Thoughts on “Something Missing” by Matthew Dicks

Martin, a middle-aged man with OCD tendencies, runs a thriving business. He is maintains successful relationships with many long-term clients and is constantly acquiring new ones. His work ethic is admirable, his self discipline unswerving. He’s even read Jim Collins.

So what does Martin do? He is a professional thief. But he isn’t the sort of thief that draws attention to himself. Instead, he takes only small items — some Advil, a can of tomatoes, half a bottle of laundry detergent — that will not be missed, and he takes them only after prolonged and painstaking observation. His key to success, he knows, is his unerring adherence to the rules he’s developed.

And then, one day, he breaks a rule. He manages to wriggle out of a potentially disastrous situation, but something he overhears alters his sense of purpose. As he becomes a little too involved in his clients’ lives, Martin inadvertently sets off down a one-way path that will forever change his life.

Thoughts on “The Phantom Tollbooth” by Norton Juster

10-year-old Milo isn’t interested in anything at all. Life is boring, ho-hum. That is, until he comes home one day to find a mysterious package in his room. “ONE GENUINE TURNPIKE TOLLBOOTH,” reads the accompanying card. “EASILY ASSEMBLED AT HOME, AND FOR USE BY THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER TRAVELED IN LANDS BEYOND.” Confused, but having nothing better to do, Milo assembles the tollbooth (signs and all), hops into his small mechanical car, and drives through.

In short, The Phantom Tollbooth is a lot of fun. Anyone who enjoys light fantasy, likes words and language, or has a penchant for well-done allegory will no doubt be glad they spent a few hours breezing through this childhood classic.

Thoughts on “Al Capone Shines My Shoes” by Gennifer Choldenko (Audiobook)

I’ll be spending this week talking about the books I read during last Saturday’s Readathon. I’ll be going in order from least favorite to most. Al Capone Shines My Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko is the sequel to Al Capone Does My Shirts, which received a Newbery Honor award. Set on Alcatraz during the Great Depression, …

Thoughts on “The Reader” by Bernhard Schlink

I’ll be spending this week talking about the books I read during last Saturday’s Readathon. I’ll be going in order from least favorite to most. Before I started reading it, the only thing I knew about The Reader by Bernhard Schlink was that it was made into a movie starring Kate Winslet. I picked up …

Thoughts on “A Most Improper Magick” by Stephanie Burgis

I’ll be spending this week talking about the books I read during last Saturday’s Readathon. I’ll be going in order from least favorite to most. The last book I read during the October 2010 Readathon was A Most Improper Magick by Stephanie Burgis. Because I read in the wee hours of the morning, it had …