101 Books to Read Before You Die discussion
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Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Tree of Smoke | GoodreadsTree of Smoke by Denis Johnson
This was a hard book to read on so many levels. The jumping around in time and between characters was confusing. The vulgarity, misogyny, brutality was tough to read. I suppose it captured something essential of the war in Vietnam, but I did not come away with any insights that might redeem the unpleasant reading experience.
The Woman In The Window by A. J. Finn Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Woman in the Window | Goodreads
Just because a person is paranoid, it does not mean that people are not out to harm them. Just because someone is delusional does not mean that they can’t observe reality. The narrator of this suspense novel is an agoraphobic who abuses alcohol and anti-psychotic medication. She spies on her neighbors through the zoom lens on her camera. So, when she claims that she has seen her neighbor murdered, a crime for which there is no evidence and which the other members of that house deny, who should we believe? I figured out all the twists well in advance. The frequent references to old movie titles were obvious clues.
Deafening by Frances ItaniIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Deafening | Goodreads
We meet Grania, a young child living in small town Ontario, in 1903. A few years before the start of the novel, scarlet fever robbed her of hearing. Her mother endlessly prays for a miracle or a medical cure. Her grandmother tries to teach her to read lips and to speak. Her older sister is her playmate and mediator with the larger community. The novel follows her as she grows into a contented woman and a loving wife. I appreciated that this novel did not romanticize the main character. She does not come across as extraordinarily pure or heroic or pitiable. She is a fully realized turn-of-the-century woman who happens to use a different language system and who interacts with the world in her own unique way. I found the writing rather simplistic and kept wondering if it was intended for a teen reader.
Exicuting Grace by Shane ClaiborneIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Executing Grace: How the Death Penalty Killed Jesus and Why It's Killing Us | Goodreads
This is a powerful argument against the death penalty rooted in the Christian Scripture and tradition. I don’t know how anyone could read this and still support the death penalty. But then I don’t know how anyone could read the Gospels and still support the death penalty.
The New Evangelization edited by Steven Boguslawski and Ralph Martin
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The New Evangelization: Overcoming the Obstacles | Goodreads
The pieces in this volume originated in a range of contexts. Each addressed the question of 21st century Catholic evangelization from a different angle. Some interested me more than others, but all were thought-provoking.
Blind Justice by Bruce AlexanderIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Blind Justice | Goodreads
This murder mystery put me in mind of a Sherlock Holmes story. The clues lay in plain sight, depending on the keen perception of the detective to identify those details that reveal the truth. In this series, the investigator is an 18th century blind magistrate who has the wisdom of Solomon and the compassion to make him admired by all. The story unfolded slowly with much time given to developing the characters. The solution was not hard to figure out.
Portrait of a Marriage by Pearl BuckIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Portrait of a Marriage | Goodreads
This is a quiet romance that unfolds over a lifetime. A well-educated young man born with a silver spoon in his mouth dreams of becoming a great painter. But when he sees a young farm girl one day when outwalking in the country side, it is near immediate love for both. She is his opposite, poorly educated, immensely practical, hardworking, of limited financial resources. Although they do not share similar life experiences or dreams for the future, do not enjoy the same pass-times or deep conversations, their mutual love and dedication lasts til death. Nothing much happens: bread is baked, landscapes painted, children raised, a farmhouse renovated. Yet, between these ordinary moments, everything of significance happens: birth and death, love made concrete, a home created, a family given life. I never felt as if I knew these characters intimately, yet I think I could walk into that farm house and feel the familiarity, would recognize them if I met them along a country lane.
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif ShafakIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Island of Missing Trees | Goodreads
Teens defy ethnic divisions and the animosity of their parents to pursue a romance. Theirs is a love that cannot be smothered by physical distance, the passage of time, the demands of family honor or the violence of war. Despite the pain of a community divided by ethnic conflict, this is a sentimental novel. The reader was given a great deal of instructional information, on ornithology, botany, history, etc. This struck me as a bit patronizing. I suspect I would have liked this much more had I read it in my teens.
Empress of the Nile by Lynne OlsonIrene (Harb orcreek, PA)’s review of Empress of the Nile: The Daredevil Archaeologist Who Saved Egypt's Ancient Temples from Destruction | Goodreads
This biography of the renowned Egyptologist, Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt focused on her role in saving magnificent ancient monuments. We were told that she faced significant barriers as a woman in this field, but I did not see it portrayed as consistently as I had expected. We are told that she was a daredevil archeologist, a female Indiana Jones, but never saw any events to back that, unless fighting with arrogant politicians qualify. We were told that she was an outstanding teacher, but did not spend time with her in the classroom or mentoring students. I did learn about the incredible engineering endeavor to move fragile stone temples and statues to high ground to prevent watery graves. I enjoyed hearing her quick wit when forced to confront haughty men of power. Much space was given to background information on the politics of the day and the biographies of other people involved in the work of preservation. I found the story accessible to a non-expert. Although the book moved at a good pace, I think my interest did not go beyond a feature article.
Offshore by Penelope FitzgeraldIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Offshore | Goodreads
This novella invites the reader into the lives of neighbors who live in run-down houseboats on the Thames, where rats scurry through abandoned warehouses. These are people on the margins, overlooked by “respectable” society, hanging on as their lives seem to come unmoored. Fitzgerald brings each to life with vibrant dialogue, with and compassion
The Coroner’s Lunch by Colin CotterillIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Coroner's Lunch | Goodreads
The investigator in this mystery is a wise, witty, septuagenarian coroner, whose sarcasm cuts the arrogant down to size and whose kindness lifts up the downtrodden. His investigations are complicated by the surveillance of the Communist government and the lack of resources in Laos in the mid-1970s. 3.5 stars
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth SteinThis is not a book I would have read had it not been selected by my book group. I am not a fan of animal narrators or of auto racing. The narrator of this novel is a dog, the loved and loyal pet of a race car driver. The primary drama is in the man’s life, events that the dog observes with doggie wisdom.
The Greatest Gift by Binka BretonIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Greatest Gift: The Courageous Life and Martyrdom of Sister Dorothy Stang | Goodreads
This is a summary of the work that Sr. Dorothy Stang did among the poorest communities in Brazil’s Amazon. She gave her life to lifting up and empowering those on the margins. She fought the powerful ranchers who exploited the peasants and stole their land, filling them with terror. And she worked for sustainable practices to protect the Amazon. In the end, she was killed by those who opposed her work. Five stars for the witness and work of this woman. Two stars for the quality of the writing.
The Kingdom by Fuminori Nakamura Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Kingdom | Goodreads
At the heart of this novel is a young Tokyo woman with no family ties. She works for an agency posing as a prostitute in order to get incriminating photos on the men. A dangerous job becomes deadly when she finds herself between two rival groups. This suspense does not rely on daring escapes or feats of physical strength, but on psychological cunning. There are also philosophical musings about the nature of evil. This is a very dark book, but I did not want to look away. And that tendency to be attracted to darkness, the connection between pleasure and pain, is a big piece of this story.
Hidden Valley Road by Robert KolkerIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family | Goodreads
The author weaves together the personal and the global. The Galvin family had 12 children, 6 of the boys developed severe schizophrenia with violent behaviors and debilitating delusions. We do not simply see the men and learn of their symptoms, but are introduced to the entire family, sharing in their hopes and apprehensions, their habits and experiences. Alternating with chapters about the family are others tracing the changing medical treatment of schizophrenia over the past century. This is a heart-breaking story on many levels. This disease has crippled talented men, severely traumatized the family members without the diagnosis and still does not have a promising treatment. But the genetic testing of these siblings and their children is playing a role in advancing the science in the hope that this awful illness will one day be controlled.
The Dream Daughter by Diane ChamberlainIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Dream Daughter | Goodreads
What would a mother risk, what would she relinquish for the well-being and happiness of her child. This novel addresses that question with an element of the fantastic. I am not a fan of unreal plot elements, but I was willing to accept it for the purpose of the story. My greater problem with this novel was the writing. It is told with 2 narrators, characters with very different social and cultural backgrounds. But both voices were identical. There was not even an attempt to sprinkle slang into the individual voices to distinguish them. The author did not seem to trust the reader. We were told why characters did the most obvious things. And we were told things repeatedly: that she loved her daughter, missed her when they were separated, was frightened by the unknown, etc. This is my second book by this author and I did like this one better than the first.
Sea of Poppies by Amitav GhoshIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Sea of Poppies | Goodreads
This is a sprawling novel. A diverse group of characters find themselves aboard the Ibis, crossing the Indian Ocean in the 1830s. These characters inhabited vastly different realms when on land, several not even being able to look on the other. But on the Ibis, they share a world in which the social order is disrupted and alliances reconfigured. The novel starts long before the Ibis sets sail with this group. Most of this book is spent on the stories that brought each to this voyage. Ghosh captures dialect extremely well. The dialogue felt natural. The characters were well developed. Any complaint was with my struggle to juggle the many story lines which were brought forward and faded with increasing rapidity until they intertwined. The impact of opium on individuals and communities was a central theme.
The Optimist’s Daughter by Eudora WeltyIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Optimist's Daughter | Goodreads
When a woman returns to her Mississippi home to be with her father during a medical crisis, people and memories from her past surround her. Welty masterfully draws us into this world through the interactions we are permitted to view. Her ear for dialogue is amazing.
The Lost Kingdom by Julia Flynn SilerIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Lost Kingdom: Hawaii's Last Queen, the Sugar Kings and America's First Imperial Adventure | Goodreads
This history of Hawaii focuses on the 19th century, leading to the overthrow of the monarchy by sugar barrens from the US and Europe. It is a tale of injustice and greed. The author toggles between detailed accounts of the royal family and sweeping depictions of the cultural, economic and political forces that culminated in the annexation of the island nation by the U.S. I would have appreciated a closer look at the economics and politics, even if it meant sacrificing details of what the monarchs wore or ate.
The Covenant of Water by Abraham VergheseIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Covenant of Water | Goodreads
This is a sprawling novel of three generations of family, an exploration of the many manifestations of healing, a story of loss and of love. The characters felt real, the place became familiar, multiple story lines wove together well. But at about 725 pages, I began to wonder if all the descriptions and details were a bit much. This is probably just a matter of taste, but I wanted it to be at least 25% shorter. 3.5 stars rounded up
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins ReidIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Daisy Jones & The Six | Goodreads
Written as an oral history, this is the story of a fictional pop rock band of the 1970s. The trajectory is predictable: drugs, sex, fame and lots and lots of ego. The author did a wonderful job of recreating multiple narrative voices. This felt like a real series of interwoven interviews. But the story never drew me in. I find that first person accounts of personal fame interests me when I have prior knowledge of and curiosity of the subject. Listening to fictional voices talk about their drug use or differing musical visions left me cold. I never related to the characters nor did I want to. This deserves 4 stars for the writing but only gets 2 stars from me for the story.
Shrines of Gaiety by Kate AtkinsonIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Shrines of Gaiety | Goodreads
A family that owns illegal night clubs and its ruthless matriarch, two teen runaways in hope of theatrical fame and the young woman who is looking for them, a police inspector and the bodies of young women that keep washing out of the river, a crooked cop, a minor aristocrat, a gang of thieves and many more come together in this novel set in London during the roaring 20s. I found it hard to keep track of all the story lines and kept losing sight of where the narrative might be going.
The Pope and I by Jerzy Kluger Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Pope and I: How the Lifelong Friendship between a Polish Jew and John Paul II Advanced Jewish-Christian Relations | Goodreads
The author of this memoir was a childhood friend of the boy who would become Pope John Paul II. As a Polish Jew, he and his father spend time in a Soviet prisoner camp, his mother and sister die in a Nazi concentration camp and the two friends lose touch. In the 1960s, when the author was living in Italy and the future pope was participating in the Second Vatican Council, the two revived their friendship. He leveraged their affection to lobby the Vatican to establish formal diplomatic recognition of Israel and to ensure that Catholic practices and theological statements were free of anything that might carry an anti-Semitic message
Along The Enchanted Way by Blacker-WilliamIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Along the enchanted way: a Romanian story | Goodreads
In the final days of 1989, as the Berlin Wall was being dismantled, the author traveled across eastern Europe. In the north of Romania, he found villages where people were living and dressing just as their ancestors had centuries ago. Even their language was different than the rest of the country. Six years later, he returned for a stay that lasted years. This is a memoir of his time, first in the home of a couple of Romanian heritage then in a Gypsy community. I love learning about different cultures, so found this description of daily life in these two worlds as experienced by a British author quite interesting.
The Quality of Mercy by Barry UnsworthIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Quality of Mercy | Goodreads
I should not have allowed nearly a decade to pass between reading Sacred Hunger and its sequel. I forgot much of the story and lost my connection to the characters. This is very well written, which is expected of this author. But it did not work on its own as well as it would have worked in a series. 3.5 star
The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan RawlingsIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Yearling | Goodreads
I think I would have loved this had I read it as a child. But as an adult, the characters just felt too “perfect” and the story too sentimental. On a spring day, in a remote part of Florida in the mid-1800s, a young boy finds an orphaned fawn and carries it home. With no siblings or other children nearby, the fawn becomes his constant companion. With a wise and tender father, a hard-working and stoic mother and a natural world filled with beauty and power, the boy is guided to maturity. One year later, the fawn has grown into a buck which is no longer suited to farm life and the boy has grown into a young man who is ready to accept the responsibility the small farm demands.
No One Is Talking About This by Patricia LockwoodIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of No One Is Talking About This | Goodreads
I have no idea what I just read. I am sure it was brilliant, but I am not.
Jennifer wrote: "I recently finished reading Persuasion by Jane Austen. My thoughts are here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/.... Now I have started reading It by..."
"The Remains of the Day" beautifully explores the quiet depths of regret and the poignant realization that the passage of time cannot be undone. Kazuo Ishiguro's prose gently peels back the layers of a butler's life, revealing the delicate intricacies of duty, loyalty, and missed opportunities. It's a haunting reflection on the choices we make and the sacrifices we endure, ultimately leaving readers with a profound sense of melancholy and empathy for the characters
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The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-DaltonIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Light Pirate | Goodreads
Stories of a global destruction, often by flood, in which a small group of particularly virtuous people survive to repopulate the land is common in ancient cultures. I suppose that it is natural that our contemporary age would seek meaning in such stories. This is another dystopian tale in which society is decimated by the ravages of global warming. These books are largely depressing. Hope is to be found in the survivors who are willing to form a more just and peaceful society. This ending felt cliched, including the tender and lifelong romance that springs up with sudden passion.
Victoria and Albert by Evelyn AnthonyIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Victoria and Albert | Goodreads
This felt more like a piece of nonfiction than like a novel. It offered a straight forward account of the relationship between Queen Victoria and her husband Albert. I felt no narrative tension, no empathy with the characters, no thrill of great prose. As a historical work, it offered no new insights or striking analysis of this political couple. I found nothing to complain about in this book, but also nothing to praise or savor. 2.5 stars
Portable Magic by Emma Smith Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Portable Magic: A History of Books and their Readers | Goodreads
Each chapter of this books looks at a different aspect of the way physical books changes culture and how culture has shaped books. The topics range from book collecting to book burning, from the way interactions with books shifted as we moved from the scroll to the codex to the way translations can both contribute to the death of a language and to its revival. The experience of books in western cultures predominates. These chapters can be read in any order. The range of topics results in a book of breath rather than depth.
My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Stroutand
Oh William by Elizabeth Strout
My in-person will be discussing “Oh William” later this month. It had been so long since I read “My Name Is Lucy Barton” that I felt it best to re-read that one first. I am glad I did. I came away with a greater appreciation for the character of Lucy and the way Strout portrays the process of growing in understanding and acceptance. I was more moved by Lucy Barton than by Oh William, maybe because I have never been married, so that spouse relationship was less familiar to me.
An Assassin In Utopia by Susan WelsIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of An Assassin in Utopia: The True Story of a Nineteenth-Century Sex Cult and a President's Murder | Goodreads
Charles Guiteau is the connection between the utopian free-love cult and the presidential assassination of the books title. But this book is more than an account of Guiteau’s journey from cult member to assassin. It takes side trips into the lives of Horace Greeley, several presidents, P.T. Barnum, and many more mid-19th century figures. This felt like a feature article stretched into a book. I enjoyed the chapters about the politics surrounding Garfield’s election and Guiteau’s grandiosity, but too much of this felt like filler. 2.5 stars
Everybody’s Fool by Richard RussoIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Everybody's Fool | Goodreads
In this second book in the Sully series, Russo returns the reader to Bath, N.Y. The focus is less on Sully and more on the police chief. But all the characters from the first book are present, just a bit older. I would not want to be friends with any of these men in real life: selfish, immature, in turns womanizing, lazy, irresponsible. But Russo opens up a soft spot in me for them, even if only for the length of the novel.
Once Upon A Prime by Sarah HartIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections Between Mathematics and Literature | Goodreads
This exploration of the connection between math and literature was pure fun. The author looked at topics as far ranging as the ways that imposing a patterned structure can enhance a literary work to how plausible is the physics in various science fiction or fantasy stories. If you are not a bit of a math nurd, then this may not be quite as entertaining.
We Band of Angels by Elizabeth NormanIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of We Band of Angels: The Untold Story of American Nurses Trapped on Bataan by the Japanese | Goodreads
This account of the military nurses taken as POWs in Bataan by the Japanese, is in turns inspiring and dreadful. In a setting that saw hundreds of soldiers and civilians die of disease and malnutrition, not a single nurse was lost. They attributed this to their mutual support, discipline and commitment to their vocation. This is a book I would recommend.
Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy VanderahIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Where the Forest Meets the Stars | Goodreads
Sometimes a book group pick drags a reader out of their comfort zone and the experience is surprisingly wonderful. Other times, the reader is reminded why they avoid a certain type of book like the plague. I read this title because it was a book group pick and was reminded why I hate overly sweet books with overly sweet characters and overly sweet romances.
American Dirt by Jeanine CumminsIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of American Dirt | Goodreads
A young mother and her 8-year-old son are forced to flee their home in Acapulco because of cartel violence. Their only hope for safety is the United States. Unable to get needed documents to fly and fearful of checkpoints on the roads, they join the thousands of Latin American migrants who jump onto moving freight trains to ride them to the border. The author is clearly passionate about the plight of migrants. I think her passion would have been better applied to a non-fiction account of people making this dangerous journey. As a work of fiction, this came across as a bit of indoctrination. Each point along the trek seemed to be designed to illustrate another peril. Scenes and dialogues were constructed for maximum melodrama and emotional response from the reader. I also prefer a sparer writing style. Cummins strung together metaphors in lists that did nothing to further the story. I did not always find the characters credible. The young boy was far too wise, understanding and compliant, for example. Given the length of the book, the ending felt abrupt.
About Alice by Calvin Trillin Did not realize that I had already read this until I went to post it on GR. Obviously not a book that stuck with me.
Hebrews For Everyone by N.T. Wright
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This translation and commentary is fine for devotional reading, but is not helpful for serious study.
Lucy By The Sea By Elizabeth StroutIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Lucy by the Sea | Goodreads
This continues the story of Lucy Barton, picking up shortly after the final event in O William. Similar themes are explored as found in the earlier novels, coming to terms with regrets, disappointments, painful memories of the past and uncertainties about the future. Isolated due to the pandemic, Lucy is forced to confront those elements of her life that she would rather run from. Of all the books in this series, this was my least favorite. It felt too similar to the prior books. Where as it felt as if Lucy was gaining personal insight and growing in the prior ones, this seemed to depict a woman a bit more stuck, treading old ground. This one also tried to bring in current social issues and it felt forced.
The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois by Honoree Fanonne JeffersIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois | Goodreads
This multi-generational story explores how both injustice and courage of the past can be experienced as trauma and as inspiration in later generations. There were moments when the jump in time line left me disoriented. But this was more due to my lack of attention than to any fault in the novel. The author is unapologetically making a point. Although each character is well developed, those who identified as “white” were greedy, selfish, sexually violent, etc., while those identifying as “indigenous” or “Black” were wise, strong, caring of others, etc. It is hard to defend a race that enslaved and brutalized countless Africans and who stole land from its inhabitants, who wrote laws that made both crimes legal and backed their action by distorting religious principles. But I want to believe that, even in the worse group of people, there are some who are good.
Get Well Soon by Jennifer WrightIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them | Goodreads
Each chapter looked at a different epidemic or medical crisis beginning in the 2nd century and continuing through the 20th century. The focus was less medical than cultural: the popular superstitions surrounding it, the demonizing or support of those suffering, heroic individuals who provided care or medical break throughs. I loved the sense of humor and was fascinated by the trivia. I wish I could hear this author on COVID.
Clanland Almanac by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavishIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Clanlands Almanac: Seasonal Stories from Scotland | Goodreads
These two actors offer a humorous romp through the history and culture of Scotland interspersed with personal anecdotes. My take-away is that Scotland has been inhabited by men who spent their time killing their neighbors and drinking whisky. I can’t say this was the most flattering look at a nation and its people, but it did make me thirsty. 2.5 stars
Driftless by David RhodesIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Driftless | Goodreads
This farming community in Wisconsin is populated with hurting, lonely people longing for connection. As the book progresses, what begins as discrete character sketches spins into a story of resilience and community. I left this novel with mixed feelings. There were moments when the characters leapt off the page, the landscape came to life and the unfolding conflicts pulled me in. At other times, characters felt like caricatures, monologues sank into platitudes, and the plot felt forced. 3.5 stars
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’FarrellIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Marriage Portrait | Goodreads
I appreciated the setting and subject of this historical novel. The Medici family has not been the subject of much of my fictional reading. The tension built nicely as Lucrezia becomes convinced that her husband intends to murder her because she has failed to get pregnant within the first year of their marriage. But Lucrezia never came to life for me. I was not convinced of her reaction to events given her era and training. I found the novel to be over written, far too many similes, far too many strings of descriptives.
After Alice by Gregory MaguireIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of After Alice | Goodreads
This is a retelling of the Through the Looking Glass told from the vantage of Alice’s friend. Down the rabbit hole, this child finds freedom from an uncomfortable back brace and its stigma. I loved Wicked and was hoping to find a similar clever twist here. But I was disappointed. 2.5 stars
Kingdom of Characters by Jing TsuIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Kingdom of Characters: The Language Revolution That Made China Modern | Goodreads
I know little about Asian languages and the unique challenges presented by their written form. From typewriters to texting, from indexing to international standardization for the computer age, the voluminous conceptional system of written Chinese turned out to not be easily adapted to 20th century technology or international communication. This book looks at the creative ways these problems were solved. Although I did not fully understand all the adaptations, the author did a good job of explaining complex and unfamiliar issues. 3.5 stars
Small Mercies by Dennis LehaneIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Small Mercies | Goodreads
This is part missing person story, part personal conversion, part over-the-top blood bath. The setting is late summer 1974 in Boston, the days leading up to mandatory bussing to integrate the city schools. An Irish Catholic teen from a stereotypical tough neighborhood goes missing. Her mother single-handedly takes down the entire local organized crime cohort in her attempt to find her daughter. I wish the author could have conveyed the local culture without resorting to the cliché of including the “f” word three times in every sentence. I was surprised that the distinctive slang of the early 70s was absent from the dialogue. Although I believed the anger that motivated the mother, I did not believe that she could overpower so many large men. And, I thought her dawning racial conversion was a bit too neat.
Thank You For Your Servitude by Mark LeibovichIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Thank You For Your Servitude: Donald Trump's Washington and the Price of Submission | Goodreads
This is a bitingly sarcastic account of the Republican figures in Washing D.C. who disparaged Trump during his candidacy then fawned over him as president, who ridiculed him in private but flattered him in public. The author, an experienced and highly regarded political journalist, sees the Republican party devolving into chaos and dangerous unethical patterns and blames it on the hypocrisy of those Republicans who could not find the backbone to publicly stand against Trump’s vulgar, erratic, self-serving, illegal behavior. This book would be funny if it were not so tragic. 4.5 stars
101 Books to Read Before You Die
Books mentioned in this topic
Persuasion (other topics)It (other topics)
The Immortalists (other topics)
The Hate U Give (other topics)
Timekeeper (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Jane Austen (other topics)Madeline Miller (other topics)
Sarah Henning (other topics)
Sarah McCoy (other topics)
Sarah Pekkanen (other topics)
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Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Evening and the Morning | Goodreads
This is the prequel to the Kingsbridge series. The characters lacked a complexity. The evil ones were unredeemable, the good ones were incorruptible. The story dragged out too long for me. But, I did appreciate learning a bit more about England around the turn of the first millennium.