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What Are You Reading / Reviews - October 2016
Katarina Bivald,
The Reader's of Broken Wheel Recommend
[2013, tr. 2015] 394 pagesThis is the selection for the Utah State Library book discussion group for November. I admit that I am a sucker for books about bookstores (see my review of Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore for details) and this book was sold to the group as containing discussions of books, which would be the major interest for us. Alas, not true. The basic premise is similar to Penelope Fitzgerald's The Bookshop: a stranger opens a bookstore in a small town whose population is not interested in reading. Instead of the English coast, which Fitzgerald knew, it is set in Broken Wheel, Iowa, which Bivald, a Swede who has never visited America, obviously based on American novels and news reports. Some of the author's misunderstandings of Americans are more comic than the deliberate humor of the novel. (I've never seen an American bring a shotgun to church.) But the development is not nearly as good as Fitzgerald's; in fact, a short way in it morphs into a standard Harlequinesque romance with all the clichés of that style. The book references are sparse and mostly to popular genre novels (largely "chick-lit), and are just that: references, not actual discussions. I don't deny that this would be an entertaining reading for a (women's) book group, but it was not really my kind of novel.
Priyamvada Natarajan,
Mapping the Heavens: The Radical Scientific Ideas that Reveal the Cosmos
[2016] 267 pagesI tend to read in "projects", and once in a while I actually finish one. I've been reading our library's popular and semi-popular books on cosmology for about two years now, in chronological order starting with Steven Weinberg's 1977 "classic", The First Three Minutes. I finally reached the last book the library has, from 2016.
Mapping the Heavens is a historically oriented book about "maps" of the universe; the first chapter is about literal star maps and charts from antiquity and the middle ages, but after that the book turns to the different mental pictures we have of the universe, from Copernicus, through the expanding universe, black holes, the accelerating expansion and dark matter and energy, to the cosmic background radiation, with a final chapter on more speculative views (the multiverse and the search for extraterrestrial life.)
The book is a low-level popularization (I don't mean this in any pejorative sense, just that it is aimed at an audience that doesn't already know a lot about the subject, with little technical detail -- it focuses mainly on what has been learned and how, without going into the exact evidence or disputes.) As such, it didn't really have a lot that was new to me, beyond reporting on some of the latest projects and discoveries of the last two or three years.
One theme that permeates the book, and is a research interest of the author, is looking at the factors that affect the earlier or later acceptance of "radical" new ideas. I would like to see her take this on in a longer and more detailed book than this one.
The book is solidly based, with almost no "gosh wow" and very little that is speculative except for the very last chapter, so it would be good for someone just starting out and looking for a book on the latest accepted views on the subject.
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The Girls of Atomic City
– Denise Kiernan – 4**** This is a fascinating micro history of the men and women – many women – who worked to extract the key ingredient that would fuel the bombs the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasacki, thereby ending the war. Kiernan did much research and was able to interview a few surviving women to get their personal stories. Using the personal stories of a handful of women made the history personal and engaging.
Full Review HERE
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Hula Done It?
– Maddy Hunter – 1* This is book number four in the Passport to Peril series, starring tour escort Emily Andrew and the group of Iowans she takes on various vacations. The characters are cardboard, the plot is thin, and the dialogue is tortured. Hunter did manage to add a few tidbits of Hawaiian history, but not really enough to give a real sense of the islands. Oh well … it was a fast read, and it satisfied a challenge to read a book set in Hawaii.
Full Review HERE
Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende. I'm enjoying this story that takes place in Haiti. This is my first time reading her work.
Peter Matthiessen,
In Paradise
[2014] 246 pagesMatthiessen's last novel. A Polish-American professor who specializes in literature about the Holocaust attends a "spiritual retreat" organized by an ecumenical group, at the site of Auschwitz. There is much discussion of different views toward the Holocaust (though not the ones I find the most relevant), and the main character discovers things about himself and his family history. This is the only fiction I've read by Matthiessen; it's a worthwhile novel, but from reading his nonfiction I expected something more in depth.
Cheikh Hamidou Kane,
Ambiguous Adventure
[1962] 166 pagesA classic of Sénégalese literature, translated from the French. This is a philosophical "novel"; the plot can be summarized in four sentences: a child attends a Moslem school; a little bit older, he attends a "foreign" school; he goes to study philosophy in Paris; he returns to Sénégal. What the book is, is a series of conversations and monologues about the relations of traditional and Western culture. Essentially, it's a manifesto of "négritude", the prose equivalent of Leopold Sénghor's poetry. The difference is that the "négritude" of Kane is strongly permeated with Islam. The viewpoint here is anything but "ambiguous": Western culture is evil, materialistic and atheistic, and the Africans should resist it in the name of traditionalism, religion and spiritualism.
This is a disturbing novel, just because this ideology is so prevalent; in different forms, it is the central idea of radical Islamism, and even in the "spiritual" tendencies in for example the Native American movement. It is hard for a progressive person in America to both oppose the imperialist enterprise and neo-colonialism, and at the same time to realize that the movements opposing Western domination are often based on traditional religious ideas which are anything but progressive -- witness the Taliban and ISIS today. The West has destroyed or weakened the cultural integrity of the colonized peoples, without providing any adequate substitute; the Western ideologies of Christianity and democracy are basically hypocritical when applied to the colonial world, and entwined with economic exploitation and political domination. Of course, these theories ignore the fact that the West has often reinforced the most backward traditional elements when it was in its interests to do so, as when the Islamicists were used against the nationalist regimes in the Middle East or to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan.
Not an enjoyable novel to read, but one which casts light on important aspects of contemporary politics. The author was a cabinet minister and planning commissioner for the Sénégalese government after independence.
by Jim Gaffigan, 4****sThis is a fun look at parenting by a comedian I just love! I watch his show on TV which is about how he and his wife are raising their FIVE children in New York City! It is very good, and while reading the book, I could remember episodes I'd seen on TV. I could also remember how I felt when my son was small, but I only had ONE child to contend with! I really enjoyed this book, and I like that he is a nice, clean comic who kind of seems /acts like a big dumb guy, but is really a good guy who loves his wife and children very much -- which will win me over every time!! ;)
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As The Waltz Was Ending
– Emma Macallik Butterworth – 4**** This memoir is written for a young adult audience. It is very interesting to see how the historic events unfold through the eyes of a child, and how seductive the opportunities promised by the Nazis were to the young students they recruited. The book is rated as being for age 12 and older; there are some horrific experiences related here, so it may not be the best book for particularly sensitive youngsters.
Full Review HERE
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Life Studies: Stories
– Susan Vreeland – 3*** Vreeland is best known for her historical novels focusing on various artists. This is a collection of short stories that focus on art, but more on the people around the artist, rather than on the artist him/herself. The first half of the book is set in an historical time frame, the second half is contemporary. I really liked some of these stories, and others left me feeling ‘meh.’
Full Review HERE
José Eduardo Agualusa,
The Book of Chameleons
[2004; tr. 2006] 180 pagesAnother great novel of African literature, from Angola. The original title was O vendedor de passados, (literally, the seller of pasts) which is more descriptive of what it is about: Felix Ventura sells new “pasts”, respectable genealogies, to the nouveaux riches who want to become part of the Portuguese-speaking elite of the country. The novel is in short chapters narrated by a gecko (the lizard -- according to the author, he is meant to be a reincarnation of Jorge Luis Borges, although this is not really clear in the book itself, unless you know enough about his life to recognize it from a few “memories”.) About every third or fourth chapter is a dream.
The book begins with the coming of a new customer, a foreigner and photojournalist, who refuses to give his real name, for whom Ventura creates a new past as José Buchmann. The novel explores the way his new past becomes “real”, imposing itself even on those who know it is a fiction. What gives the novel its significance is that it makes a parallel between the individuals seeking new pasts and the construction of a new past for the country itself, denying the period of (so-called) socialism after independence. The real past, of both the main protagonist and the country, breaks in at the end in an unexpected ending.
Oddly, the description on the back cover calls the book a murder mystery, which is just wrong. Someone is killed near the end, but there is no mystery about why or by whom, as we see it happen. The real mysteries in the book are the identities of the different characters.
Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, 2**s
Who knows what this was about -- your guess is as good as mine -- and I just finished reading it! I don't really understand Vonnegut's writing. It's easy to read but I don't usually get the point. I guess I should be in a class where someone explains it all.
In Cat's Cradle, the narrator has decided to write a book about the man who invented the atomic bomb (fictional, but inspired by a real person). Events fit together like a puzzle to lead the narrator to a small island where the inventor's three adult children also arrive, along with some of the atomic matter that their father invented. Well, by accident some of this matter gets out and destroys everything on earth and all the people, except the narrator (who was still able to write this book) and about five other people there. The point? Be careful with atomic matter? Oh well... I got to mark it off several of my lists! ;)
Cyprian Ekwensi,
People of the City
[1954] 156 pagesOne of the earliest major works of Nigerian literature. This novel is the story of a crime reporter and Jazz musician in an unnamed city in Western Africa (probably Lagos). It is a description of urban life just before independence. The plot isn't all that strong, but the picture of society at the time is worth reading.
Owl Sees Owl by Laura Godwin
5 stars
I reviewed this for the Mock Caldecott Awards. This is a lovely picture book with beautiful illustrations. There are only 4 words for every 2 pages and they are all either nouns or verbs. It tells the story of a young owl's night flight--leaving the nest,what he sees on his journey and then his return home. I loved this.
A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny
4 stars
I was so excited to read the newest Inspector Gamache book and I was only a little disappointed. The book was read by Robert Bathurst, who always does a remarkable job with this series. The only reason I was disappointed is that it's been a year since I've read about the inspector and the town of Three Pines and although much of the book takes place in town, there is not nearly enough about the continuing characters as I hoped for. The plot revolves around the death of an instructor at the Sûreté du Québec, an academy for new up and coming cadets. Along with the body is a very unusual map that has a strange connection to Three Pines. Among the suspects is a one of the newest cadets, Amelia Choquet, who had been turned down for a spot in the academy and then admitted when Gamache reversed that decision. As usual, there several story lines that eventually merge beautifully into a complex, mesmerizing story.
Parallel by Lauren Miller
4 stars
Another great tale by Lauren Miller. Abby Barnes has planned what she wants to do with her life. She wants to be a journalist and she knows she wants to go to Northwestern. But one morning, there's a change in class choices and she has to pick something out of her comfort range. Her choice to take a drama class shows her that she has talents she never realized and the next thing she knows, she's been picked to star in a movie. The night before her birthday, she is on a date with her co-star and the next morning she wakes up at Yale with a roommate she's never seen. It turns out there's been a cosmic collision of parallel universes (called an earthquake by people who lived through it) and now she's living a new life determined by her parallel self in her senior year of high school. Every new decision then changes Abby's life now. It's a wild ride and I really enjoyed it. I thought the ending was very satisfying and it was not what I expected.
The Dhammapada
, translated by Juan Mascaró [3rd cent. BCE?; tr. 1973] 93 pagesThe ethical teachings of early monastic Buddhism. The emphasis is on self-control and asceticism. This is not a worldview I find especially appealing, but I can understand how some people find it attractive.
Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty
3 stars
I've had this on my "to be read" list for quite some time--probably ever since it was published last year. When I discovered that it was the One Book One Community for Bowling Green, Kentucky and their Southern Kentucky Book Fest, it gave me another push to get it read. This is written for 8 to 12 year olds but I found it interesting enough to enjoy the read. Serafina is a young girl who lives in the basement of the Biltmore estate along with her father who maintains the house and keeps things running. The Biltmores do not realize that the two live on the premises...in fact, they don't even know of Serafina's existence. Serafina has gotten the idea that her father is ashamed of her since she is somewhat different...her yellowish eyes can see in the dark but this is far from the truth. Suddenly, a dark and evil presence--a man in a midnight black cloak--starts stealing children from the estate and Serafina knows that she must track down this man and save the children if she can. Just a fun read with a mystery driving the action.
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
3 stars
Beautifully written but hauntingly sad. A young black girl whose belief is that if she just had blue eyes she would be beautiful and happy! Unfortunately, she is from a low income family and her life has been an uphill climb from the beginning. Ultimately, she is deceived by one of the very people that should always protect her. Heartbreaking.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
5 stars
I love all of the Flavia De Luce books!! ADDENDUM: I decided that I wanted to restart this series and read all of them and so had the pleasure of listening to this for the second time. I really enjoy Miss Flavia and her incredible knowledge of anything "science". This first in a series book brings together a dying man whispering the word "valet", a jacksnipe with a stamp stuck on his beak and the tale of an incredible magician. Between her continuing spats with her 2 sisters and her abilities to solve the most convoluted of crimes, the book definitely holds your attention. I really am looking forward to relistening to the second in the series. Wonderfully read by Jayne Entwistle.
Beverly wrote: "Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty
3 stars
I've had this on my "to be read" list for quite some time--probably ever since it was publis..."
I read this last year and enjoyed it also. I'm not sure that I want to go ahead with the series, though I'm glad I read the first one so I know what it's about :)
Terris wrote: "Beverly wrote: "Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty
3 stars
I've had this on my "to be read" list for quite some time--probably ever sin..."
I'm going to read the second one when I get to it (could be another year) but I'll let you know!!! :)
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A Few Fair Days
– Jane Gardam – 4**** Lucy is a young girl living in a small, seaside town in Yorkshire, in the years between the wars. This is a charming collection of stories about childhood, and reminds this reader of our greatest and most valuable plaything – imagination. I loved how they played pirates, explored the abandoned estate next door, or searched the seashore for “treasure.” At least one of their escapades had me laughing aloud. Just a lovely book.
Full Review HERE
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Throne of Jade
– Naomi Novik – 4**** In Book two of this series, the Chinese demand the return of the dragon known as Temeraire. Novik does a great job imagining a fantasy scenario where dragons are part of the Air Corps, while also keeping the reader in a (circa) 1801 time frame. The battle scenes are exciting, and the intrigue builds suspense. I really like the growing relationship between Temeraire and Capt Laurence. This is not my preferred genre, but I think I’m hooked on the series.
Full Review HERE
Beverly wrote: "Terris wrote: "Beverly wrote: "Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty
3 stars
I've had this on my "to be read" list for quite some time--pr..."
Oh good! Thanks :)
José Eduardo Agualusa,
A General Theory of Oblivion
[2013; tr. 2015] 244 pagesThis is I think Agualusa's most recent novel. An agoraphobic young woman bricks herself into her apartment about the beginning of Angolan independence. Her story alternates with connected stories of what's happening outside, which amount to a sketch of Angolan history up to the present. Well-written, although the style is not as good as The Book of Chameleons; the political analysis is somewhat weak, but better than most contemporary historical fiction. A good novel, but just short of a really great one.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
3 stars
So, even though I've known the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for years and years, the book was still a surprise to me. I think that part of this was due to having seen the stage play twice and I thought there was actually a "love" element to the book, which would have made the overall impact even more tragic. Overall the basic story was much the way I thought it went but since it's such a short book the impact was stronger than I expected. It really came down to the fact that this poor man just came to a point where he had no choice in which personality took control of his life. I enjoyed the read.
What If? by Randall Munroe, 4****s
This was an interesting & fun (& sometimes funny!) book answering absurd questions with highly scientific answers. I enjoyed it even though I didn't understand half of it! I just liked thinking that people were curious enough to think of and ask these far-fetched questions, and that the author cared enough to want to try to answer them with as much precision as possible. What a brain Randall Munroe must have! I'm really impressed!
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Midaq Alley by Naguib MahfouzAUDIO in the car –
Dracula by Bram StokerPortable AUDIO –
Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery
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Caddie Woodlawn
– Carol Ryrie Brink– 4****
This Newbery Award winner tells the story of Caddie Woodlawn, age about 12, in 1864 Wisconsin. Caddie is a courageous, intelligent and resourceful girl. The story reminds me a bit of Laura Ingalls Wilders’ “Little House” books, and that is definitely a good comparison.
Full Review HERE
All Good Deeds by Stacy Green, 4****s
Very exciting! Lucy Kendall is a private detective, and formerly worked for Child Protective Services. Her goal in life is to get rid of pedafiles. In this book Lucy gets involved with a case in which a little girl is kidnapped, and she suspects a man who was involved in one of her previous CPS cases. However, as she gets deeper into the case, she finds that several of the major players are connected to each other. Is it a coincidence? The story is woven together in a very fine way and really keeps the reader thinking. It was well-written and was pretty believable. I also liked the ending. I highly recommend this book!
I just finished The Plague by Albert Camus. It was pretty interesting, a little slow, but interesting. It describes how a town, of around 200,000 in the 1940's, deals with being completely shut off from the rest of society while being quarantined for several months. They are not allowed to communicate with loved ones by letter because they don't want to spread the plague through the paper. Also, if anyone happened to be visiting or doing business at the time of the "closing" they had to stay. Although there is not a lot of action, the story really makes you think about how you might act in the same position.
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Sit! Stay! Speak!
– Annie England Noblin – 1* Addie Andrews has inherited her Aunt Tilda’s house in tiny Eunice Arkansas, so she moves from Chicago, and the painful memories there, to refurbish the homestead and heal from her wounds. The best part of this novel – and unfortunately it’s a small part – is Felix, the pit bull puppy; and I say that even though I’m not a “dog person.” I knew going in that it was chick lit, and I wasn’t expecting great literature but this was really bad.
Full Review HERE
Character, Driven by David Lubar
4 stars
A cleverly written book. I particularly enjoyed the societal references and the word play. I also really liked the way the main character occasionally addressed the reader, as in an aside. Our narrator is Cliff, a young high schooler, whose growth is remarkable, especially considering the truth of his situation--which is revealed very near the end of the book. The book is aptly named and I'm glad I read it.
The Walking Dead, Vol. 5 The Best Defense by Robert Kirkman
4 stars
Continuing to enjoy reading these graphic novels, even though I find more and more differences from the TV series. I have a long way to catch up!!
Before Morning by Joyce Sidman
5 stars
What a lovely book. This is one that I would love to have for myself. The illustrations done in scratch board and watercolors are wonderful. The tinting is done so delicately and the detail is amazing. The book starts out with pictures of folks going about their evenings, unaware of what awaits them in the morning. Then soft blue and white snowflakes began to appear on the pages until everyone awakes to a beautiful snowfall. The book is written in the form of an invocation and is just soothing. I actually had chills as I read it.
The Walking Dead, Vol. 6: This Sorrowful Life by Robert Kirkman
4 stars
I'm almost through the contents of the first compendium and really enjoying the read. You would think that reading the graphic novel would be easier than watching the TV show--but even though the TV show is violent (and sometimes disgusting), some of the violence in the graphic novel is even more intense.
Those Girls by Chevy Stevens
2 stars
Oh boy--I listened to this based on a recommendation from Library Reads...really Library Reads? I guess if people enjoy reading about young girls being held hostage, raped and beaten; then by all means they should give this book a shot. Three sisters escape from an abusive father (so we've already read about violence regarding that) and while on the run, they are kidnapped and abused by some guys that offer to help with some vehicle maintenance. When they finally escape that situation, they attempt to build a new life for themselves. Unfortunately, visions of revenge eventually end up bringing them right back into the same kind of dangerous situation. The section of the book dealing with the sisters getting on with their lives is OK but the rest was just entirely too much violence for me to enjoy reading the book.
The Walking Dead, Vol. 7: The Calm Before by Robert Kirkman
4 stars
Moving right along through these graphic novels. I just have one more single volume and then Compendiums 2 and 3. Continuing to enjoy the ride although these have so many distinctions from the TV show.
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Pax
– Sara Pennypacker – 4**** Peter is forced to turn his pet fox, Pax, loose in the woods, but then reconsiders and sets out to rescue his beloved pet. This is a wonderful tale of loyalty, love, grief and perseverance. The point of view shifts from from Pax’s story to Peter’s experiences by chapters. Both Peter and Pax have been betrayed and are distrustful as a result. They draw on reserves of strength, courage and perseverance they didn’t know they had to help not only themselves but those around them.
Full Review HERE
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Journey to the River Sea
– Eva Ibbotson – 4**** Maia is an orphan in London, in the early 1900s who is sent to live with distant relatives on their rubber plantation in Brazil. What a lovely adventure / coming-of-age story! Maia is a strong female character – intelligent, kind, generous, brave, resourceful and loyal. I did think the Carter family – father, mother, and twins – were rather stereotypical “villains,” but that is a small quibble. This is a children’s book, after all, and I don’t expect the same subtleties that I would in literature written for adults.
Full Review HERE
A Gathering In Hope by Philip Gulley, 4****s
Philip Gulley has done it again -- he has lifted my spirits and made me laugh at the antics of his Quaker congregation! In this "episode"a deceased parishioner has left their Quaker church a million dollars and minister Sam has to try to keep everyone in line as they decide what to do with the money. A few of the group decide that they should build an addition onto the church. But when they apply for a building permit, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) finds that the church attic and surrounding trees are filled with endangered Indiana brown bats. And when someone in the church kills over 100 of the bats and someone else cuts down two of the trees that the bats were living in, the DNR is not happy, and Sam must try to keep his little church together and try to keep them from going to jail!
So funny! And also apropos in the area where I live, as only 30 miles away reconstruction on a fairly large bridge had to be delayed because the endangered Indiana bats cannot be disturbed during their mating season: April 1 - October 1. So work had to be stopped until after October 1st!
This is another good book by Philip Gulley and I highly recommend it! :)
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TEXT –
Midaq Alley by Naguib MahfouzAUDIO in the car –
The Dinner by Herman KochPortable AUDIO –
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
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A Gathering In Hope by Philip Gulley, 4****s
Philip Gulley has done it again -- he has lifted my spirits and made me laugh at the antics of his Quaker congr..."
I just love Philip Gulley!
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Dracula
– Bram Stoker – 5***** Stoker wrote this as a series of journal or diary entries, letters and newspaper clippings. This gives a certain immediacy to the writing, and builds suspense. The novel is wonderfully atmospheric; from the delights of a new culture as Harker first experiences the loveliness of Eastern Europe, to the creepy, skin-crawling scene with the hordes of rats, and finally to the “pure-white” snow of the mountain blizzard, time and again Stoker puts the reader smack dab in the middle of the scenes. But the novel is more than just a horror story. There are several themes which would be great for book group discussion.
Full Review HERE
Book Concierge wrote: "Oct 23 – currently readingTEXT –
Midaq Alley by Naguib MahfouzAUDIO in the car –
[book:The Dinner|157979..."I have not read Herman Koch but I have "The Dinner" and "Dear Mr. M" sitting on my side table right now! So I'll be watching for your review to see what you think :)
RebeccaRebecca by Daphne du Maurier
5 stars
This was a reread for me but I was thrilled to be reading it again--it was almost like reading it for the first time. Such a Gothic romance but such a satisfying tale. A young girl is "learning" to be a companion for a wealthy, older woman and in the process meets a wealthy widower who finds her charming. They fall in love, marry and return to his home at Manderley where she is immediately intimidated by the memory of Max's first wife, Rebecca who was beautiful, in charge and loved by seemingly everyone. All is not as it seems though and as the mystery surrounding Rebecca's drowning unfolds, secrets are revealed that will surprise everyone.
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Anne’s House of Dreams
– L M Montgomery – 4**** What I love about these books is Anne, herself. She’s so optimistic and friendly, with good common sense, a kind heart, and a generous spirit. She is no stranger to trouble and heartache, and this book definitely includes some heart-wrenching events. I love the young woman she has become.
Full Review HERE
NPR: Laughter Therapy by NPR, 4****sI'm an NPR fanatic, and I really enjoyed listening to this audio book of interviews with Phyllis Diller, Joan Rivers, Eugene Levy, Mel Brooks, and more; and all the humorous news story -- some real, some not! Only two hours and very enjoyable!
Paging All Bookworms!
Books mentioned in this topic
Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat (other topics)The Island of Doctor Moreau (other topics)
The Other Woman (other topics)
Midaq Alley (other topics)
Finding Audrey (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Naguib Mahfouz (other topics)Naguib Mahfouz (other topics)
Herman Koch (other topics)
Anna Sewell (other topics)
Naguib Mahfouz (other topics)
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