101 Books to Read Before You Die discussion
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After This by Alice McDermottIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of After This | Goodreads
This book had the feel of a collection of narrative snapshots, a flipping through a family scrapbook. In a series of perfectly constructed moments, we watch an ordinary mid-20th century Irish Catholic N.Y.C. family live and become. This family becomes a microcosm of greater cultural shifts. McDermott often skips over the grand events, the couple’s marriage, the death of the wife’s father, baptisms and graduations, in favor of the ordinary. Not only does this approach enable the reader to know the family on a more intimate basis, but it demands that the reader reconsider what is important in a life. It is only in looking backward that we can discern the threads that shaped both the individual and social story, that brought us to this moment, only in hindsight that we can start to recognize the passing fad from the seismic shift. As I read this book, I thought it was good, but not great. But having finished it, I can’t stop thinking about it and the many questions it raised, the insights it suggested.
The Hair of Harold Roux by Thomas WilliamsIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Hair of Harold Roux | Goodreads
This novel felt like a carnival fun house. A middle-aged prof at a liberal arts college is writing a novel about a co-ed at a liberal arts college who is writing a novel about… When not writing novels, every male character is either lusting, coercing a girl into sex or fighting. Spending time with these people was very unpleasant. I did not come away with any insights or empathy. Reviews indicate that literary types love the way it portrays the writing process. Maybe I needed to be an author to appreciate it.
The Swiss Nurse by Mario Escobar Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Swiss Nurse | Goodreads
I appreciate historical novels based on historical people and events, especially when I am unfamiliar with either. This novel is inspired by a Swiss woman who ran a small maternity hospital serving refugees in southern France who were fleeing from the Spanish revolution. Over time, it also served those fleeing German persecution of the Jews. The prologue made it clear that the Spanish woman and her American soldier husband survived, which diminished the tension. The language reached for the melodramatic, (no one cried, instead their tears always soaked their shirt), not a style I enjoy. Watching the generosity and kindness offered to this influx of refugees at a time when poverty and food shortages were rampant in France and war loomed on the horizon was a challenge to someone living nearly 75 years later in the midst of another refugee crisis.
Where All Light Tends to Go by David JoyIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Where All Light Tends to Go | Goodreads
I find it so hard to rate books when I want to praise the writing but find the story hard or unpleasant. The narrator of this novel is the 18-year-old son of a violent drug dealer who has trained his son to adopt his values and code of conduct. This book is horrifically violent. Yet, Joy also gives us a conflicted character, a tough teen who has moments of goodness or something tender. These characters are brilliantly rendered. The dialogue sounded authentic. I was brought to care for a character while despising most of what he did.
Halloween by Nicholas RogersEdit Review - Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night | Goodreads
This is a popular history of Halloween, an exploration of its possible cultural roots, its journey from harvest and religious rituals through adolescent pranking and vandalism, into child’s play and an attempt to flout social conventions. I found it very interesting.
Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Lessons in Chemistry | Goodreads
The more I read this book, the less I liked it. I found the humor to be more snarky than funny. The story intends to poke fun at mid-20th century sexism. Christianity seems to be the singular cause for the injustices and violence perpetrated against women and vulnerable children. There is something cartoonish about the lecherous and incompetent male supervisors, the unflagging calm rationality of Elizabeth. I know this is a popular novel, but it did not resonate with me.
The Last of the Pirates by Samantha WeinbergIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Last of the Pirates: The Search for Bob Denard | Goodreads
A challenge had me looking for a book set in Comoros. This was the only one I could fine, but it was a great surprise. Part travelogue, part recent history of the island, part true crime mystery, this book gave me my first look at this tiny country. 3.5 stars
Ladyfingers and Nun’s Tummies by Martha BarnetteIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Ladyfingers & Nun's Tummies: A Lighthearted Look at How Foods Got Their Names | Goodreads
The author catalogues hundreds of foods from around the globe and identifies their etymological roots. Often, she lists other words that are related. Many of these foods were unfamiliar to me. I expected humorous or quirky stories but this read more like dictionary entries. This is a book best picked up and glanced at an entry or two at a time. Unfortunately, it was a library book, so I read it straight through.
Matrix by Lauren GroffIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Matrix | Goodreads
If you are looking for a well written book with feminist themes, give this a try. If you are hoping for realistic historical fiction, skip this one. Although it is set in 12th century England and includes historical figures, that setting is not accurately rendered. Rather, the 12th century monastery serves as a way to isolate the women and enable them to create a society without the limiting presence of male power. Here an impoverished, plague-ridden community is transformed into a flourishing, wealthy technically advanced village under the leadership of a woman rejected by society because she did not fit popular standards of beauty and femininity. Groff does not let the story become a simplistic depiction of easy friendships. There are power struggles, disagreements, failed plans, but the overall narrative is that of female strength, ingenuity, resourcefulness and success when not impeded by male authority. 4 stars for writing and 2 stars for the story.
Homo Deus by Yuval Noah HarariIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow | Goodreads
I was expecting a description of humanity in 50 or 100 years based on current demographic trends, political forces, technological developments, climactic changes, etc. Instead, the majority of this book was focused on human development over millennia of its existence. The book begins by identifying 3 goals of contemporary humans: to be happy, to live forever, to become their own god. By tracing the developmental trends in human society and current scientific theories of life, the author attempts to show how these goals might be achieved. The picture presented put me in mind of Brave New World. There were several times when I nearly threw the book because the author stated absolute falsehoods. If he got basic things wrong in areas of study that I knew, what was wrong in his characterization of those areas I did not know well. It made me doubt the entire book. I also found the tone of the argument to be patronizing and rather arrogant. This is not an author I would pick up again.
We Are The Brennans by Tracey LangeIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of We Are the Brennans | Goodreads
Even happy families have their pain, regrets and tensions. This is the story of a tight-knit family whose members have secrets that threaten to break family bonds and harm individuals. Normally I do not like stories told through multiple perspectives, but it was not intrusive in this novel. Although each chapter gave attention to a different character, the narrative never back tracked or contradicted itself. Rather, it allowed the reader to see each person from different angles and to create complexity. With so many books featuring violence, exploitation, abuse, it was nice to read a book of family love. These characters were not perfect, but they were good. 3.5 stars
Finding Me by Viola DavisIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Finding Me | Goodreads
This outstanding memoir focuses on the actress’s childhood in abject poverty, the victim of ceaseless racial bullying and constant domestic violence. This is a story of overcoming tremendous odds and of healing from trauma. I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author which I recommend. 4.5 stars
The Word Is Murder by Anthony HorowitzIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Word is Murder | Goodreads
Another fun who-done-it by an entertaining author.
Crow Mary by Kathleen GrissomIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Crow Mary | Goodreads
In the mid-19th century, a 16-year-old Crow girl marries a white trader twice her age. Because her paternal grandfather was a white man, she had some knowledge of his language and culture. But the transition into the world of white pioneers was not easy and often unpleasant. I wanted an author note explaining what aspects of Crow life was factual and what was fiction. I found the story and writing, particularly the dialogue, to be about average. But if this gave me a glimpse into Crow culture, it would get more stars from me.
A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini SinghIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of A Madness of Sunshine | Goodreads
In a small coastal New Zealand town, a young woman does not return from her evening run. This missing person detective novel employed many tropes of the genre: the cop with secrets assigned to a dead-end post, the woman with a troubled past who recently returned to her childhood home, the wealthy town bully, the 15-year-old unsolved deaths that might be connected to this case, the love-at-first-sight romance. I dislike when authors repeatedly hint at secrets in character back stories, especially when they are not related to the mystery. This novel did not break new ground, but it was a good bit of entertainment on a windy, cold night.
Cocktail Hour Under The Tree of Forgetting by Alexandra FullerIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness | Goodreads
This memoirist turns her attention to her parents and grandparents. Where some would see trauma and brokenness, Fuller finds quirky and lovable. I enjoy both her writing and her lens for viewing things.
The Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Queen's Gambit | Goodreads
An 8-year-old orphan finds that she is a chess prodigy. Largely self-taught and facing many obstacles, she is soon on her way to becoming an international champion. With only a beginner’s knowledge of the game, I could not follow the many descriptions of game winning moves. But that did not prevent me from feeling the tension. I believe this is categorized as young adult fiction. I was shocked to see the protagonist using tranquilizers to successfully deal with stress, even combining tranquilizers with alcohol. Although at some point, the alcohol consumption does become problematic, it did not seem to be portrayed with the seriousness that would mirror reality.
Rough Sleepers by Tracy KidderIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Rough Sleepers | Goodreads
Kidder follows a doctor and his team who have spent their careers providing care to the homeless living on the streets of Boston. By telling the stories of medical professionals and patients, with particular focus on a few individuals, Kidder humanizes a part of the population so often out of mind and heart of the majority of people. The reader closes the book with admiration for the work of these professionals and with sympathy for those on the streets.
The Promise by Damon GalgutIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Promise | Goodreads
A woman’s death further fractures the dysfunctional lives and relationships of her husband and three teen children. A decade later, the man’s death brings those young adults together. But the fault lines run far too deep for healing. Shadowing their story is the claim by the youngest that her father made a promise to his dying wife to deed over the shack to the housekeeper who cared for her in her illness, a promise that the father wavers between denying and accepting. But the tension around this promise is only a symptom of a multiplicity of divisions in the family and within each person. I had the feeling that this family was to be read as a microcosm of their country’s history, but I do not have a sufficient understanding of South Africa after Apartheid to be certain.
Billy Phelan‘s Greatest Game by William KennedyIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Billy Phelan's Greatest Game | Goodreads
The biblical account of Abraham’s command to sacrifice Isaac is the paradigm that frames the relationships in this novel. Kennedy brings to life these flawed, corrupt small-town politicians, gamblers and drunks. The dialogue sparkles. As I have read through this trilogy, I found myself drawn to the female characters who remain in the background. Yet, even these marginal characters are sufficiently vivid that they carry their own intrigue.
A Pope and a President by Paul Kengor Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of A Pope and a President: John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, and the Extraordinary Untold Story of the 20th Century | Goodreads
I was expecting a traditional piece of popular history analyzing the intersection of the presidency of Reagan, the papacy of John Paul II and the dismantling of the Soviet Union. Instead, this was an overtly biased telling of that story in which Ronald Reagan and John Paul II are profoundly wise, unerring, heroic figures who have a Divine calling to partner with the Blessed Mother in destroying atheistic Communism. 1.5 stars
American Prometheus by Kai BirdIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer | Goodreads
This was an excellent biography of the brilliant physicist who both helped to develop the atomic bomb and vigorously criticized its use. His trial for pro-Communist sentiments was the focus of the later portion of the book. It is infuriating to read how individual civil rights were trampled, laws were ignored, dissent was punished and disinformation was used to destroy lives.
The Good People by Hannah KentIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Good People | Goodreads
Based on a true story in 1826 Ireland, this novel explores the tension between folk belief systems, main stream religious practices and contemporary scientific thought. Whose belief systems have a right to be followed? And if the outcome of an action is not what was intended, does anyone hold blame? I thought this was a very well-crafted novel. The characters were well developed. The author trusted the reader to draw their own conclusions about the events and actors.
The Measure by Nikki Erlick
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Measure | Goodreads
Interesting premise, uninteresting execution. One day, every human over the age of 22 finds a mysterious and indestructible box containing a length of string that corresponds to the length of their life. The novel follows a group of intersecting characters as they respond to the awareness of the shortness of their own or a loved one’s life. Over and over, the reader is told that it is not the length of a life that matters, but the content of that life. Over and over, the reader is warned against prejudice or discriminatory behaviors against any group of people. Rather than an insightful examination of the human psyche, this felt like a string of familiar platitudes. 2.5 stars
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha ChristieNot one of her best. 2.5 stars
Signal Fires by Dani ShapiroIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Signal Fires | Goodreads
All people, even those who have died, are connected by strands as delicate as a spider web. This is the premise behind this novel which follows the members of two neighboring families across 35 years. I am not a fan of non-linear storytelling, even less when the focus jumps between multiple characters. This novel had the sweetness of the Lifetime Channel. I am sure that many will like this book, but it is not for me. 2.5 stars
Poverty By America by Matthew DesmondIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Poverty, by America | Goodreads
Why does the United States with its high GNP and widespread affluence have a greater number of people in poverty than other wealthy, developed countries? The author describes the social structures that make it easy for those in the U.S. to fall into poverty and hard to climb out. These fall into 3 categories: the economic exploitation of the poor, the subsidizing of those with financial assets and the segregation by class. Desmond outlines policies that governments on local and federal levels should pursue to ensure that all Americans have the ability to live above the poverty line. He encourages individuals to use their vote and their buying choices to encourage these policies. Anyone who read Desmond’s earlier book, Evicted will be familiar with much in this one. Many politicians, economists and social reformers have made these arguments before. Readers interested in domestic poverty will not find anything new here. But his passion and clear articulation of the issues may help those new to the question to understand the problem, its cost and the path to a solution.
Narcoland by Anabel Hernandez Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Narcoland: The Mexican Drug Lords and Their Godfathers | Goodreads
This piece of investigative journalism deserves 5 stars for the author’s courage in uncovering the way political figures in the highest offices of the Mexican government and policies of the CIA have enabled and protected and benefited from a drug trade that has made Mexico one of the most violent countries. The demands and stress of the holidays has left me with limited powers of concentration. So, I found this story with its large cast of characters, hard to follow.
The Other Einstein by Marie BenedictIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Other Einstein | Goodreads
This is a fictional account of Albert Einstein’s first wife, a brilliant mathematical mind who was forced into the background while he took credit for her work. I did not know that his famous theory of relativity was completely her idea. This book leaves Albert without a single redeeming quality. I am not a fan of Benedict’s writing style, finding it heavy handed. 2.5 stars
The Water Dancer by Ta-nehisi Coates
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Water Dancer | Goodreads
The entire time I was reading this story of a man who escaped slavery to work on the underground railroad, I had the sense of having already read it. The events and images were so familiar. I am not a fan of magical realism, so that element did not enhance the story for me. 2.5 stars
Kidnapped by Robert Louis StevensonIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Kidnapped | Goodreads
This young adult adventure novel held up pretty well despite being a century and a half old. The dialect was tough at times, but also interesting.
I Found You by Lisa Jewell
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of I Found You | Goodreads
A single mother takes in a man who appears outside her house with no memory. Across the country, a 19-year-old newly wed who just moved to England reports that her husband is missing. Two decades earlier, a family vacation ends in tragedy. These story lines come together in a way that I partly predicted early in the novel and partly in a way I did not foresee.
The Edge of Sadness by Edwin O’ConnorIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Edge of Sadness | Goodreads
The narrator of this novel is a middle-aged Catholic priest in mid-century Boston serving as the pastor of a parish past its prime. He is unexpectedly reunited with a family from his childhood, the manipulative patriarch and the four adult children who had been his playmates. The plot of this story is all internal as our priest makes the great journey from past regret and present apathy to acceptance and hope. This is a powerful mid-life reflection. The author renders these characters with compassion, understanding and respect without any hint of sentimentality.
Death of the Great Man by Peter Kramer Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Death of the Great Man: A Novel | Goodreads
Satire seems to be hit or miss for me. Some strike me as clever and others fall flat. This was a huge miss. A therapist, with some fame for having written books, is conscripted to be the personal psychologist for a cruel, self-absorbed, slovenly, amoral man who has become the president of the U.S. This plays on all the worse caricatures of Trump. This had the feel of the worse bit of mean kid bullying found in any middle school cafeteria. I disagree with Trump on most of his policies. I am repulsed by much of his rhetoric. I question the legality of some of his actions. But critiquing a person’s political actions or public speech is not the same as mocking his appearance, sexual dysfunction, childhood experiences or pathologies.
Trespasses by Louise KennedyIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Trespasses | Goodreads
This novel, set near Belfast in 1975, is wonderfully written. In this story of a young woman, the political events of her world distort her naive actions. The characters were well developed, the setting clearly depicted, the plot well-paced and the writing never became showy. The author revealed everything and told the reader nothing. We were free to walk along side the protagonist and glean our own insights.
The Winter of Our Discontent by John SteinbeckIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Winter of Our Discontent | Goodreads
Steinbeck gives us memorable characters and incredible dialogue. The grocery clerk whose teenaged kids long for the possessions of their peers and whose wife desires greater social standing, becomes a study in the contrast between public and private morality. Although I could recognize the quality of this novel, it never drew me in. I felt like Steinbeck wanted to teach me a lesson rather than tell me a story.
The Fraud by Zadie SmithIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Fraud | Goodreads
Inspired by a 19th century British court case of accusations of fraud, this novel explores the many ways ordinary people perpetrate fraud in their daily lives and relationships. It also looks at the many ways that characters lack freedom in Victorian society. The movement between story lines and time periods made this difficult for me to follow. 3.5 stars
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBrideIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store | Goodreads
This novel has received a great deal of praise. This is one time when all the acclaim did not result in disappointment. In a poor neighborhood of a small Pennsylvania town, Jews and Blacks and recent Italian immigrants live side by side, each inhabiting different worlds but all sharing the experience of prejudice in 1936 America. There are monsters, white men who believe they can brutalize others because they have lost track of their own humanity and the humanity of others. There is a living hell, an asylum where society’s unwanted, the disabled, the cognitively impaired, the mentally ill and those who have made enemies are warehoused in subhuman conditions. There are angels, those who can recognize and respond to the good in others. There are heroes, men and women who risk their own safety to help another. There is plenty of struggle and suffering in these pages. But this is also a story where human goodness shines.
Mothers and Sons by Colm ToibinIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Mothers and Sons | Goodreads
Although I was drawn into each of these 9 stories, the ending left me wanting. I am sure this has more to do with my limitations than with the quality of the stories.
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa SeeIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Lady Tan's Circle of Women | Goodreads
Any reader who enjoyed See’s earlier novel, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, should like this one. Both are set in empirical China. Both feature strong but dutiful women who must deal with hostility and intrigue in the large, wealthy homes of their in-laws. Both involve a friendship contracted in childhood with a girl of a different class which becomes a lifelong source of support and encouragement. The protagonist of this latest novel has been trained, by her grandmother, in traditional medicine for female issues. This knowledge is what sets her apart from the other women of her home and her era. I enjoyed learning about the day to day life in 15 century China. At times, the author had the characters speak like encyclopedia entries. But otherwise, it managed to be both entertaining and informative.
The Quiet Boy by Ben WintersIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Quiet Boy | Goodreads
In the hands of a lesser writer, I would have found the strange features of this novel to be off-putting. But Winters managed to draw me in and hold me captive. A 14 year old suffers a brain bleed from a fall. But he emerges from the neurological surgery as a virtual zombi, not eating, sleeping or blinking, his weight does not decrease, his hair does not grow, his body does not age, he simply walks in endless loops seemingly unaware of anything. Ten years later, the murder of an expert witness in the family’s malpractice case finds them back in the court room with the same ambulance chasing attorney. The mystery of the boy’s condition and the expert’s murder serve as a scaffolding for a story that weaves together cult leaders and cross culture adoption, the meaning of consciousness and the human desire to escape psychic pain, the way parental love is expressed and received. Despite myself, I liked this novel.
The Wandering Mind by Jamie Kreiner Edit Review - The Wandering Mind: What Medieval Monks Tell Us About Distraction | Goodreads
I expected a self-help book dealing with the problem of poor focus. I got a cultural history of Christian monasticism of the early Medieval period organized around the virtue of attentiveness to God. Any reader with an interest in cultural history of this era should enjoy this book.
Where We Have Hope by Andrew MeldrumIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Where We Have Hope: A Memoir of Zimbabwe | Goodreads
The author worked as an international journalist in Zimbabwe from 1980 to 2004 when he was expelled for reporting on the human rights violations of the Mugabe government. This is both a personal memoir and a political account of state violence, failed land reform, racial tension, voter suppression, economic corruption and relentless hope. I appreciated this look at a country and people by an author who both loves it and is not afraid to critique it.
The Armor of Light by Ken FollettIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Armor of Light | Goodreads
This brings the historical Kingsbridge series to the opening decades of the 19th century with the social tension caused by the Industrial Revolution. The stories and characters in these novels are beginning to blur, all feeling much the same, the historical context alone changing. 2.5 stars
George Mills by Stanley ElkinIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of George Mills | Goodreads
A thousand years, generation after generation of George Mills have been cursed into a life somewhere just below mediocrity. I think this is supposed to be funny, but I never got the humor. The events seemed to be limited to sex or violence or humiliation or sex and violence and humiliation. The writing is outstanding. But apart from the extensive vocabulary and creative turn of phrase, I found nothing to enjoy in this novel. It is my 2nd by Elkin and it should be my last.
The Country of the Blind by Andrew LelandIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight | Goodreads
The author lives with RP which gradually causes the loss of peripheral vision and which could lead to total blindness. This book is his effort to process and come to terms with that reality. In part, this is a memoir and in part an exploration of the experience of being blind in contemporary Western culture. As someone who has been legally blind since birth and has known the loss of the little vision I once had, there was much in the cultural piece that I already knew. And of course, no two people’s experience is the same, so even in the “blind experience” I heard things that were new. But it was very interesting to hear how acquired blindness challenged this man’s sense of self and social place.
Emperor of Rome by Mary BeardIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World | Goodreads
I was fascinated by this look at ancient Roman culture through the artifacts around several centuries of emperors. This well regarded classicist makes her field interesting and accessible to a reader with no particular knowledge of the era.
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Half of a Yellow Sun | Goodreads
Love and betrayal, fear and hope, resilience and despair, this novel explores the most universal elements of our humanity, both in the lives of key characters and in the lives of a nation at war. Set during the Nigerian civil war, this is a difficult book to read. Told through the struggles of characters who display ordinary heroism, this is a beautiful novel to read. The characters, the language, the reflection between the personal and the social, every aspect of this book was incredible. 4.5 stars
Sure I’ll Join Your Cult by Maria BamfordIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Sure, I'll Join Your Cult: A Memoir of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere | Goodreads
The author, a stand-up comic, organizes her memoir around the groups she has been part of, beginning with her family and ranging as widely as her childhood violin class and 12 step programs. Her struggle with mental health is a prominent focus. I was not familiar with the author’s comedic work. Reviews I had read gave me a different expectation of the book. This is not my type of humor. I am not comfortable with the amount of sharing of private details. I felt as if I were watching someone do a striptease to the Chicken Dance and asked to laugh.
Kurt Seyt and Shurah by Nermin BezmenIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Kurt Seyt & Shura | Goodreads
I am not a fan of the romance novel; I find them predictable. I am rarely convinced by love at first sight across a crowded room. According to the epilogue, this novel is based on the author’s grandfather’s experience during the first decades of the 20th century in Russia and Turkey. Yet, this is also fiction and there were times when I did not find the character’s behavior believable. I thought the writing was painful. It was full of tingling touches and flushing skin, of heaving bosoms and fluttering hearts, of long looks into deep blue eyes and that was just the first chapter. The novel felt like an endless string of cliches.
The Lord's Prayer by Gerald O'Collins, S.J.This exploration of the Lord's Prayer challenged both my head and heart.
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone | Goodreads
This was a fun, clever who-done-it.
Trust by Hernan DiazIrene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Trust | Goodreads
This novel examines the creation of image, the chasm between the public and personal persona, the way the wealthy and famous can manage their story and have their story distorted in the public arena. I appreciated this more than I enjoyed it. It started slowly for me, but by the end I was extremely impressed.
101 Books to Read Before You Die
Books mentioned in this topic
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Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Deeper Than the Dead | Goodreads
In 1985, a small suburban town is being terrorized by a serial killer who renders victims blind, deaf and mute before burying them in public view. But this is not the only source of fear. A 12-year-old bully is terrifying the playground, a local cop is terrifying his family, and an uptight housewife is terrifying her neighbors. I enjoyed the detective part of this novel, although I did not need the numerous reminders of the technology not yet available to police. I dislike any portrayal of brutality in my novels, whether that be of crime victims or of family members. And I am also not a fan of the requisite romance, especially the passions that spring up at first sight. The stories around all the town folk were intended to cast suspicion on multiple characters, but simply made the book drag for me. 2.5 stars