Doug Lewars's Blog, page 34
November 8, 2022
Serendipity
Serendipity: From Truffles and Champagne to Corn Flakes and Coffee: Stories of Accidental Success by Oscar FarinettiMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
*** Possible Spoilers ***
If you're a foodie, I think you'll likely rate this one five stars. Since I'm not a foodie, I found it a trifle boring in places but some bits were interesting. The 'serendipity' part is a little thin. If the author had focused exclusively on that, the book would only have been about one tenth its size. Quite a few recipes are included. Again, if you're a foodie and like cooking, they'll be worthwhile; otherwise, you can just skip over them and keep going. I recommend skipping the last couple of chapters altogether because the author uses them to editorialize and unless you enjoy someone pontificating from a soapbox on nothing related to either food or serendipity you can skip them without losing a thing.
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November 7, 2022
The Pisces
The Pisces by Melissa BroderMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
*** Possible Spoilers ***
I chose this book because it was categorized under Humour. There were some chuckles most notably in the first half but it certainly wasn't a comedy. In fact, I'm not certain what it was intended to be. At first, I thought it was chick-lit. Then it seemed the author was trying - at failing - at erotica. I wondered if it might be porn but it wasn't pornographic as much as vulgar - something twelve-year-old boys might say in an attempt to gross one another out. Next, the author switched to fantasy or at least fantasy as it involved a mythological creature. Possible she was crafting an unreliable narrator and the creature was entirely imagined - a means of leading her towards suicide - but that was never clear. Then came something vaguely erotic in nature but so over the top the author's purple prose fell into the humour category. There were also elements of psycho-drama and a dash of character arcing as the protagonist comes to some sort of realization the importance of her life lay with helping her sister - sort of a Frozen but not so well done and without the music.
I can't say this is a bad book and it did provide some chuckles so it gets points for that; however, I don't think I'd recommend seeking it out. If you happen to pick it up at random, you may as well read it but that's about it. This is not one to put on hold if you're using the library.
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November 3, 2022
Overture of Hope
Overture of Hope: Two Sisters' Daring Plan That Saved Opera's Jewish Stars from the Third Reich by Isabel VincentMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
*** Possible Spoilers ***
The Cook sisters were opera devotees. Their fascination with the art form led them to meet a number of people from the world of music and eventually, since Europe was such a cultural center at the time, some of those people were both German and Jewish. As the Nazis become more an more entrenched, the Jews came under increasing danger and the Cook sisters did what they could to help.
The story is an interesting one and the author expanded on the basic tale by adding quite a bit of padding. Some of it is fascinating. Up until Britain declared war on Germany the sisters moved back and forth from Britain to Germany or Austria helping people by smuggling out valuables. Their method was amusing.
After the war, the author focuses more on those they'd help than the sisters themselves and I found the book rather less interesting from that point forward but overall, if you like reading about a time long past and getting a flavour for live prior to, and after the second world war you'll quite like this one. Since much of the book reads like gossip, don't expect a terse account of the time. To enjoy this you need to relax and go with the flow. I think I would recommend the audio over the print version.
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November 2, 2022
Treasured: How Tutankhamun Shaped a Century
Treasured: How Tutankhamun Shaped a Century by Christina RiggsMy rating: 1 of 5 stars
*** Possible Spoilers ***
DNF
I got this in audio format. It was classified as history and I expected a work on ancient Egypt; however, the century referenced in the title is the hundred years of archaeology involved in the discovery. I might have continued but the author made it clear this book had precious little to do with Egypt, history or Tutankhamun. In audio format this book is eleven hours, thirteen minutes and twenty-seven seconds in length. Within the first fifteen minutes the author uses words and phrases such as, 'systemic racism', 'global inequities', 'climate change', 'western colonialism', 'systems that relied on racism through and through', 'empire building', 'capitalist excess', 'cold war politics', 'dizzying detrimental heights reached by weapon sales and fossil fuel extraction in the Middle East', and others of that nature.
I might have continued despite the above; however I decided this book was definitely not for me when I came to the following: "It draws on personal history as well. In this book I weave together memoir, travel, art and archeology in order to write a history that is revisionist in the best and truest sense of that word." In short, this is a work of fiction.
By "best and truest sense of that word" she means it will most likely ascribe to the Critical Theory that is part and parcel of Marxist ideology. In simple terms, one is apparently presented with over eleven hours of left wing drivel. Not for me.
If your politics is right of center you are best to skip this one. If you are of the political left, you may enjoy it but you may find it boring. I suspect that even the most radical of the political left can stomach only so much preaching before packing it in.
Frankly I don't recommend this for anyone.
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October 31, 2022
Lost Love – Story for Halloween
- by Doug Lewars - Copyright 2022
Without so much as a word, Janine stepped into the classroom and took her seat.
Everyone froze. For a girl who always wore a smile, and had something to say to everyone, sudden silence was concerning. Kimberly knew Janine best, so it fell to her to approach her friend.
“What’s up?” she asked trying to sound cheerful.
“I’ve lost my true love,” replied Janine in a tragic tone.
Kim sighed. Oh is that all, she thought.
“Did you check the basement?” she asked.
“Of course, and the kitchen, living room and shed out back; and, yes, I looked behind the sofa and under the bed. He’s gone. I’ll never see him again.”
“What about in school? Maybe the janitor’s seen him, or possibly he could have fallen into the dumpster around back.”
Janine shook her head. “I searched the school … everywhere. I don’t know where else to look.”
Kim Frowned. “Maybe the vampires got him.”
“I don’t think so. They like blood and he doesn’t have much.”
“The werewolves then.”
Janine gazed into the corner of the classroom as if seeking to find an answer in the blandness of beige. “No,” she finally said, “I’m pretty sure they don’t care for rancid meat.”
“Tell you what,” said Kim, “after school you and I can go down to the zombie shop and you can get a new one.”
Janine pulled her head back, stuck out her lower jaw and said forcefully. “I cannot be unfaithful to my one true love.” Then she deflated. “Plus I can’t afford a new one.”
Kim looked around. Everyone in the class was looking at them. No-one said anything.
“Come on guys,” called Kim her voice rising as she’d been taught during cheer leading, “our friend has a problem. What are we going to do?”
There was confused silence, then a tentative, “Nothing?”
Kim gritted her teeth, but maintained her smile. “We are going to help!”
There was a certain relief among the rest now they knew the right answer.
Kim continued, “One for all and …”
They chorused as one, “… all for … whatever.”
Kim decided it was close enough.
She thumped her fist down on a desk and called out, “After school we are going down to the lab and we will BUILD Janine a new boyfriend.”
“Right,” they all shouted back, but then one person said, “Where will we get the parts?”
It was at the moment the new supply teacher walked into the room.
“Alright boys and girls,” she said brightly, “take your seats please. Today we’re going to learn about intersectionality and critical pedagogy in defining relationships between students, workers and society.”
A few eyebrows were raised. There were several eye rolls and a goodly amount of head shifting and nodding among the students. They knew where to get the parts.
Without so much as a word, Janine stepped into the classroom and took her seat.
Everyone froze. For a girl who always wore a smile, and had something to say to everyone, sudden silence was concerning. Kimberly knew Janine best, so it fell to her to approach her friend.
“What’s up?” she asked trying to sound cheerful.
“I’ve lost my true love,” replied Janine in a tragic tone.
Kim sighed. Oh is that all, she thought.
“Did you check the basement?” she asked.
“Of course, and the kitchen, living room and shed out back; and, yes, I looked behind the sofa and under the bed. He’s gone. I’ll never see him again.”
“What about in school? Maybe the janitor’s seen him, or possibly he could have fallen into the dumpster around back.”
Janine shook her head. “I searched the school … everywhere. I don’t know where else to look.”
Kim Frowned. “Maybe the vampires got him.”
“I don’t think so. They like blood and he doesn’t have much.”
“The werewolves then.”
Janine gazed into the corner of the classroom as if seeking to find an answer in the blandness of beige. “No,” she finally said, “I’m pretty sure they don’t care for rancid meat.”
“Tell you what,” said Kim, “after school you and I can go down to the zombie shop and you can get a new one.”
Janine pulled her head back, stuck out her lower jaw and said forcefully. “I cannot be unfaithful to my one true love.” Then she deflated. “Plus I can’t afford a new one.”
Kim looked around. Everyone in the class was looking at them. No-one said anything.
“Come on guys,” called Kim her voice rising as she’d been taught during cheer leading, “our friend has a problem. What are we going to do?”
There was confused silence, then a tentative, “Nothing?”
Kim gritted her teeth, but maintained her smile. “We are going to help!”
There was a certain relief among the rest now they knew the right answer.
Kim continued, “One for all and …”
They chorused as one, “… all for … whatever.”
Kim decided it was close enough.
She thumped her fist down on a desk and called out, “After school we are going down to the lab and we will BUILD Janine a new boyfriend.”
“Right,” they all shouted back, but then one person said, “Where will we get the parts?”
It was at the moment the new supply teacher walked into the room.
“Alright boys and girls,” she said brightly, “take your seats please. Today we’re going to learn about intersectionality and critical pedagogy in defining relationships between students, workers and society.”
A few eyebrows were raised. There were several eye rolls and a goodly amount of head shifting and nodding among the students. They knew where to get the parts.
October 30, 2022
Listen World
Listen, World!: How the Intrepid Elsie Robinson Became America’s Most-Read Woman by Julia ScheeresMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
*** Possible Spoilers ***
This is a biography although it was classed under History by OverDrive. I got the audio version because I wanted something to listen to while busy with other things. Before even starting, just the title and cover made me think I'd probably hate it and wind up rating it as a one. Instead, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I suspected it would be more left-wing feminist drivel but while it is the biography of a very strong woman, there is no whining, no preaching and no blaming a patriarchal society for all the problems in the world. True, Elsie Robinson had more than a few problems growing up in the late 1800s and early 1900s when opportunities for women were severely limited, but her approach was to work around them rather then throw a tantrum. Although biographical, it contains some interesting historical context to life in America at the turn of the last century. If you want to read a story about someone digging deep to overcome adversity, give this one a try.
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October 26, 2022
Espana: A Brief History of Spain
España: A Brief History of Spain by Giles TremlettMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
*** Possible Spoilers ***
it's impossible to cover all of a country's history in one book but the author offers a pretty good overview. I got this in audio format and quite enjoyed listening to it. What stood out for me was the mistakes made - not by the author - by the rulers of the day. With the discovery of America, Spain had access to a huge amount of gold and silver. The country should have been the wealthiest on Earth. Had they invested the money wisely, they would be today, a world power to rival both the United States and China combined. Instead they frittered it away on useless wars and aristocratic whims.
One other thing caught my attention. A large percentage of the slaves who populated the Americas were transported and sold by Spain. We constantly hear how horrible it was for Americans to own slaves but we never hear the sellers castigated. Other histories I've read suggest slavery was common not only in America but elsewhere and on as grand a scale. Still, only Americans seem to be denigrated for the practice. Interesting.
I quite enjoyed this book and consider it well worth reading.
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October 24, 2022
Calypso
Calypso by David SedarisMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
*** Possible Spoilers ***
This is a series of short stories / anecdotes which are chosen to be humorous and generally succeed. I thought it was good without being great. I did have a few chuckles as I worked my way through the book, and since humor is very difficult to write, I consider this quite satisfactory. There was only one story I didn't like. I didn't dislike it, just found it quite boring since the author is writing about shopping and I have no interest in the subject.
In general the stories were light, breezy and enjoyable. I consider the time I spent reading to be worth it.
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October 21, 2022
A Girl's Story
A Girl's Story by Annie ErnauxMy rating: 1 of 5 stars
*** Possible Spoilers ***
This book was classified as history. Presumably it was also under the category of memoir but I found it under history. It wasn't history, just memoir.
I got this one in audio format. If I'd have to read it page by page I'd have certainly DNFed it but as an audio book it was tolerable because I could do things like exercise, make meals and perform other chores while the reader chatted along in the background. The content, however, is nothing but self-indulgent drivel and pretentious drivel at that.
There may be readers out there who respond to the author's honesty in revealing the deep secrets of her past but I saw it as nothing more than a textbook case as to what happens when a young person is over protected and then suddenly given adult freedom without preparation and goes wild. If you like deep personal introspection of the sort likely indulged in during high school and university you may like this. Otherwise move on.
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October 20, 2022
Rich People Problems
Rich People Problems by Kevin KwanMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
*** Possible Spoilers ***
As usual, Mr. Kwan delivers an amusing satire on the very rich in South-East Asia. One thing I particularly like about his books is how he ends a subplot long before you might expect. Then we move on to the next event. In this one Rachael doesn't make much of an appearance until late in the story which I liked because I find her the weakest character, with Nick running a close second. The others were all up to their normal scheming tricks and I liked every one of them.
My only complaint is I found the ending a little ... excessive. Let's put it this way. If you suffer from diabetes you may want to skip the epilogue. 'Nuff said.
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