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What Are You Reading / Reviews - January 2017
I just finished The Medici: Power, Money, and Ambition in the Italian Renaissance. The writing style is very readable almost like a novel. Strathern fleshes out the major players and gives good historical backgrounds. Also maps are included which is essential to any history book.
The Tibetan Book of the Dead or The After-Death Experiences on the
Bardo Plane, according to Lāma Kazi Dawa-Samdup's English Rendering, compiled and edited by W.Y. Evans-Wentz [1927; 3rd ed. 1957] 333 pages This book was the first English translation of the Tibetan Bardo Thödol; Evans-Wentz, an American Theosophist who studied both Egyptian religion and Buddhism, gave it the title "Book of the Dead" based on the similarity in function to the Egyptian Book of the Dead (actually not the title of either book; the Egyptian book is called "The Book of Coming Forth by Day", and the Tibetan title means "Liberation by Hearing in the Intermediate State".) The book is intended to be recited in the presence of the deceased, or an effigy of the deceased, for forty-nine days after death, as a guide to achieving Nirvana, or failing that, to achieving the best possible reincarnation. Despite superficial resemblances to the Egyptian book, the Bardo Thödol is based on a very different view of the afterlife; where the Egyptian book presumes that the demons and so forth are real and offers spells and advice for dealing with them, the Buddhist work emphasizes that the visions seen after death are illusions steming from the person's own consciousness and the purpose is to allow him to recognize them as such and thus escape from the world of illusion. Traditionally, the Bardo Thödol is ascribed to Padma Sambhava, who established the first Buddhist community in Tibet in 749; Evans-Wentz considered that it was compiled by his disciples shortly after that time; many scholars consider that it was actually written in the fourteenth century. This is a very different form of Buddhism than the Dhammapada, which is the only other Buddhist work I've read so far; while that represented the ethical, philosophical Buddhism, this represents the Mahayana, Tantric Buddhism of Tibet with its many deities and spiritual beings and intricate beliefs about the cosmos and the afterlife.
In addition to the translation itself, which takes up 128 pages in this edition, or less than half the book, there are four Prefaces, a Psychological Commentary by Carl Jung (which was interesting as showing the connections between his theory of the collective unconscious and the ideas of reincarnation and collective consciousness), an Introductory Foreword, a Foreword, a lengthy Introduction, and several Addenda (essentially long notes) at the end. There are a number of more recent translations, more complete and based on better texts (one with an introduction by the Dalai Lama) and in more idiomatic and understandable English, so for someone interested in the Bardo Thödol for its own sake, this probably wouldn't be the best version to read; but since I read it for its influence on other books I'm planning to read on the philosophy and history of religion, most of which were written in the 1930s and 1940s, this edition and its secondary matter is the one that they were based on.
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Our Souls At Night
- Kent Haruf - 5***** In the small (fictional) town of Holt, Colorado, Addie Moore drops in on her neighbor, Louis Waters one evening, and asks if he isn’t as lonesome for conversation and companionship as she is. What follows is a beautifully written story of a mature couple in a different, but very loving, relationship. The strength and dignity with which they faced life endeared them to me.
LINK to my review
TO CAPTURE WHAT WE CANNOT KEEP - Beatrice Colin5 stars
289 pages
I absolutely devoured TO CAPTURE WHAT WE CANNOT KEEP and just loved it! If this, my first book of 2017 is any indication of my reading enjoyment will be for the year, then I'm all set.
Cait is a young widow who works as a companion for two rich and pretty much obnoxious (in the late 1800 time period) siblings on the brink of adulthood (approx. 20) where they travel to Paris to spend time. This is when the Eiffel Tower is being erected, and the time period, characters, and story fit together well. There is drama - the old fashioned kind but drama all the same - and art and of course, love and love-making.
The main character, Cait, is very strong given her circumstances, and the main male character, Emile, is no slouch in the emotional strength department either. Attempts to manipulate him do not work out well, and as we read on we can just tell he has a heart. Two great characters who are written perfectly for the time period.
Part I sets up the story and then it just takes off from there. Love the ending!
Beyond Reach by Karin Slaughter
Grant County #6
4 ★
Sara Linton--resident medical examiner/pediatrician in Grant County, Georgia, --has plenty of hardship to deal with, including defending herself in a heartbreaking malpractice suit. So when her husband, Police chief Jeffery Tolliver, learns that his friend and coworker detective Lena Adams has been arrested for murder and needs Sara's help, she is not sure she can handle the pressure of it all.
But soon Sara and Jeffery are sitting through evidence, peeling back the layers of a mystery that grows darker by the day--until an intricate web of betrayal and vengeance begins to unravel. And suddenly the lives of Sara, Lena, and Jeffery are hanging by the slenderest of threads.
My Thoughts:
Beyond Reach was a riveting tale focused around Lena, her uncle and her past. The reader learns some shocking details and many surprises pop up. I enjoyed the way the book chapters alternated between Lena and Jeffrey up until their stories met. The deaths are pretty gruesome as well. The author sure does know how to use descriptive words. The book was a roller coaster ride of emotions. Especially the ending. I was mad and sad all at the same time. I would recommend the series to anyone who likes strong characters and interesting story lines.
Stars Above by Marissa Meyer
Lunar Chronicles #4.5
4 ★
This was an nice addition to the series. We got the back story on all the main characters and I'm happy about that. I was curious about a lot of them. We learn how Selene became Cinder, how Scarlet ended up with Michelle Benoit, how Ze'ev joined the Queen's army and became Wolf, how Cress ended up in the satellite, how Winter got her scars and why she refuses to use her gift and how Cinder and Kai met. We also got a little story from Thorne's childhood. The best was the wedding story at the end. The Little Android was an interesting story about an android who starts having feelings for a human, but it was out of place in the book. It didn't belong with the other stories.
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The Koala of Death - Betty Webb – 3***
I like this cozy series for the information about the animals and the relationships between Teddy and her mother, Caro, and boyfriend, Sheriff Joe Rejas. Webb gives us plenty of suspects and twists in the plot that keep the reader guessing right up to the end.
LINK to my review
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The Prince and the Pauper - Mark Twain – 4****
This is a wonderful classic that explores the difference in class in 16th century England, and the ways that appearance effects how one is treated. Both boys learn much from their experience as “the other.” It’s a wonderful lesson in “walking in the other person’s shoes.” Twain’s use of 16th-century English may be a little off-putting to today’s readers; I recommend listening to the audio.
LINK to my review
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The Woman in Cabin 10 - Ruth Ware – 3***
This reminded me so much of The Girl on the Train that I’m surprised editors didn’t call Ware on certain plot points. Ware uses a mixed time frame … interspersing emails or news reports that occur AFTER the main events on board ship described by Lo’s first-person narrative. This foreshadowing should add additional suspense, but I found it confusing and not really helpful. Still, it’s a decently written thriller, with plenty of twists and turns in the plot to keep the reader guessing.
LINK to my review
Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
4 stars
Another book that was not at all what I expected. I listened to the audio read by Kathleen Wilhoite and that was certainly a treat. I loved her voice and it was perfect for this quirky tale. Between the overgrown blackberry vines, the assistant from India and the daughter, Bea insisting on a trip to Antarctica as her reward for her amazing grades, the craziness just never lets up. Just one silliness after another. A quick read that kept me chuckling.
The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge
3 stars
This was an interesting book but even though this is generally the very type of book I would usually love, I had a really difficult time buying into the story line. Faith Sunderly's family is moving to the island of Vane. Her father has fallen into disfavor with his followers after "faking" certain archaeological finds and they are moving, hoping to make a new start. Unfortunately, even in their new environment, news gets around and soon the family is once again under barrage. When Faith's father dies under unusual circumstances, everyone thinks he committed suicide and he is refused a proper burial. It is left up to Faith to discover exactly what happened to her father and why. Being abnormally clever and inquisitive, she is soon on the trail to the truth.
Bob Dylan,
Chronicles, Volume One
[2004] 293 pagesI found another Dylan book in my garage. This is the first volume of his memoirs -- I'm not taking bets on whether there will be a second one. It's not a complete autobiography, and not really in chronological order; just tableaux of various important times in his life. It begins (and ends) with him signing his first contracts, jumps ahead to his trying to avoid the results of his fame and the demands of his fans during the early days of his marriage (the period of his greatest success is absent entirely), talks about making an album in the 1980s, then goes back to his early encounters with folk music in Minnesota. It may not be all that reliable or as accurate as some of the biographies, but it is certainly a lot more interesting.
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297 pages
★★★★ ½
On the evening of May 31, 1921 a young black man was accused of assault on a white woman in the white district of Tulsa, Oklahoma. When he was arrested and jailed in the black district called Greenwood (a fairly prosperous area called “The Black Wall Street”, many took it upon themselves to go and lynch the young man (the whites) or to protect the young man and their district (the blacks), a gunshot would ring out (from which side isn’t known) and all hell would break loose. By the next day, hundreds were dead, practically a whole community was burned to the ground, and fear was everywhere. It would go down as one of the worst, if not THE worst, in race riots within the United States. And within weeks people move on with life and it wouldn’t be talked about for decades, even within the Tulsa communities itself.
I saw some small article on the race riot in Tulsa and became fascinated with this little know part in history. How could so many people perish, so much destruction occur, and yet it be so easily forgotten? I found this book and was hoping it would be a good one on the subject since honestly, the choices are limited. But wow, this was a very well written and researched book that I just couldn’t put down. I was so invested in reading about these people and their harrowing stories. My heart broke over and over again and at times I even found myself crying at the atrocities that went down. The book flowed well and captures the intensity of that night and morning in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Definitely worth the read if one gets the chance! This is the kind of story that should never be forgotten. Race is still very much an issue in today’s society and as they say… "Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it."
Alexander von Humboldt,
Kosmos: Entwurf einer physischen Weltbeschreibung, Volume 2
[1847] 521 pages [in German, Kindle]The second volume of Humboldt's Kosmos, this was not what I expected it to be (a more detailed version of the general sketch in the first volume); it was actually a history of the development of overall views of the physical world, from the time of the early Greeks to the beginning of the eighteenth century. The first few chapters deal with the view of the world as expressed in art and literature (and emphasize the Indian over the European works); the rest deals with the major events which changed humanity's view of the Cosmos: the discovery of the Black Sea, the discovery of the Indian Ocean, the expeditions of Alexander, the Roman Empire, the development of Arab science, the discovery of America, and the scientific revolution from Copernicus to Newton. This is one of the most interesting histories of science I have read, despite its age; especially impressive in its relative freedom from Eurocentrism -- he considers the modern scientific worldview to be essentially a product of the Arab world. As with the first volume, this was very hard to read due to the poor formatting of the Kindle edition; and despite my enjoyment of the book I think I will skip the third and fourth volumes until either Amazon fixes the Kindle version or I manage to find a print edition.
Just finished Tender Is the Night
by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 3***sSet in the late 1920's, the story is about a couple who are together for the wrong reasons and how their lives, especially the man's, spiral downward. I know that's not too much information, but that's kind of what I got out of it. I know it's a big classic, and is said to be autobiographical of Fitzgerald's own life. But it didn't say a lot to me except about how "that group" of Americans traveled around Europe in the '20's without much aim or goal. It wasn't very good for them, I don't think. And many of those stories tend to turn out sad.
I'm glad I read it, but it was not a favorite for me.
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When Books Went to War - Molly Guptil Manning - 4****
While Nazis were burning books in Europe, Americans were trying to get more books distributed to the men fighting in the war. Manning does a wonderful job of including the history of the times and the challenges faced by the Council, including efforts to censor the books that would be included. I was completely fascinated and engaged from beginning to end.
LINK to my review
Candy Cane Murder by Joanna Fluke, Laura Levine and Leslie Meier
3 stars
Another 3 pack of just so so. And again, the story by Leslie Meier was my favorite, probably because I'm so familiar with her series characters. This one, Candy Canes of Christmas Past, helped to fill in Miss Tilly's history, while giving Lucy another mystery to solve--even though it was a mystery from the past. Candy Cane Murder by Joanna Fluke is a wealth of cookie recipes if nothing else. The last offering, The Dangers of Candy Canes by Laura Levine was my least favorite mostly because I don't like her cat, Prozac. No hate mail please. Anyway, they were all quick holiday reads and I'm really glad I learned more about Miss Tilly's background and it fulfilled a read for a challenge so..on to the next book!
Book Concierge wrote: "When Books Went to War
- Molly Guptil Manning - 4****
While Nazis were burning books in Europe, Americans were trying to get more books distributed t..."
I read this a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it! Heard about it on NPR :)
Dead Until Dark
(Sookie Stackhouse #1)
By Charlaine Harris
4 ★
Vampires are now allowed to live like humans and Bill Compton decides to move back to his home town of Bon Temps. He meets a waitress named Sookie Stackhouse and they become attracted to each other. When I couple of women turn up dead, Bill and Jason both become suspects. I've watched the HBO series True Blood, so I knew how this book was going to start and finish, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit. Sookie is a strong female character with flaws, but she handles them with grace. Although she is a good girl, she's not as innocent as she is portrayed in the series. Bill seems more loving in the book and Sookie's brother, Jason, was just off for me. He didn't come across as a very likable person. I found him mean and selfish. Eric, owner of Fangtasia, is my favorite character. Mysterious and handsome. I look forward to continuing this series.
Settle for More by Megyn Kelly5 stars
Like many, I did not know who Megyn Kelly was before her run-in with Donald Trump. I was hoping in the book she would address the issues she had with him and she did. Even though the public knows most of what happened, the book gives her personal take on the situation. It really is amazing how childish a 70 year old man can be, especially one that is going to lead the country.
What I enjoyed the most were the stories about her mother and grandmother. These two are hilarious and I think she should write a book about these two.
I think this would be a good book to give a young girl or woman to teach them that they can do anything if they work hard and persevere. That is the main message of the book.
The Steep & Thorny Way by Cat Winters
4 stars
Hanalee Denney is the product of a bi-racial marriage. Her black father ended up dead one night after Joe Adder, a local teenager, had a little too much to drink and hit him with his Model T. Joe served a prison term but now he's back in town and Hanalee wants revenge. But does she know the real reason her father died? Everything she believed about the accident has been turned around and she's not sure who to trust. This was an interesting book with a number of social issues--homosexuality, the Ku Klux Klan, biracial marriage--all set in a small town in Oregon in 1923.
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Constellation of Vital Phenomena – Anthony Marra – 4****
I had considerable difficulty getting into this novel. Perhaps it was because I was listening rather than reading, but Marra’s moving back and forth in time, and changing points of view, just confused me. I did not connect to the characters at first and didn’t understand their relationships and connections. But that, I suppose, is Marra’s intention. We do not often know why someone crosses our path, what connections she or he brings, what influence he or she will have on our future. We do not know when hope and grace, courage and dignity may find their way into our lives. We can only pray that they do.
LINK to my review
Britt-Marie Was Here
by Fredrik Backman, 5*****sThe story of Britt-Marie started in Fredrik Backman's "My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry." And when I found out that it was the same character from that book, I didn't think I wanted to read it. I did not like her in that book at all. But, of course, she is supposed to be unlikable. However, you can't help but like her as you get to know her better.
In this book, she is going off by herself, after some traumatic experiences in her life, trying to start anew. She goes to the unemployment office (which is such a funny scene!) and is able to get a temporary job in a local village that is economically stressed and about to go under.
As Britt-Marie is a person who needs to be needed, she, in a rather unusual way, begins to fit in and find a place for herself. There are several dramatic things that happen that really pull at your heart. And I just loved it.
This book just spoke to my soul.
I know that it was probably supposed to be a light, funny story -- and it kind of was. But I got much more out of it, and it may be one of my favorite books! I think I identified with Britt-Marie because I am such a list-maker and rule follower, that I could see her point on a few things. But, of course, she was extreme. Also, she has no social skills or sense of humor. But as I said before, as you find out about her background, you get to know why she is the way she is. Many of the silly things she does, such as all the cleaning with baking soda(!), are self-preservation and self-defense mechanisms. And in this book she really begins to find herself and tries to learn to do things that she wants/needs to do - not just do for others which aren't always the right things for her.
Also, Fredrik Backman's style of writing in this book hit my funny bone in such a way that I just wanted to laugh and laugh (I read the first chapter aloud to my husband because I thought it was so funny!!)! I have no idea how others will feel, but already, on January 11th, I think I've just read my favorite book of the year!! :
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The Shooting - James Boice - 3***
There is no question that America’s gun culture needs to be examined and understood, if it is ever to be changed. Boice turns a critical eye on BOTH sides of this issue; there are no easy answers here, but Boice poses some important questions. I like that he manages to give us very complex characters, who have a variety of reasons for behaving as they do. On the other hand, I was not a fan of the constant shift in point of view / voice and time frame. The message is visceral and disturbing and thought-provoking.
LINK to my review
Finished Disco Bloodbath last week and it's still on my mind. St. James way of writing had me laughing despite the subject matter at hand.Right now I'm finishing The Magician's Land by Lev Grossman.
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Portrait in Sepia - Isabel Allende – 4****
This is the third book Allende has written about the Del Valle family, after The House of the Spirits and Daughter of Fortune. I love Allende’s writing. There is a decidedly Latin beat to the flow of her sentences. And her descriptions are full of sensory highlights. The characters are larger than life and run the gamut from a wealthy Chilean grand dame to a Chinese herbalist to an English butler and a Serbian physician. I think I need to go back to THotS and read it again.
LINK to my review
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Nine Days to Christmas - Marie Hall Ets & Aurora Labastida – 4****
The subtitle is: A Story of Mexico, and this charming picture book details the preparations and festivities surrounding las posadas, a procession and celebration of Joseph and Mary seeking shelter in Bethlehem. The illustrations by Ets are wonderfully detailed, and she won the Caldecott medal for her work. Labastida’s text, and Ets’s drawings bring the streets of Mexico City alive.
LINK to my review
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A Big Sky Christmas - William W Johnstone & J A Johnstone – 2**
It’s a stereotypical Western tale … cardboard characters right out of central casting, a band of “varmints” set on revenge, an actress fleeing from a rich man intent on having his way with her, and the cowboy who loves her, Indians, buffalo, and the kinds of natural disasters that plagued many a wagon train. Still, it’s a fast read, with a plot that kept me interested enough to keep turning pages. Oh, and if you’re looking for a “Christmas” book … look elsewhere. This is really just a Western romance set during early winter, with a plot that culminates on Christmas Day
LINK to my review
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Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon by Bronwen Dickey
330 pages
★★★★
Let’s start by saying that pit bull is NOT a breed but is a type of dog describing many different dogs, usually with similar physical aspects. Also, this a pro-pit bull book, so perhaps not for everyone, but I hope it can change some people’s minds. From a personal aspect, I have worked or volunteered in dog rescues, humane societies, veterinarian offices, training facilities, and kennels. I am a certified veterinarian assistant and own my own dog walking/pet sitting business for years. So I have dealt with many different types and breeds of dogs and just like people, each one is different mentally and physically. I am a big believer that clumping all of one type of breed is ridiculous, just as it is with humans. Yeah Leah, so you’re a dog person but what about being attacked? Do you know that fear?! Why, yes I do. I have been attacked on three different occasions by dogs (two pit bulls and a great dane) – leaving scars on my face and hands and yes, it was terrifying. That doesn’t change my opinion. The point being, I have been very interested in this book since I heard about it.
I really enjoyed this book. Yes, it’s pro-pit bull but I felt it was very fair in showing both sides. The author interviews people from both sides, discusses statistics, the history, the current situation and what may lie ahead for the pit bull type of dog. It was well researched and I loved the passion found throughout by so many people. It was fascinating to read about the assumptions so many make, especially when it comes to race, gender, and poverty. This book goes way beyond the story about pit bulls but about people and nature. Definitely a fascinating books for me. It was one of those non-fiction books that kept me up past my bedtime more than once.
I just finished One Hundred Years of Solitude
by Gabriel Garcia Marquez! I'm so proud of myself for finishing it!Now I'm listening to The Sleepwalker
, Chris Bohjalian's new one, and reading Don't Look Now and Other Stories
by Daphne DuMaurier and The Four Million and Other Stories
by O. Henry.
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The Wedding Dress: Stories From the Dakota Plains - Carrie Young – 4****
This is a collection of short stories set primarily during the early part of the 20th century to shortly after World War II. Young explores the lives of the people of Little Butte, North Dakota, who are mostly Norweigian immigrants (or descended from them). All of the stories feature characters that fairly leap off the page, they are so real. The landscape is cold and bleak, especially during the Dust Bowl years, but the kitchens are warm and inviting. This is the first work by Young that I’ve read; it will not be the last.
LINK to my review
The High Mountains of Portugal by Yann Martel
3 stars
I must say that Mr. Martel certainly has an imagination. I did not like this book as much as Life of Pi but I really admire the layers and connections that pull this story together. The book is divided into 3 parts. The first part tells the story of Tomas, who in 1904 travels to the high mountains of Portugal in search of an artifact. His journey consists of walking backwards and learning to operate one of the earliest automobiles. Some 35 years later, a pathologist who is obsessed with Agatha Christie novels, becomes entangled in a mysterious death and then 50 years further on a Canadian widower, whose family is originally from Portugal, returns to the high mountains with a chimpanzee and finally brings the century old mystery to an end. The audio was read by Mark Bramhall and his performance was fine. The experience was entertaining, I just wasn't "wowed".
Ghostly: A Collection of Ghost Stories by Audrey Niffenegger
4 stars
This was a great collection of "ghostly" stories. Authors ranged from Edgar Allan Poe to Neil Gaiman and only 1 of the 16--The Open Window by Saki--was a reread. There were even offerings by Edith Wharton and Rudyard Kipling, who knew they wrote any ghost stories. Just a great, entertaining read for anyone who likes the psychological type of ghost stories, rather than the "gross out" type.
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A Place Called Hope - Philip Gulley – 3***
I love Gulley’s series; I welcome a gentle read now and again, where I can visit with old friends. He has a gift for writing humorous stories about small-town life, but instilling a message of tolerance, peace and love. Here’s hoping that Sam Gardner’s adventures in Hope will continue to entertain and inspire for years to come.
LINK to my review
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James
1 star
First...not brief. At almost 700 pages and the majority of it written in Jamaican dialect, I thought I would never finish this. Add to that excessive and explicit violence and a lot of objectionable language and I would never recommend this to anyone. The story is about the intention to kill the singer Bob Marley and the repercussions after the attempt. However, if the blurb on the jacket hadn't told me that, I would never have known that he was the intended victim. He is referred to only as the "Singer" throughout the book. Not being familiar with his body of work, the song references were of no help to me. I will say, though, that the references to the music, literature and television programs of the day were the only things that I found interesting.
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TEXT -
Breathing Lessons / Anne TylerAUDIO in the car -
The Husband / Dean KoontzMP3 Player AUDIO -
Maisie Dobbs / Jacqueline Winspear
Ernest Hemingway,
The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway: The Finca Vigía Edition
[1987] 650 pagesThis edition contains the stories that were published in The First Forty-nine (which included the three earlier books, In Our Time, Men Without Women, and Winner Take Nothing, and four other stories including “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” and “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber”) and another 21 stories that were published elsewhere or unpublished. (Since this came out, there have been more complete editions but the additional materials are not very important except for Hemingway specialists.)
The stories are what one would expect from Hemingway, largely concerned with “masculine” activities such as war, smuggling, bullfighting, hunting and fishing. There are a number of “Nick Adams” stories set in Michigan, stories set during World War I and the Spanish Civil War, and others set in Spain and Cuba. Despite having been vaccinated against Hemingway in high school, I enjoyed many of these stories; I like Hemingway’s style when it’s by Hemingway, although I dislike most of the writers who imitate it.
David Mitchell,
Black Swan Green
[2006] 294 pagesI read this for an online discussion group. David Mitchell is better known for such literary fiction as Cloud Atlas, which has been on my reading list (though not a high priority) for quite a while. I had never read any of his books. This one is in a more ordinary realist style. The protagonist is a thirteen year old boy in a small town in Worcestershire, England, in 1982 (there are mentions of Thatcher and the Malvinas War). I had difficulty getting into the book at first, because it seemed to me to be a standard Young Adult novel, about bullying, the difficulties of high school life, a dysfunctional family -- the usual themes of YA fiction when it's not fantasy. Of course, not all books about teenagers being bullied are YA -- I can think of La Ciudad y los Perros and A Tale for the Time Being which are certainly not -- but this novel seemed to be addressed to the potential victims rather than to adults, with lessons about "good and bad secrets", honesty, and tolerance. In addition, it seemed to me to be somewhat anachronistic -- I was surprised to find that the author grew up during that period, because it seemed to me that he was describing the times I grew up in, the fifties and sixties: the young protagonist is worried about the Russians (after Vietnam and ten years of detente), the teachers are utterly indifferent to bullying and consider stammering a form of bad behavior rather than a disability, and so forth. But maybe Britain is different than the US in these regards, or was more affected by Thatcher than we were by Reagan. I began to enjoy it more after the chapter with Madame Crommelynck; it seemed to become more adult and more literary. By the end, I liked the book and thought it was very well written -- but still rather YA.
Heart of a Killer by David Rosenfelt
4 stars
A dead husband, a wife that admits she killed him, a daughter with a serious heart condition that requires a transplant and a young attorney who suddenly lands with a case in his lap...not really sure he wants this much responsibility. Jamie Wagner, after reviewing the case, doesn't believe that Sheryl actually killed her husband, the evidence doesn't add up but at this point she's already served 4 years of her sentence. She wants to donate her heart to her daughter Karen because she has the same rare blood type and figures it's the best chance Karen has. The choice seemed to be a decision to commit suicide which is against the law so Jamie wades in to convince the legal system otherwise. He has no idea how convoluted the case will become and what terrifying consequences will occur. I enjoyed this book and thought the plot was so original. This was my first read from this author and wish I had read it rather than listened. The reader was Tadd Morgan and I did not really care for his voice.
Side Jobs by Jim Butcher
The Dresden Files # 12.5
4 ★
Here, together for the first time, are the shorter from Jim Butcher's DRESDEN FILES series — a compendium of cases that Harry and his cadre of allies managed to close in record time. The tales range from the deadly serious to the absurdly hilarious. Also included is a new, never-before-published novella that takes place after the cliff-hanger ending of the new April 2010 hardcover, Changes.
My Thoughts
This collection of short stories is a nice addition to the series. Most of the stories are told by Harry, but one is told by Thomas and the last story covers the aftermath of the previous book and is told by Karin Murphy. I enjoyed these stories the most. The change in perspective was nice. All of the stories are highly entertaining and quick to read. I recommend anyone who is writing this series to read it.
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Mrs Lincoln’s Dressmaker – Jennifer Chiaverini – 3***
This was an interesting look at an era in history that we already know much about. I enjoyed the historical references and Elizabeth’s point of view of many of the events. It was an engaging story that held my interest. But … I wish Chiaverini had given us more of Elizabeth in the novel and less of Mrs Lincoln.
LINK to my review
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The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway: The Finca Vigía Edition
[1987] 650 pages
Despite having been vaccinated against Hemingway in high school, I enjoyed many of these stories; I like Hemingway’s style when it’s by Hemingway, although I dislike most of the writers who imitate it...."
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by Aspen Matis3.5 stars
I would probably really give this book a 3.5 rating. When I first started it, I just could not feel any compassion for this woman. Debby goes off to college and on her second night there she experiences the horrible experience of being raped. Because of this, since the college pretty much ignores her story, she leaves school and shortly, because she doesn't get much sympathy or support from her parents either, decides to hike the entire Pacific Coast Trail. Basically, she was trying to run away from the attack and all it's memories. Much like with "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed, another hiking the PCT trail book, I just got so frustrated with her whiny attitude. Don't get me wrong, rape is horrible and inexcusable but she just seemed to go on and on about it. I enjoyed all the descriptions of her actual hiking experiences and was blown away by the life of the trail angels who help all these thru hikers with their quest. I also thought the book got better when she met Dash on the trail, he really seemed to ground her. I really enjoyed when she was finally able to realize how much so many people had helped her to accomplish the goals she set for herself. Maybe it would be a better read for young women who are away from home for the first time since it is a kind of warning regarding the sexual predators who are lurking out there in places that seem like they should be safe.
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Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil – John Berendt – 4****
Berendt was a free-lance journalist when curiosity took him to Savannah and he began to write about the particularly insular culture of that Southern city. Then a murder happened, and his story really took off. I first read this sometime in the mid to late 1990s, and on re-reading it I’m not so keen about it. The murder doesn’t happen until half-way through the book, and that was really the most interesting part. I’m still giving it 4 stars because I believe that was closer to my original reaction to the book.
LINK to my review
by Anne Holt4 stars
There are just so many great mystery writers coming out of the Scandinavian countries and I've discovered another one. We read 1222 for our Mystery Book Group this month and many of the group members indicated that this was a great read. A passenger train is derailed and everyone is evacuated to a nearby hotel, all in the midst of a howling blizzard with temperatures way below zero. Only the engineer dies in the original accident but that is not the end of the deaths. Retired police inspector Hanne Wilhelmsen, who is in a wheelchair because of a bullet that paralyzed her, is one of the passengers and is reluctantly drawn into investigating the situation when the first body turns up at the secluded hotel. Someone among them is a killer but no one knows why. Nor do they know why there was an extra train car with passengers whom no one ever saw, but rumors are rampant that whoever they are, they are now staying on the top floor of the hotel under armed guard. This was a great read with such an ominous setting that I had to occasionally remind myself that I was not trapped in the middle of a snowstorm with bodies piling up. This is book #8 in her series and supposedly the first one translated into English but the first in the series is available now. As good as this one was I'm sure we'll soon have access to them all. If your a mystery lover I would certainly recommend this author.
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Cinnamon Girl: Letters Found Inside a Cereal Box - Juan Felipe Herrera – 3***
This slim volume is told entirely in free verse. The poems are visceral and disturbing, emotional and moving. And yet, I felt somehow removed from Yolanda and her pain. I think part of that was because Herrera does not give us a linear timeline. Nevertheless, from the typical teen lament of “no one understands me” to the joy and freedom of a new friendship, to the very real fear of having lost someone in a tragic accident, Herrera’s Cinnamon Girl will resonate with many readers.
LINK to my review
Mod
How To Win Friends And Influence People - Dale Carnegie - 3***
This classic self-help / self-improvement book was first published in the 1930s. Given the decades over which this book has been read, and the hordes of people who have done so, I’d be surprised if most of us hadn’t already heard most of this before. I admit that some of the principles certainly bear repeating, and that it is easier to agree with them than it is to practice them consistently. Still, had it not fulfilled a particular challenge, I would have abandoned it long before I finished it.
LINK to my review
The Sleepwalker
by Chris Bohjalian, 4****sThis is the 16th book that I've read by this author and always enjoy them!
This one is about a woman (a mother & wife) who sleepwalks and one night just disappears. The oldest daughter, 21-years-old, tells the tale of trying to discover what has happened to her mother and why. It was very interesting -- I learned some new things about sleepwalking! And it was mysterious, even to the last sentence! I like that! And I would recommend this book :)
Claude McKay,
Complete Poems
[2004] 410 pagesIn December I read the Dover Selected Poems, and decided to buy the complete poetry. McKay was a poet of Jamaican origin who emigrated to the United States, spent many years in exile in Europe and north Africa and then returned to the United States. He was one of the first Black intellectuals to adopt a Marxist outlook and support the Soviet Revolution, and one of the first to recognize the Stalinist betrayal of the revolution; unfortunately, his experiences with the Communist Party ultimately led him to become an embittered anti-Communist and to turn to the Catholic Church in his later years, where he was part of the left wing trend around the Catholic Worker movement of Dorothy Day. He was a major influence not only on Jamaican literature and on the Harlem Renaissance and later Afro-American literature, but through his contacts with Aimé Césaire and Leopold Senghor (both of whom I read recently) on the literature of Africa and the African diaspora in general.
This collection is made up of 323 poems, including his three published books, Songs of Jamaica (1912), Constab Ballads (1912), and Harlem Shadows (1922), and the three books he wrote later but could not get published in his lifetime, The Clinic (ca. 1923), Cities (ca. 1934) and The Cycle (ca. 1943), as well as other poems published in magazines or unpublished, together with an introduction by the editor, William Maxwell. The first two books are in Jamaican dialect, and represent the first use of the language of Jamaica in real literature; the third book is in a very traditional English style, mainly sonnets; the later books and especially the unpublished Catholic poetry are not as good, but taken as a whole the poetry is very much worth reading.
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