A.K. Frailey > Recent Status Updates

I've tried reading this book before but never finished it. I've been told it is well worth the effort...so I am trying again. It is so very sad...

Much more action in this book than the last and I am enjoying it more.

A fascinating look at history and the people who make history...

Enjoying the story so far...

I'm taking my time through this one... Such an introspective story needs patience.

I am actually astonished. I saw this book on the shelf as I was checking out another book at the library, and the title with Jane Austen's name caught my attention. Since I have read all Jane Austen's works and a biography about her, I wanted to see what this author was going to do with her name and legacy. I must say, I am impressed. This is a very thoughtful look not only at literature but our culture too.

Undset is one of those rare authors who can make me love and yet shudder at a character, recognizing my own human frailty within her descriptions. The soul struggles to become better, or it falls into darkness, though it never seems to be a straight path on either course.

This is one of those books I'll never forget. There are so many characters who touch real-world issues and draw out the complexities of our human struggle. It brings out the very best of good literature, the sense that each human is really isolated, but a part of a greater whole. As Derik struggles to form and protect his own art and what he and his friends have created, he can't help but change the world.

I like how the characters have various levels of depth. Even "side" characters are growing interesting because of the way they bounce off and reflect the main characters. It's very much like getting to know people in the real world...at first, they seem flat and you categorize them according to old understandings, but with experience, you have to make adjustments and take individuals out of categories altogether.

Starting an artist community which reaches out to the world, endeavoring to inculcate a more creative human spirit... Sounds great. How can humans mess this up? God's probably wondering the same thing...

I em enjoying the personal and cultural revelations and revolutions occurring in various layers in this story. A bit of romance, mystery, social commentary. Similar to Victor Hugo's reflection on the French world, so Roark, through excellent writing and honest insight, considers the state of American culture from an artistic perspective. Which just means...he helps us see what is hidden in plain sight.

I am really enjoying this story. Each character is fully developed and there is a depth here that one rarely encounters. Not only do I now see New York as a place but also as a state of mind. Lots of interplay between physical interactions, psychological games, and a touch of spiritual realities.

As I get deeper into this story, I feel closer to the reality that humanity in Europe had to deal with during WWII. It really makes my present era stand in serious contrast to what so many people have had to endure in times past. The visual and almost poetical descriptions blow me away. Anthony Doerr is a powerful writer and a serious commentator on the human condition.

I am more impressed with this book as I read on. The writing style reminds me of poetry at times, so much imagery. Of course one of the main characters is blind, but even with that, there is more to description than physical accuracy. Somehow, Doerr manages to capture the reality of emotions like hope, fear, and doubt through act and image. Beautifully done.

I found this at a wonderful little bookstore in a neighboring town. The place is stuffed with books—stacked everywhere. Glorious! This little gem been a wonderful retreat from the workaday world. Nice character development and fun setting. Just what a tired teacher needs at the end of a long day.

The librarian in our small community library offered me this book yesterday, and I had a reeealy hard time putting it down last night. Wonderfully written! WWII setting and a blind girl's point of view and a genius little boy's pov as they survive in a tumultuous world. I'll be up late tonight...

I finally understand the backstory of Aragorn and Arwen in LOTR. My husband read The Silmarillion out loud to the family years ago when the kids were young, and I was too tired to concentrate. Now I can read with brain intact and it makes quite a difference! Tolkien was a master of contrasts...evil built on evil, but even when good intentions went awry the soul progressed. Light and darkness—reality like it or not.

There is a lot of information tucked between these pages. It's like getting a Masters in Creative Writing all over again, but now I can apply everything to my newest work. Good deal.

I'm really enjoying this book. It's got a lot of great advice concerning creative writing, which is useful for novel as well as screenwriters.

I just started this books last night and I'm looking forward to reading more today. There's a lot of great content and useful information. It's clear and motivational—definitely helpful to every writer.

This is an easy and enjoyable read with great details about the behind the scenes reality in the "great houses" of Britain. Hard to believe...like a little world of its own.

The story is really pulling together at the end. Beautiful depiction of sincere hearts and how people can see their purpose in life so differently. Bittersweet. I also now know a great deal more about the Parisian sewer system than I ever really desired to know. Though, it does give us a history of change...even that which occurs under our feet.

A delightful story with terrific, visual details set after the second world war. Love the characters and their honest humanity. Looking forward to reading more tonigjht.

In the eternal optimism of canning, my daughter mentioned that the grapes are ready... Grape jam is always the goal though not always the result. As we worked side by side today, I realized—for the umpteenth time—it's not the result but the shared experience that really matters. If it's jam—we'll enjoy good food. If it's goo—we'll enjoy a good laugh.

Life and Literature
Entertainment for Life….
A. K. Frailey
Novelist, Short Story Writer & Screenwriter
Our newest novel in 2018…
OldEarth ARAM Encounter
https://akfrailey.com/

Working on the next book in the OldEarth series OldEarth Ishtar Encounter. Creating a story with real emotional logic is a challenge since the plot sometimes wants to take over...but human beings tend to do things for a reason—even when being unreasonable. The first in the series, OldEarth ARAM Encounter is now available on Amazon as an ebook and paperback. Enjoy and have a terrific weekend!

I can hardly believe that I get the privilege of reading another of my Grandfather's books. Years ago, I read another book he wrote, On His toes, about the early days in American filmmaking—a great story too—and discovered a man I wished I had a chance to meet in my lifetime. His characters come across as real people with honest dilemmas and show great insight into our shared human drama.

The beautifully descriptive language is tied to an emotional logic, which carries the characters over a vast expanse of emotions. As the television series progresses, I'm less sure they are keeping to the books... The books makes more sense to me because I can read (and reread) the details that are skipped in the series.

I'm learning way more French history than I ever expected to learn in a lifetime. But more significantly, I'm seeing history revealed through human eyes by someone who paid serious attention to the human soul. Revealing...as always. Bittersweet.