Martin Chevreau's Blog, page 6
June 3, 2023
Pipe Dreams: A Surfer's Journey, by Kelly Slater
Pipe Dreams: A Surfer's Journey by Kelly SlaterMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I should start by stating the obvious- if you're looking to learn about surfing, this is a good book. It offers some insight into both surfing (types of waves, competitions out there, types of board etc...) and Slater's life outside of surfing (family, interests etc...). That said, the latter is concentrated at the start (childhood) and end (retiree) of the book, which are for me the most enjoyable parts of autobiographies. In between those, the book is intensely and repetitively focused on competitions, and sound a little like this: "I thought I wasn't going to win because this was happening, but then I did win, so I guess I'm a pretty good surfer after all." I wouldn't say I regret reading the book: the last chapter sounded a lot more autobiographical with its more philosophical outlook; some of the jokes I found extremely funny (the ones that weren't were just downright odd, which made them even more humorous albeit for different reasons); and the quick turnover of clearly signposted paragraphs made the longer passages easier to read. I can't justify 4 stars on account of many good books with such a rating (hence 3 stars), but would still recommend the book to anyone with an interest in the sport.
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Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, by Barack Obama
Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack ObamaMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
An inspiring story. Beautifully written and filled with anecdotes to make you reflect on politics and life itself (increasingly the latter in the final third of the book). This is definitely a book I will revisit in the future.
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Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe, by Bill Bryson
Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe by Bill BrysonMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I find that Bryson usually strikes the perfect balance between humour and informativeness. I have to say I was disappointed with this one. It contrasted heavily with Summer 1927 and Down Under, both among the best books I’ve read this year. In Neither here nor there, Bryson maintains his tradition of witty travel writing, but his jokes are more provocative, crudely and cynically reinforcing European stereotypes, and are interrupted by personal anecdotes that contribute little to the travel component, but rather serve the purpose of whining about everything related to capitalism and central planning. It wasn’t terrible, of course, but I was a little relieved to finish it when I did.
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In a Sunburned Country, by Bill Bryson
In a Sunburned Country by Bill BrysonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have to say not my favourite of the Bryson travel series, but as usual the author kept me laughing and learning all within the scope of a single sentence. Repeatedly. At the end of the book, I had a whole new perspective on Australia. For that, yet another 5*. Thanks Bill.
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The Paper Palace, by Miranda Cowley Heller
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley HellerMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This one just edged five stars for me, mostly for the unforgettable setting. The paper palace almost feels like a New England version of Narnia; it really has a life of its own. I also think the denouement was very cleverly unveiled. My only reservation was that, although the central relationship (a love triangle?) became increasingly more complex and interesting, others felt a little irrelevant and distracted from the main plot.
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Normal People, by Sally Rooney
Normal People by Sally RooneyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I wasn't sure exactly how to feel about this novel. It had me thinking A LOT - particularly the last few sentences - which is always a great feature in a book. My main reservation was the dynamic between the two protagonists; I couldn't tell if their relationship was deteriorating because of the somewhat stupid decisions we tend to make as teenagers, or because of poor mental health. I find that a touch of ambiguity is often positive in novels, but it was a little frustrating in this instance. This said, I couldn't put the book down and am very happy I read it (if maybe a little heartbroken at the end).
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The Lincoln Highway, by Amor Towles
The Lincoln Highway by Amor TowlesMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Although this felt more like a treasure hunt than a roadtrip (unlike the book’s title suggests), this book has elements of the latter with lovable characters meeting and separating throughout - who’s destinies inevitably converge at the end - as well as great anecdotes and reflections that provide constant food for thought.
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Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Le Meilleur des mondes by Aldous HuxleyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The ideas presented were coherent and innovative (although disturbingly and uncomfortably so!), firmly anchored in the eugenic principles that were active at the time of writing. This made it one of the more intriguing and thought-provoking reads I've had this year. I would have given 5* if the ideas didn't overwhelm the book, which come at the expense of character development (it's hard not to compare this to 1984, who's protagonist was more likeable than the set of characters in this novel).
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The Last Colony: A Tale of Exile, Justice and Britain's Colonial Legacy , by Philippe Sands
The Last Colony: A Tale of Exile, Justice and Britain's Colonial Legacy by Philippe SandsMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Although fairly technical (which I’m sure is hard to avoid given the subject of the book), this was a fascinating piece. I enjoyed the authors insights on the work (and human nature) that underlies an international law debacle and look forward to reading other case studies.
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One Summer: America 1927, by Bill Bryson
One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill BrysonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Whatever else it was, it was one hell of a book.
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