Bridget's comments
(member since May 10, 2009)
Bridget's comments from the The Next Best Book Club group.
(showing 1-20 of 37)
76. Leap of Faith: An Unexpected Life by Queen Noor of Jordan
I think it’s safe to say that any Queen has an extraordinary life, but being a Queen in the Middle East during the most conflicted times of the 20th century has a unique place in history. Queen Noor’s autobiography is a love story, not only the love of her husband and family but also her love of Jordan. The book chronicles her life from growing up in California to the death of her husband. Much of the book discusses relatively “normal” issues: a blended family with many stepchildren, having children, dealing with a spouse’s illness, etc.
However, those issues, which make the Queen seem very down-to-earth, are offset by the incredible duties of a Queen in a developing nation and the Middle Eastern conflict. She served as a champion for women’s rights, improving children’s lives, and liberalizing the rule of law in Jordan. She also sought to boost the economy with these changes; she started a large arts festival to showcase traditional Jordanian artists which were mostly women. She also implemented a vaccination program for children and a public education system. Lastly, she called for greater freedom of the press. These were all truly progressive ideas in the Middle East, and she handled them with grace and care for Jordanian traditions and respect for the Islamic religion.
Living on a country bordering Israel and being married to a beloved King who passionately pursued peace in the Middle East gave her an incredible vantage point in the late 20th century. I am not very educated on the Middle Eastern conflicts, and her book gave me a better idea of the Arab perspective in layman’s terms. She also effectively described the heartbreaking frustration of the peace negotiations between Arabs and Israelis.
It was a good read. The writing was decent, but her life has been incredible.
76. Leap of Faith: An Unexpected Life by Queen Noor of Jordan
I think it’s safe to say that any Queen has an extraordinary life, but being a Queen in the Middle East during the most conflicted times of the 20th century has a unique place in history. Queen Noor’s autobiography is a love story, not only the love of her husband and family but also her love of Jordan. The book chronicles her life from growing up in California to the death of her husband. Much of the book discusses relatively “normal” issues: a blended family with many stepchildren, having children, dealing with a spouse’s illness, etc.
However, those issues, which make the Queen seem very down-to-earth, are offset by the incredible duties of a Queen in a developing nation and the Middle Eastern conflict. She served as a champion for women’s rights, improving children’s lives, and liberalizing the rule of law in Jordan. She also sought to boost the economy with these changes; she started a large arts festival to showcase traditional Jordanian artists which were mostly women. She also implemented a vaccination program for children and a public education system. Lastly, she called for greater freedom of the press. These were all truly progressive ideas in the Middle East, and she handled them with grace and care for Jordanian traditions and respect for the Islamic religion.
Living on a country bordering Israel and being married to a beloved King who passionately pursued peace in the Middle East gave her an incredible vantage point in the late 20th century. I am not very educated on the Middle Eastern conflicts, and her book gave me a better idea of the Arab perspective in layman’s terms. She also effectively described the heartbreaking frustration of the peace negotiations between Arabs and Israelis.
It was a good read. The writing was decent, but her life has been incredible.
#75 … I can’t believe it happened so fast. “I’d like to thank the academy…” There will be more reading through the rest of the year, for sure.
I’m so happy that #75 was such a memorable and enjoyable book: Things I've Been Silent About
Azar Nafisi details her life, focusing on her imperfect relationship with her parents, the political unrest in Iran, and her love of literature. The excellent writing and engaging story makes the book impossible to put down once a reader has started.
A vast majority of readers can sympathize with Azar’s complicated relationship with her mother, Nezhat, who has a very “Jekyll and Hyde” personality. On one hand, Nezhat is bitter about all the challenges she has endured: her mother died young, her stepmother and father treated her badly and would not allow her education. Nezhat’s first husband (her true love) died 2 years after their wedding. On the other hand, Nezhat is no victim; she was an influential person in Tehran and was elected to Parliament. Azar’s does not claim her account of their relationship is accurate, but her perspective is clearly skewed. She is often too hard on her mother, but I can sympathize that the difficult relationship taints even the good times and memories.
Her account of her relationship with her father is equally flawed. Azar adores her father, the man who inspired her love of literature. This devotion causes her to overlook his shortcomings, in particular she aids in his extramarital affairs. Azar’s father is the Mayor of Tehran, and eventually he is arrested which breaks Azar’s heart. Azar is in her late teen years and making important decisions in her life regarding education and marriage, and without her presence, she is a lost and unanchored. This relationship will also be familiar to many readers.
On top of the challenges with her parents, Iran changes substantially while she is young: the Shah is overthrown, Ayatollah Khomeni’s institutes a strict and barbarous rule of law, and the Iran-Iraq war. Azar’s outspoken in her political thoughts, and the book really gives a good feeling for what it was like to live through the upheaval and chaos.
It’s a beautiful book. One I will surely read again.
I'm a little behind on posting. So here are the reviews of 2 books I recently finished, and I should have 2 more to post tomorrow. Plus I'm going to try to post my TBR list tomorrow for the next few weeks; a few people have asked, so I'm going to try to pull it together tomorrow.
73. Dangerous Liaisons
I appreciate the literary significance of this epistolary novel, and I'm glad I finished it, but it was a struggle. The first 2 parts of the book I found to be boring, but I enjoyed parts 3 and 4. These aristocrat characters live in France right before the revolution. They are connected by various unhealthy love connections and clearly have too much time on their hands. The overarching theme of the book is good vs. evil. Smaller themes center on desire and war (i.e. the battle of various sexual exploits). I do recommend reading this book because of its literary weight, but it’s not an easy read.
74. The Day the Falls Stood Still
I am somewhat biased because I grew up near Niagara Falls, NY, but I would have loved this book even if I was from Atlanta. The book is set on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls from 1915 to 1925. The main character, Bess, endures many successes and tragedies from the age of 17 until she is 26, when the book ends. Her privileged life is abruptly taken away from her, and everyone, including Bess, is pleasantly surprised by her perseverance. While there are frequent references to sacrificing because of the war, the major setting is Niagara Falls, which is very much a character in this book. The book invoked many feelings about Niagara Falls: awe of its majesty, fear of its power, and respect of its economic and social impact.
This love story hits all the traditional major loves: love of your partner, parental love, and sibling love. Loss is also a major theme: the demise of loved ones, sacrifice for the war, loss of lifestyle.
The book is relatively action-packed, but I don’t want to spoil any part of it because all the events were incredible. I highly recommend this book.
72. Long Past Stopping
The book is fast-paced and a quick read, but it is by no means a light and breezy book. The wit used does not disguise its serious subject matter, drug addiction. True to addict behavior, Oran is completely self-centered and self-absorbed. His autobiographical account of life through 26 and sobriety is well-written and thought-provoking. The chapters alternate between his childhood and his early 20s when he bounced in and out of rehab. His childhood had 2 constants: juggling and inconsistency. His parents, both successful therapists, basically abandoned him. While there are humorous parts, the childhood chapters are sad, as Oran is dumped off and discarded from school to school and location to location. The chapters discussing his drug usage and rehabs are compelling and haunting. They do not glorify an addict’s life, as some other books about alcoholism and drug addiction do. Those chapters are raw and real and recount a very few highs and the numerous and overwhelming lows of his experiences. Canfield is not a likable character (for lack of a better description), but I needed to find out what happened and how he survived his struggle.
I liked the book, but it is not for everyone. Readers should be ready to settle in for some incredibly heartbreaking moments. It’s definitely a story of survival, but there are times I questioned if and how he would make it and whether or not I thought he should make it.
71. The Pillars of the Earth
Great book. Don't be daunted by the length. The story is incredible. The setting is a town in England in the 1100s, but you definitely do not have to be a historical novel buff to enjoy it. The novel is built around the construction of a cathedral, and the characters are all involved in the construction somehow. Philip is the monk overseeing the building. Tom Builder and Jack are designing and managing the construction. Their wives are big characters as well with their own trials and tribulations. William and Bishop Waleran are the two men who try to stop construction and ruin the lives of those characters involved (they are truly evil).
The construction of the cathedral has significant challenges throughout the novel which affects each character. The funding is difficult. There is a famine. There is civil war. William and Waleran will stop at nothing to seek revenge against Philip and Jack.
The novel has something for everyone, so I highly recommend it.
70. The Girl who Played with Fire
I'm generally not into book series', but I officially love Lisabeth Salander. The book was excellent: suspenseful, intriguing, and action-packed. I started it on Sunday and couldn't wait to get home on Monday to finish it. I hope he is able to keep up the intensity and suspense in The Girl who Kicked the Hornets Nest. I have very strong feelings about some of the parts of the book, but I don't want any spoilers. Likewise, I have opinions about the Salander/Blomkvist relationship, but my lips are sealed (unless you have read the book-feel free to write me a message to share your thoughts).
Loved it!
67. Trillion Dollar Meltdown
Basic, quick read of the current economic crisis. A bit outdated but gives some helpful background. There is an updated version out now. I bet that would be good.
68. The Shadow of the Wind
It's a fabulous story of a boy (Daniel) in Barcelona in the 1950s who finds a book by a mysterious author. Over the next 8 to 10 years, the boy grows up and tries to track the life of this mystifying author. Daniel's story is fascinating as falls in and out of love and he becomes friends with a quirky man. Many odd and engaging characters help Daniel on his quest to find out more information about this author who had a difficult childhood, lost the love of his life, and then disappeared from the earth. All the characters lives twist and turn and intertwine, so it's a real page-turner, but it's high drama, so gear up for it.
69. Child 44
The only word I can think of to describe this novel is gritty. The topics covered are dark, though there were some pleasant parts. The book's main character, Leo, is a devoted MGB agent (KGB). He is honored by his position which, in Soviet Russia in the 1950s, affords him some comforts such as running water, indoor plumbing, special lines in the grocery store, etc.
However, he makes a mistake and is demoted which lands him in a rural part of the USSA in a low-level militia job. Throughout this experience, his faith in the communist way of life is shaken. As he begins to investigate child murders throughout the country, he becomes completely disillusioned with the country he loves. He ignores the risk to his (and his family's) life and pursues justice, though he has been told not to carry out the investigation.
The novel is very well-written, and the story is griping. I recommend this book for sure.
65. The Lost City of Z
Great book. An adventure story if there ever was one. It's rare to find a book that is exciting and engaging without any of the normal vices (affairs, violence, etc). However, it is very much a love affair between Fawcett and Z. Plus Grann's own adventures add context and some humor to the book. Highly recommend.
64. Crime Beat
This was a case where I did not read the jacket closely enough and where I finished the book for no reason what-so-ever.
I do not read the newspaper, and this book was newspaper articles about various cases that Michael Connelly covered as a journalist before he became a best-selling fiction author. I'm sure that the articles were excellently written and told incredible stories. However, it's just not my cup of tea.
63. Saturday
The setting is a winter Saturday in London in 2003. The middle-aged neurologist participates in his common Saturday activities: errands, squash match, and visit to his mother. Then there are some bizarre happenings: fender bender, watching a plane crash and a visit from his daughter and father-in-law. Lastly, there is also a Iraqi war protest occurring in the background. Even with all the activities, McEwan deftly weaves the story of this man’s life, the incredible love he feels for his wife of 20+ years, a son whose gift is blues music, a poet daughter, and an overbearing, difficult father-in-law.
The ending is full of suspense and is truly compelling.
62. Master of War: Blackwater USA's Erik Prince
Color me disappointed. This book was a timeline of Prince's life and Blackwater, glossing over the numerous contentious issuessurrounding the corporation and private military companies. Furthermore, the book gave only one point-of-view which largely favored Prince and Blackwater, despite being written by woman from CNN. Most disappointing was that there was no in-depth reporting on what actually happened during the controversial incidents with Blackwater employees and civilians (Iraqi and otherwise). I would definitely not recommend this book.
61. Bonfire of the Vanities
Keeping the perspective that my age was signle digits during the "Greed is Good" 1980s, I liked this book, but it wasn't a favorite.
The story is amusing, and the satire is thick (and deep and wide). The characters (or should I say caricatures) embody steteotypes: loyal-to-a-fault Irish cop, arrogant-yet insecure Wall St tycoon whose wealth is shallow, Southern Belle money digger, underpaid civil servant who craves the spotlight and reassurance from an affair, condescending British journalist who succeeds despite his drunken behavior.
It's a light read. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it more had I spent the 1980s with big shoulder pads and even bigger hair instead of Strawberry Shortcake and My Little Pony.
60. Let the Great World Spin
I did not want this book to end. Not only will I read this book again, I will be talking about it and recommending it for a long time.
It's a beautifully written story of various people whose lives are interconnected by a tight-rope walker who walked between the World Trade Center buildings in 1974. The characters include a hooker, judge, a mother who lost her son in Vietnam, the judge's wife, a religious man and others.
While the event is extraordinary, especially to think about now, the lives are exquisitely common. The uniquely flawed and frail characters grasp the reader.
I'm very much looking forward to the Decatur Book Festival this year. If you are in Atlanta on Labor Day, it sounds like it will be great!
http://www.decaturbookfestival.com/2009/...
59. The Glister
Didn't like it. I was looking for a well-written mystery with lots of suspense. The characters were undeveloped and boring. The story was more a surreal fantasy than a mystery. I did enjoy the author's writing style and found that the descrptions were very visual and detailed.
58. The Bin Ladens An Arabian Family in an American Century
A fascinating book which gives background about the vast Bin Laden family. It gives incredible detail about the family structure and dynamics, in particular the difficulty managing the Western influence on a Muslim family. What it does not do is tell you what made Osama the man he is now. The focus is clearly the Bin Laden family, it addresses Osama in that context. Excellent non-fiction read.
57. Unaccustomed Earth
This book was most deserving of all the hype it received. While the stories had similiarities (usually touching Boston or the Northeast and all involving Indian immigrants), the stories involved very different and thought-provoking themes. I was very able to relate to the characters (i.e. I wanted to invite them all over for coffee/tea). The characters were fascinating in their human flaws and frailities. I loved this book.
This is a great topic, and already I've found some books that look interesting that I didn't know about. I'm looking most forward to 2 books (fortunately both come out on Tuesday):
Let the Great World Spin
Master of War: Blackwater USA's Erik Prince and the Business of War
