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July 24
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New comment on Karen's review of
Apples and Oranges: My Brother and Me, Lost and Found
(see all 3 comments)
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Karen
gave
 
to:
Apples and Oranges: My Brother and Me, Lost and Found (Hardcover)
by Marie Brenner
bookshelves:
memoir
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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read in July, 2008
Karen said:
"Brenner clearly uses this memoir as a chance to find some path through the conflicted relationship she's had with her older brother for decades. She contextualizes their relationship within the larger framework of many generations of Brenners, lookin...more
Brenner clearly uses this memoir as a chance to find some path through the conflicted relationship she's had with her older brother for decades. She contextualizes their relationship within the larger framework of many generations of Brenners, looking for family traits that persist into her and her brother's personalities. Even though she and her brother fight constantly, they talk regularly and visit regularly, betraying an affection beneath the nonstop bickering.
I found myself chiding her for being too analytical, too neurotic, too contentious and too willing to pick at wounds and keep them open. But then I realized that her excesses are mine, and I wonder if we really do have much power to break free from dysfunctional relationships and personal shortcomings. I was not uplifted at all but alarmed at the imperfections she depicts in herself and her relationship with her brother. Now I just want to get a small apartment, a small dog and just give up on myself and the human race.
...less
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July 22
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Karen
took the never-ending book quiz.
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July 14
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Karen
gave
to:
The Juliet Club (Hardcover)
by Suzanne Harper
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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read in July, 2008
Karen said:
"In order to take a break from reading nonfiction on Stalin's GULAGs, a friend loaned me a copy of the young adult novel, Juliet's Club. It's a fun summer read, but it's not complete fluff. It's fluff for young teens with a passion for the Bard.
T...more
In order to take a break from reading nonfiction on Stalin's GULAGs, a friend loaned me a copy of the young adult novel, Juliet's Club. It's a fun summer read, but it's not complete fluff. It's fluff for young teens with a passion for the Bard.
The book follows the serious, bookish American teen, Kate, as she spends a few weeks in Verona, attending a seminar on Romeo and Juliet. She forms frienships with two other Americans and three teens who are from Verona. The book's chapters are organized into scenes from five "acts." But that's not the only influence from Shakespeare. We get plot points from some of his plays including Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado about Nothing, and Midsummer's Night Dream. But we also get some direct quoting of play lines and sonnets. Readers either need to have background in Shakespeare or a great curiosity for the topic or they'll find these literary-rich passages distracting from the teenage romances struggling to bloom.
This YA novel is not just instructive on the works of Shakespeare. It actually serves as a "How To" guide for the socially awkward. Many scenes depict teens teaching each other how to flirt more effectively. I admit that I could have used such a guide during high school since I was too clueless to figure this out by direct observation.
It was fun but not too light. The romance is definitely rated G. I was a bit too old for the target audience, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. ...less
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July 08
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Karen
gave
to:
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (Paperback)
by Carson McCullers
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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read in July, 2008
Karen said:
"This book was flawless. This novel depicts the struggles of a handful of people in a small Southern town, all of whom are connected to a well-kempt, gentlemanly mute. They confess their souls to him in ways reminiscent to me of Being There, but with...more
This book was flawless. This novel depicts the struggles of a handful of people in a small Southern town, all of whom are connected to a well-kempt, gentlemanly mute. They confess their souls to him in ways reminiscent to me of Being There, but with more of the seriousness of literature from the Modern era than the biting satire of the Post-Modern era. The novel has many strong features, but McCullers' use of characterization is the strongest. I'm amazed (as many have been) at her ability to depict such rich, complex characters from such various walks of life, given that she wrote this at age 23.
McCullers' young age aside, this book captivated me because it had a liesurely way of unfolding its secrets. She writes with beauty and perception. It was pleasant company for me, and I was sad to finish it but delighted to accompany the book to its end. The theme of failed connections was delicately conveyed. She depicts each person with such compassion yet with searing reality. It's a good book.
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July 05
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Karen
is currently reading:
Gulag: A History (Hardcover)
by Anne Applebaum
bookshelves:
currently-reading
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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June 28
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New comment on Karen's review of
Dancing Under the Red Star: The Extraordinary Story of Margaret Werner, the Only American Woman to Survive Stalin's Gulag
(see all 3 comments)
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June 25
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Karen
gave
to:
Dancing Under the Red Star: The Extraordinary Story of Margaret Werner, the Only American Woman to Survive Stalin's Gulag (Paperback)
by Karl Tobien (Goodreads author!)
bookshelves:
memoir
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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read in June, 2008
Karen said:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
In the late 1930s, Margaret's father took a job in Russia through Ford Motor Company in an attempt to escape the crushing poverty of the US Depression. Once they were settled in Gorky, it was apparent they were in worst shape than before. A few years later, Margaret's father was arrested, and Margaret herself followed a few more years thereafter. She was transfered a few places, but spent most of her time as a political prisoner in a harsh work camp / death camp (a GULAG). Even after her release, she still spent several years and several layers of red tape trying to return to America.
After reading this book, I am stunned by how many freedoms and luxuries I enjoy daily when other past and present struggle under tyranny, war, disease and poverty. I have never read anything but detached, impersonal historical accounts of Stalin's regime. It's incredible to think that hundreds, thousands -- really millions -- of people suffered similar conditions as those to which Margaret bears witnesses. It's clear that her determination, athleticism, and intellect aided her greatly. She also credits her mother's strong Christian faith to her ultimate release and their reunion.
Margaret's narrative I found quite compelling, but her son adds a few post-scripts, which jump from narrative to exhortation. I have to admit that I liked those less. I'm a big advocate of "show don't tell" in memoirs, and these last little bits had too much telling.
Overall, and insightful look into one individual's horrible journey in and out of Communist Russia in the 1940s and 1950s. An inspirational account of human triumph. May we all work to overturn and prevent this kind of tyranny in the world. ...less
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June 18
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Karen
liked a trivia question:
Blind seer?
see if you know the answer »
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June 10
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Karen
liked a trivia question:
SHE?
see if you know the answer »
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