couple of chapters of the lovely bones but now I can’t find it, I read the first 3 shopaholics, I read the queen noor book.

    I’m planning on reading the memory keeper’s daughter and 1984, thanks for your list!

  2. I don’t know if you check your old posts but I just commented on the ayan hirs ali post

  3. The Fatima book is pretty good, I like her style.

    Keep visiting this page since I read about a book a week so you will always find something new to add to your list.

    Yeah I checked your other comment , thank you :)

  4. [...] Books I Read [...]

  5. Hi 7aki, I got The Cry of the Dove in yesterday, would like to read it with us (hopefully there’s a group) as your next book?

  6. I am going to the book store right now to see if they have it :)

  7. So Asoom, htey didn’t have the book at the store. I am not really surprised.
    I will try this other store if I can’t find it I gotsa order it online

  8. [...] Books I Read [...]

  9. [...] Books I Read [...]

  10. I just finished reading Curious Incident. It is a unique book and I doubt I would ever read something so wonderfully captivating after it

  11. KJ: Isn’t it just indescribable? I love it, it’s so heart breaking and intriguing and smart and funny…

  12. Indeed it is! Next up is Life of Pi

  13. Very good choice, Moogle would enjoy it too. Hehehehe

  14. Are you crazy. you read most of these books? I have much more respect for you now. not that I didn’t have it before. but, a lot more after going through the list above.

  15. Mab3oos: I read ALL of these books :-P , so maybe now you’ll go easy on me when you roast me , hehehehhe, I’m not just a pretty face, LOL, not that you would know.

  16. [...] Books I Read [...]

  17. [...] - Try and be a “YES” Wife - Vote for the five greatest Jordanians of all time - Books I Read [...]

  18. OK I finished Pi. I totally loved the story. The best way to describe it is “raw”. Truly awesome!

    My main gripe though is the last section, with the interview. I felt it drawn out and a bit unnecessary because it more or less “spoon fed” you the undertone of the middle section, thus I felt like my intelligence is being insulted as a reader. So ignoring that last part, I loved the rawness of it :D

    Next up is “The Five People You Meet In Heaven”. Something tells me I will be weeping like I did with Tuesdays With Morrie

  19. KJ: wasn’t it great?
    What was your favorite part?

    I heard someone saying they didn’t like “The Five People You Meet In Heaven”. Let me know if you like it or not :D

  20. My favorite part was the entirety of the middle section (the whole boat thing). It was very, very raw. I kinda get lost a bit when he met the other blind man at sea and the whole island thing was a bit weird if you weren’t reading between the lines. But the best part I think was the rawness of the relationship between him and Richard Parker

  21. KJ: OMG that is my favourite part too, but another favourite part when the mystery was revealed and the truth came out, very raw indeed.

    I am reading the name sake now, My god it is taking forever for the story to kick start, I am on page 78 and it still feels like an introduction, the main character is still not a main character, it just started to go faster now.

  22. what’s this? a book discussion without me????

    Can’t comment on life of pi but I’ll add that after reading tuesdays with morrie I don’t think I’ll ever read a mitch albom book.

    KJ, you should totally read love in the time of cholera with me, hamza, and 7aki, come on it’ll be a great bonding experience!!!

  23. when’s your 1000 splendid suns review coming up? I already read it but I’m curious what you have to say!

  24. asoom - cholera, a77a.. b3eed el shar tfeh tfeh tfeh :P

    I had it in mind but my cousin told me it is a summer read, because it can get drawn out and boring at parts. I am also a bit weary from incredibly high-profile books especially with my horrendous experience with The Road.

  25. KJ, Asoom: I have not read any reviews on the Cholera book so I can’t say what it’s even about.

    The namesake I am reading now is so different in the writing style, it’s a book that grows on you and I can relate to the characters in a way, I am enjoying it, was a bit slow to start but I like it.

  26. [...] Books I Read [...]

  27. I am really struggling with “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”.

    Tuesdays was a good book, but with this one it feels like Mitch Albom is cashing in on the deaths of his friends and relatives. The story is disjointed and too rigid; it follows a certain system in the chapter layout.

    I don’t know if I have the energy to continue with the book.

  28. See I really don’t like over hyped books, they usually suck and Pheras from Made in Jordan said it sucked so now it’s 2 people who did’nt like it.

    Thanks for telling me it sucked cos I hate paying for a sucky book.

  29. [...] We have no leaders. I am just a mediator.Our club has prestigious members such as 7aki Fadi and her infamous book reviews . Sincere thanks to asoom for her continuous support for this initiative. I encourage those [...]

  30. [...] Books I Read [...]

  31. I picked up Brave New World

  32. KJ: You’ll love it :D .

  33. [...] Books I Read [...]

  34. I finished Brave New World.

    I didn’t like it at all. I am definite it was truly something when it was written in the 30s, but reading the book now exposes how flawed it is on character development - there isn’t any except at the very end.

    The final few chapters were really awesome and the only reason why would anyone read the book. I didn’t understand the last couple of pages the first time I read them and had to wiki up the book to actually find out what the hell happened. Shocking!

    As a book written early in the century, it is one hell of a book. In 2008, the only shock factor is that we are reaching the point envisioned by people who lived a century ago.

  35. You are right the book was late to start but the last chapters are everything anyway.

    And yes, it’s amazing how insightful the author was about the future.

  36. “If you read a book you loved that is not on the list, drop me a comment”

    One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

    Almost everything for Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons w Digital fortress. Deception Point still on my to-read list.

    In The Time of The Butterflies got good feedback, also on my to-read list.

    Adolf Hitler’s kifa7i - My Struggle- . Read it in Arabic a billion years ago, must re-read, very interesting book.

    The Alchemist is something everybody reads at some point :P Since you’re so interested in reading you must’ve read it, nice, but overrated.

  37. I’ve sort of stumbled upon this site: http://www.librarything.com/. Since I borrow most of my books from my local library and my memory is pretty terrible, I need something to keep track so I don’t keep reading the same book over and over ;-)
    Just thought you might enjoy and find it useful

  38. Lau: Thanks Very much!
    I also use the chapters.com tool. They kinda have the same thing and also shelves and i put the books there in categories: have read, I’m reading and intend to read.

    But I will definitely check this out. It seems more popular than the chapters one. Thanks a bunch!

  39. Dune by Frank Herbert.

  40. KJ: sanx

  41. [...] Books I Read [...]

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