I figured I'd finally get around to consolidating all my book recommendation stuff in one place! Here's the details of what I've been reading, what books I have in my "to read" pile, and my personal favorites/recommendations! I tend to read heavily on the scifi/fantasy, nature, and Disney subjects, but that's not exclusive. I'll include here short reviews of the books I've finished recently, lists of what I'm reading or am about to read, and of course, a listing of all my favorite books! Hopefully someone out there can find a book they love this way! This works both ways, too - if you have a suggestion for something you think I might enjoy, let me know! :D

I'll keep this post updated as I finish books, too.
Last Updated: 8/15/08

What I've Finished Recently

8/15/08
Journey to the Center of the Earth - Jules Verne
Science fiction at its finest, from its pioneer! A wonderful blend of science and imagination. It gets a bit bogged down occasionally in the geological details, but that's half the fun - seeing how science can be bent to create a fantastical story!


October 2007-June 2008
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
October/November 2006

What I'm Reading Now

The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley
When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals - Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson and Susan McCarthy
Red Mars - Kim Stanley Robinson
Daughter of the Blood - Anne Bishop
Last Child in the Woods - Richard Louv
The Eye of the World - Robert Jordan
Ring of Bright Water - Gavin Maxwell
Peter and the Secret of Rundoon - Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

What is in My "To Read" Stack

Lost - Gregory Maguire
Enslaved by Ducks - Bob Tarte
The Devil's Teeth - Susan Casey
The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
Foundation - Isaac Asimov
Never Cry Wolf - Farley Mowat
Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
Gone Whaling - Douglas Hand
Dolphin Days - Kenneth S. Norris
DaVinci Code - Dan Brown
A Meeting at Corvallis - S.M. Stirling
Farscape: Ship of Ghosts - David Bischoff
Living on the Edge - Jeff Corwin
The Language of Animals - Stephen Hart
The Man-Eaters of Tsavo - Lt. Colonel J.H. Patterson, D.S.O.
The Call of the Wild and White Fang - Jack London
Raptor Red - Robert T. Bakker
The Last Panda - George Schaller
Speaker for the Dead - Orson Scott Card
Old Man's War - John Scalzi
Disneywar - James B. Stewart
Monkeys on the Interstate - Jack Hanna
Inkspell - Cornelia Funke
The Yearing - Marjorie Rawlings

What I Want to Read Eventually...

Saving the Gray Whale - Serge Dedina
Brisingr - Christopher Paolini
Kingdom Keepers 2: Disney at Dawn - Ridley Pearson
Rhett Butler's People - Donald McCaig
Inkdeath - Cornelia Funke

Favorite Authors

Gregory Maguire (Fiction)
Ralph Helfer (Non-Fiction - Wildlife)

Favorite Books

Fiction ~ TV Series Tie-Ins ~ Nature and Animals ~ Misc. Non-Fiction

FICTION
Beauty - Robin McKinley
Beauty is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Although there's many variants of the story, this one is very similar to (and actually pre-dates by quite a few years) the Disney version of the film. Told from the point of view of "Beauty" (or, rather, Honour, which is her given name), it's very much a "feel good" version of the story. It's a wonderful fantasy world. I really liked Beauty's geekishness here - she's somewhat of a tomboy who loves books and horses. Now that's a character I can relate to! ;) I really got lost in this book, and was disappointed that it finally had to end! If you're a fan of the Disney movie or just like happy versions of fairy tales in general, definitely check this one out.

A Circle in the Sea - Steve Senn
A father gives his daughter a necklace that he found when he was away on business. She quickly discovers that when she's wearing the necklace, her consciousness occupies the body of a dolphin far away. It sounds corny, but it's really engrossing. To find this one, you'll likely have to hit the library. If you can find an affordable (less than $50) copy for sale, I shall curse your name for beating me to it.

His Dark Materials trilogy - Philip Pullman
Actually a trilogy of books - The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. Outwardly, they're a Harry Potter-esque fantasy story about a parallel, magical Earth and two teenagers fighting against a conspiracy. Look a little deeper, though, and it's a strong commentary about organized religion. Whatever level you read it on, it's easy to stay hooked. These are also being made into movies right now!

Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton
The book was better. It always is. :P

The Princess Bride - William Goldman
If you loved the movie (who doesn't?!) then read the book! The movie stays very true to the original novel, probably since the screenplay was done by the novel's author. Many conversations are verbatim from the book. But the asides, the commentary on "the original Morgenstern" just adds to the hilarity! And if you haven't seen the movie... what's wrong with you? :P Pirates, adventure, torture, true love, fire swamps, ROUSs... what's not to love?

Waking Walt - Larry Pontius
A sort of "what-if" story - what if Walt Disney really had been cryogenically frozen? In this story, the Disney company falls into trouble, and Walt is woken up to save it. But he has to get around business pitfalls and shady dealings, all while trying to keep the public from discovering that he's still alive. The author does a great job of portraying Walt as a real person, and doesn't make him into the sort of "saint" that many people seem to think he was. Plus, who doesn't wonder how Walt would react to seeing what's become of his dreams?

Wicked and Son of a Witch - Gregory Maguire
The story of the Wicked Witch of the West, and how she became who she was. This novel goes a LOT beyond just telling her story, though - it delves headfirst into several issues. It really speaks to the strength of the media's influence on how we as a culture perceive a particular person or group. It also delves a lot into the nature and root of evil. It's fascinating to see something as deep as that put into the context of an icon like the Wizard of Oz. For anyone who's seen the musical, the book is worlds different. Completely different. The sequel, Son of a Witch, is also really good. It picks up right where Wicked leaves off. Although I didn't think SoaW had as much of a philosophical bent to it, it stays interesting simply from a storytelling perspective. I've got my fingers (and toes, and anything else I can cross) crossed for a third one to tie up all the loose ends!

TV SERIES TIE-INS
Stargate Atlantis: Exogenesis - Sonny Whitelaw and Elizabeth Christensen
Absolutely fantastic. IMHO, the best of the Atlantis novels yet. All of the major characters got a fair amount of story time. I wouldn't call it a huge "team" story insomuch as they had separate plots going on, but none of the characters felt neglected. Even Teyla and Weir got decent storylines! The characterization was fantastic. Rodney had a nice, emotional story that really provided great development for him. And the storyline between Sheppard and Weir is fantastic, in a somewhat angsty, angry way. ;) Of course, the marine biology geek in me had a field day - all the descriptions of the ocean under Atlantis were all fantastic! A great all-around story, not to be missed by Atlantis fans.

The X-Files: Ruins - Kevin J. Anderson
Adventure in the jungle, Mulder and Scully style! I was always a sucker for their trip-into-the-woods stories on the show, and this one delivers in style. The familiar Mulder/Scully banter is there, along with a storyline that really keeps you hooked. A nice blend of mystery and adventure, rather like reading an X-Files version of Indiana Jones.

NATURE & ANIMALS
Listening to Whales - Alexandra Morton
The autobiography of killer whale researcher Alexandra Morton. Beautifully told, and her tales of time spent among the killer whales of Vancouver Island are fascinating!

Modoc - Ralph Helfer
Simply one of the most amazing books I've ever read. This book tells the true story of Modoc, an elephant born in a German circus, and Bram, the boy who grew up with Modoc. They perform in the circus together, stow away on a ship, are shipwrecked in India, and end up traveling throughout India... and that's just the beginning! An incredible story of friendship and adventure - not to be missed.

Namu: Quest for the Killer Whale - Ted Griffin
The true story of Namu, the first killer whale to be successfully kept in captivity, as told by the man who cared for him. A beautiful story of friendship between man and whale.

Swimming With Orca - Ingrid Visser
A very refreshing read for all the orca fans out there! It was so wonderful to read a book written by a published scientist who isn't afraid to broach the more emotional topics surrounding orcas. She speaks frankly about her own work, and like any scientist worth their salt, admits to any strengths or weaknesses. But the scientific side is also balanced by a much more emotional story of her interactions with the whales. She has some wonderful stories of meeting killer whales on their own turf (surf?) that are very heartwarming.

Zamba - Ralph Helfer
The true story of Zamba, a lion raised by Helfer as a part of his family. Zamba went on to become one of Hollywood's "star" lions. This is definitely a "feel good" book, and a very heartwarming story about their relationship. Think of it as "Marley and Me," but with a lion.

MISC NON-FICTION
Just a Geek - Wil Wheaton
If you didn't love Wil Wheaton before, you will after you read this book. He is totally candid about his experiences. It's wonderfully refreshing to read a story by a celebrity who says exactly how they feel about their experiences as an actor, without trying to give the "everyone I work with has been amazing" schtick. His stories are absolutely hilarious, and you see that he really is a down-to-earth kind of guy, with many of the same trials and tribulations as the rest of us. If you follow his blog, many of the entries are excerpts from there. It's fun to read his commentary on those entries, and see what he was really thinking when he wrote the entries I remember reading long ago. Whether or not you're a Star Trek fan (and whether or not you hated Wesley - rather, especially if you hated Wesley), this one is a must-read!

Mouse Tales and More Mouse Tales - David Koenig
If you've ever wanted the dirt on what happens behind-the-scenes at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, this is the book to read. This is not the kinds of stories that Disney wants the world reading. From gang fights to deaths to park mishaps to Cast Member pranks, these books have all the dirt. Many of the stories have been publically documented as true. And speaking as a former WDW CM, I'm inclined to believe many of the stories that the Cast Members tell! A really entertaining read all-around.

Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination - Neal Gabler
If you are a Disney nut, you must read this biography. At 600+ pages of text (not including 100 pages of references at the end) it's very hefty, and very detailed. It's quite possibly the most objective, even-handed biography of Walt that I've ever seen, and certainly the most in-depth. It's a virtual Walt Disney encyclopedia. A fascinating look at one of America's greatest cultural icons!