Constant Reader discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
Constant Reader
>
What I'm Reading - May/June 2019
Chigozie Obioma’s THE FISHERMEN, narrated by Chukwudi Iwudi. This was his debut novel, which I decided to read after being impressed by AN ORCHESTRA OF MINORITIES and hearing Mr. Obioma discuss his work as part of my local library’s visiting author series. It raises many questions about family relationships, inescapable fate, loyalty and responsibility, guilt and innocence, punishment and justice. I look forward to this author’s future works.
Mary, The Fishermen was quite a difficult book, as I recall, subject matter more than actually reading it. I felt so for the family.
Sue, I agree. THE FISHERMEN was an emotionally challenging read and for me AN ORCHESTRA OF MINORITIES was almost emotionallyoverwhelming. .
I hope to read Orchestra of Minorities this summer, Mary. I’m sure it will be well done though undoubtedly difficult.
Oh man , you all might want to give this book a reading. I am only in the first few pages and I am floored. The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels
I have that on my list Carol. Glad you recommend it so highly.
Carol wrote: "Oh man , you all might want to give this book a reading. I am only in the first few pages and I am floored. The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels"I'm reading that one now, too, Carol. I'm about halfway in. I didn't expect to like it as much as I do. Lot's of aha moments.
My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier is a much-loved classic mystery, and I enjoyed it as much as everyone else has. 
4★ Link to my review
Any Ordinary Day: What Happens After the Worst Day of Your Life? Acclaimed Aussie journalist Leigh Sales has done an extraordinary job of helping people share their horror stories (I can hardly call them anything less!) so that we might understand how to cope and care. It's a page-turner of a different kind.
4★ Link to my review
Young Master Reacher makes his debut, chronologically speaking, in Lee Child's novella, placed in the High Heat of 1977 New York City. Jack, at not quite 17, is already a formidable force!
4.5★ Link to my review
Nobody should pass up the BuzzBook previews! As expected, I enjoyed Buzz Books 2019: Fall/Winter: Excerpts from Next Season's Best New Titles by Susannah Cahalan, Eoin Colfer, J.T. Ellison, Jojo Moyes, Jeanette Winterson and More which, as you can see, has a lot to choose from. I made a few comments, but it's worth checking the Goodreads blurb for a good list.
5★ Link to my notes with where to download free copy
"Now a major film", as the saying goes, Boy Erased: A Memoir of Identity, Faith, and Family by Garrard Conley will make your blood boil. What we DO to kids!
4.5★ Link to my review
Siddhartha Mukherjee’s THE GENE: AN INTIMATE HISTORY. I’ve been fascinated by genetics since the 60’s. Although I have followed developments for more than 50 years now, this book was a terrific discussion of history, current investigations and speculations about the future. Some of the scientific details were beyond me so I read that information only for a treetops level of understanding. It was well worth my time.
Mary wrote: "Siddhartha Mukherjee’s THE GENE: AN INTIMATE HISTORY. I’ve been fascinated by genetics since the 60’s. Although I have followed developments for more than 50 years now, this book was a terrific dis..."Mary, I've not heard the term "treetops level of understanding" before, but what a great way to put it! There are a lot of things I'll never get through the canopy to learn, I'm afraid. :)
It is a great way of describing the way of acquiring enough knowledge to feel a bit comfortable with a subject. I believe this is the same author who wrote the well-reviewed book on cancer. That’s a book I have wanted to read but never got around to.
Kat wrote: "Throwing that "to" in there complicates things a little, doesn't it? But I think it's still just the present perfect. However, I'm no grammarian."Thanks Kat -
Does anyone have a recommendation for a book about Clarence Thomas? I’ve decided I want to try and understand the man.
There are a few biographies & his autobiography but the reviews I’ve read are not helpful.
PattyMacDotComma wrote: ""Now a major film", as the saying goes, Boy Erased: A Memoir of Identity, Faith, and Family by Garrard Conley will make your blood boil. What we DO to kids
Sometimes you just need to "chill" with a mystery or three ...
Decaffeinated Corpse – Cleo Coyle – 3***
Book five in the Coffeehouse Mystery series, featuring Clare Cosi, the co-owner / manager of a Greenwich Village coffee shop, and an amateur sleuth. I really like this series. I enjoy learning more about the coffee business, though Coyle can be a little too detailed at times. Still, it’s a fast, enjoyable read and satisfies my yearning for a comforting cozy mystery.
LINK to my review
--------- * * * * * * * * --------
D Is For Deadbeat – Sue Grafton – 3.5***
I really like this series and its retro feel. There are no cell phones or computers; Kinsey has to rely on her intellect, her network of connections and good old-fashioned leg work. She’s smart, determined, self-sufficient and never has to rely on a man to get her out of a tight spot.
LINK to my review
I love the alphabet series too, BC. Sad that there will be no more. She had written all of them except Z when she died. Her daughter said no one will be writing that one. I highly respect her for the decision.
I've just finishedThe Lives of Beryl Markham by Errol Trzebinski. It was interesting, but quite a plod. Four hundred pages of what seemed like everything anyone has ever known about her. He is absolutely convinced that she did not write West With the Night, and he convinced me, too. She was a remarkable woman, although I don't think I would have liked her very much. Terrible decline at the end.
That’s a new book idea to me, Ruth. Does he have a theory on who wrote the book or is that something I should read the book to learn?
The idea that she might not have written the book has been around for some time. She had almost no schooling and many people didn’t think she was capable of it and that it was not her voice. She was living in California when the book was written and was married to a screenwriter.
Ah! Makes sense really, from what I know I know of her life.
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson was a re-read for me, and a good one, too! She's written book 5 of her Jackson Brodie mystery series, so I thought I'd catch up. Just as much fun this time around, and I think I enjoyed the characters even more. 
4.5★ (rounded up) Link to my new review
Patty, I think I will reread the Brodie books at some point. I just read an ARC of Atkinson’s latest, Big Sky and enjoyed it a lot. I have missed 2of the series books, numbers 3 and 4, and need to catch up. I was able to enjoy Big Sky without them. It’s rather antic glory, and Brodie’s asides, just kept the story moving.
James Baldwin’s ANOTHER COUNTRY, narrated by Dion Graham. Raw. Powerful. Beautiful, evocative, poetic language. Exquisite narration.
I’ve decided to binge on H.G. Wells this summer. I’d only read 1 or 2 of his stories so now I’m readingThe Complete Short Stories of H. G. Wells
Sorry if this isn’t appropriate but I just read this wonderful poem & I just have to share it:Famous by Naomi Shihab Nye
The river is famous to the fish.
The loud voice is famous to silence,
which knew it would inherit the earth
before anybody said so.
The cat sleeping on the fence is famous to the birds
watching him from the birdhouse.
The tear is famous, briefly, to the cheek.
The idea you carry close to your bosom
is famous to your bosom.
The boot is famous to the earth,
more famous than the dress shoe,
which is famous only to floors.
The bent photograph is famous to the one who carries it
and not at all famous to the one who is pictured.
I want to be famous to shuffling men
who smile while crossing streets,
sticky children in grocery lines,
famous as the one who smiled back.
I want to be famous in the way a pulley is famous,
or a buttonhole, not because it did anything spectacular,
but because it never forgot what it could do.
The author has been awarded the Poetry Foundation Young People’s Poet Laureate.
I have read other poetry from her. Thanks Joan.
Sue wrote: "Patty, I think I will reread the Brodie books at some point. I just read an ARC of Atkinson’s latest, Big Sky and enjoyed it a lot. I have missed 2of the series books, numbers 3 and 4, and need to ..."I think it's nice to have the back story but not essential. You get a pretty good idea of the man and his priorities in all of them. I'll have to wait for the new one - glad to know you liked it, Sue!
Graphic novels bring the classics to life for the visual generations. Gareth Hinds has a new take on Homer's great story, The Iliad. Historic, artistic, and detailed - for young and old. I enjoyed it!
4.5★ Link to my review with illustrations
Supersize Cross Sections: Inside Engines by Pascale Hédelin is an illustrated look inside some fascinating vessels from ships to the International Space Station and even a travelling circus! I love these cutaway pictures.
4★ Link to my review with illustrations
Jarrett J. Krosoczka’s HEY, KIDDO. I read this young adult memoir for my in-person book club; otherwise, it never would have crossed my path. I’m glad it did. JK, an illustrator and author, tells the story of growing up with his grandparents because his mother, a heroin addict, is in and out of rehab and jail most of the time, and she designated her father guardian of her son. The graphic format added a sense of intimacy and heightened the emotional reality for me.
I am currently reading On the Come Up by Angie Thomas, and liking it so far. I read The Hate U Give and liked that, though I'm sure not everyone would go for these books which give a YA perspective in an African American community. Personally, I think we all can learn something from books like this.I have just started the discussion on Elizabeth Strout's Anything Is Possible. Please join us! If you haven't read the book yet, you can catch up quickly by starting today.
The Optimist’s Guide to letting Go – Amy E Reichert – 4****
I really liked this intergenerational story that follows Lorraine, her two daughters, Vicky and Gina, and Gina’s teen daughter May. Their relationships are fraught and characterized by discord and silence. It’s a delightful and heartfelt story. I find it interesting that once Lorraine loses her speech due to a stroke, the communication between her and her daughters becomes clearer. I also have to give a “warning” about the food descriptions here. Reichert’s books always have this element in them, and readers should be aware that they will find themselves craving all sorts of delicacies.
LINK to my review
The Antelope Wife – Louise Erdrich – 4****
I just have to say that Erdrich is one of my favorite writers. Her prose is luminous and poetic. Her use of magical realism seamless. It reminds me of listening to my grandparents, aunts and uncles tell stories of family lore, sitting on a dark porch of a summer evening. The novel weaves history, contemporary urban life, legend, and sacred myth into a marvelous tapestry of a story. There is birth and death, humor and tragedy, betrayal and forgiveness, broken people scattered on the battlefield of life, and others standing tall and moving forward.
LINK to my review
BC, I absolutely and enthusiastically agree with your opinion of Erdrich’s writing talents.
Book Concierge- nice review, thanks for introducing me to a new author
I have a few of Erdich’s books on my shelf and no excuse except time and schedule for not having read any of them yet. Thanks for the reminder of this gaping hole in my reading. I have to make room for her. I believe this book may be one that I have.
Joseph Kanon’s LEAVING BERLIN, narrated by Corey Brill. Set in 1948 post-war Berlin. Still chaotic. Russian, American and German factions struggling for control, influence, and recovery. Everyone struggling to survive and understand their world. Haunting. Suspenseful. Thought-provoking. I’m so glad it finally made it to the top of my TBR list.
No Visible Bruises by Rachel Louise Snyder
Book Concierge wrote: " The Antelope Wife
– Louise Erdrich – 4****
..."
NOTE ... the book was re-released a few years back with the title Antelope Woman
The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth & Solitary: Unbroken by Four Decades In Solitary Confinement. My Strory of Transformation and Hope by Albert Woodfox.
Mary wrote: "Joseph Kanon’s LEAVING BERLIN, narrated by Corey Brill. Set in 1948 post-war Berlin. Still chaotic. Russian, American and German factions struggling for control, influence, and recovery. Everyone s..."This sounds quite interesting, thanks for the rec. !
I just finished an audio book production of Transcription by Kate Atkinson. The narrator, Fenella Woolgar, was truly outstanding. Atkinson was witty, as usual, and the book was well researched. I was disappointed by the writing though. She produced a twist at the end and didn't provide adequate building blocks to lead up to it. I also thought the narrative dragged a bit when she relied too much on the transcriptions themselves.
Jasper Fforde’s SHADES OF GREY. Another one of Fforde’s meticulously crafted fantastical worlds. This dystopia has Great Leaps Backward, the Something That Happened, the Green Room, and a rule-bound chromatic hierarchy. It was not an entirely satisfying read.
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
Constant Reader
Books mentioned in this topic
Divining Women (other topics)The Tenth Island: Finding Joy, Beauty, and Unexpected Love in the Azores (other topics)
Little Town on the Prairie (other topics)
Eleven Minutes (other topics)
The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches From the Border (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Diana Marcum (other topics)Lee Child (other topics)
Amor Towles (other topics)
Louise Penny (other topics)
Pascale Hédelin (other topics)
More...
Fascism: A Warning – Madeleine Albright – 4****
It’s said that those who refuse to study history are doomed to repeat it. I’ve studied some history, and yet I found much new information in this relatively slim volume. Albright clearly, methodically and logically lays out the foundations to bring understanding of Fascism. She cites numerous examples, using not only right-wing but left-wing and centrist ideologies to illustrate the concepts and realities.
LINK to my review