Jenny's Reading Journal Part Two (GCPLreader)

Welcome all! --link to earlier thread: :o)

Happy Thanksgiving!!


Here's a list of my reads for the first half of 2011:

Any Human Heart--4 stars
Lord of Misrule--2.5 stars
The Age of Innocence--5 stars *favorite
The Windup Girl--4 stars
One Amazing Thing--3 stars
The Lonely Polygamist--4.5 stars
Lonesome Dove--5 stars *yummy
Censoring an Iranian Love Story--3.5 stars
Old Border Road--4 stars
Bad Marie--4 stars
The End of the Affair--4 stars
Beneath the Lion's Gaze--3.5 stars
The Robber Bride--4.5 stars
The Wilding--4.5 stars
The Privileges--3.5 stars
The Long Walk--3 stars
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey--4 stars
The Hand That First Held Mine--5 stars
The Master and Margarita--2.5 stars
The Lover's Dictionary--2 stars
Clara and Mr. Tiffany--4 stars
The Observations--3 stars
World War Z--4.5 stars
The Illumination--4 stars
In the Company of Angels--5 stars
The Cement Garden--3.5 stars
High Fidelity--4 stars
Infinite Jest--3.5 stars *I could so easily edit this down to make it worthy of 5+ stars
When the Killing's Done--4 stars
Finding Jack--4 stars
Enduring Love--3.5 stars
When Tito Loved Clara--2.5 stars
We, the Drowned--4.5 stars *mmmm
Portraits of a Marriage--4 stars
The Paris Wife--3 stars
Cleopatra: A Life--3.5 stars
Skippy Dies--3 stars
February--3.5 stars
The Poison Tree--3.5 stars
The Tiger's Wife--2.5 stars
Doc--4 stars
Emily Alone--4.5 stars
Wingshooters--3.5 stars
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption--3.5 stars
Swamplandia--4 stars
The Aeneid--5 stars
2030: the Real Story of What Happens to America --4 stars
Hester--2 stars
Galapagos--3 stars
Chronic City--4 stars
The Silent Land--5 stars
Caleb's Crossing--3.5 stars
The Gunslinger--4 stars
Please Look After Mom--3 stars
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn--3.5 stars
The Upright Piano Player--4 stars
Finn--4.5 stars

Meet Eli and Charlie--the Sisters Brothers

58.

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt
2011
325 pages

Wow--fun, fun read! The Sisters brothers are two guns-for-hire working in the Gold Rush Days of Oregon and California. Eli, the younger and more tenderhearted of the two, narrates the story of himself and his brother, Charlie. Charlie is the brains of the operation. Charlie makes most of the calls and is ruthless when it comes to tolerating others. But Charlie loves his liquor too much to keep the boys on schedule. The brothers have been hired to track down a mysterious gold prospector who holds a dangerous secret. The author introduces some fantastic characters here, all fully fleshed out. Eli is a wonder to behold--worrying about love and even dieting on the one hand, yet ready to take a life if his brother so charges on the other. The writing is spot-on and is full of affection, yet also extreme cruelty. Most Westerns I've read take themselves far too seriously, but DeWitt delivers a lot of humor along the way. I had such a laugh over Eli's discovery of the wonders of brushing his teeth. In addition to the story, the book has an amazing cover and illustrated section breaks. The only criticism I can imagine is that the dialogue is unlike other Westerns. Here the men are well-spoken and good conversationalists. But, I for one, was pleased to trail along with these gunslingers as they journeyed through the Wild West seeking redemption.

4.5 stars

Edith at a Crossroads

59.

Hotel Du Lac by Anita Brookner
1984
183 pages

So much to reflect on with this Booker Prize winning novel. Edith, a romance novelist, is hiding out at the Hotel Du Lac in Switzerland until the furor over her earlier rash decision has quieted down. The hotel is populated with the most eccentric characters and Edith is fascinated by the women she meets. The novel questions whether Edith, a shy, mild-mannered woman, needs to loosen up a bit and be more assertive in order to find love and fulfillment. The novel's resolution was just perfect and wholly satisfying (Brookner leaves Edith's future up in the air). I loved the smart writing here but I couldn't quite place the time. In my mind, Brookner was describing say the 1930's, yet there are references to 1980's fashions. No doubt the author deliberately wants to leave an impression of timelessness. And indeed the Hotel Du Lac does feel like a throwback to an earlier time and succeeds because of its thought-provoking modern feminist sensibilities.

3.5 stars

Hi Jenny. I'll have to come back and read both of your new reviews because those are both books I'm interested in but I'm on the way out the door soon so can't concentrate at the moment.

Got you starred though and love the picture at the beginning of the thread.

Hi Jenny. The Sisters Brothers is on my WL, and I am adding Hotel Du Lac. Keep up the good reading!

Jenny- The photo looks very enticing! I wish I could jump in. It got warm & muggy today!

Thumbs for both your reviews, Jenny. I didn't really know what The Sisters Brothers was about until I read your review but I'll have to look for this one--it looks different and interesting. I have a copy of Hotel du Lac and will get to it at some point. I really like the cover you posted of it. If I remember correctly, my copy is very dark.

Pat, the library copy I read was also dark, but I always pick my favorite cover from the litter for postings. I know you appreciate book quotes so here's one I was drawn to (see myself in it really) from Hotel Du Lac:

Edith, once again anonymous, and accepting her anonymity, made an appropriately inconspicuous exit. And, sitting in the deserted salon, the first to arrive from the dining room, she felt her precarious dignity hard-pressed and about to succumb in the light of her earlier sadness. The pianist, sitting down to play, gave her a brief nod. She nodded back, and thought how limited her means of expression had become: nodding to the pianist or to Mme de Bonneuil, listening to Mrs Pusey, using a disguised voice in the novel she was writing and, with all of this, waiting for a voice that remained silent, hearing very little that meant anything to her at all. The dread implications of this condition made her blink her eyes and vow to be brave, to do better, not to give way. But it was not easy.

The Sisters Brothers is a great change of pace--do give it a try!

Pat, Katie, and Mark--thank you so much for starring me-- so nice to have friends check in. :o)

Stolen Years

60.

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
1962
182 pages

I have been meaning to read more short works of Russian lit. to supplement one of my reading goals for the year, so while putting Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich on hold at the library I came across this book. Solzhenitsyn is a Nobel Prize winning author who brought attention to the Gulag--the Soviet Union's forced labor camp system. The novel is just as the title suggests, one day from reveille to bedtime for Shukhov who is serving out the final 2 years of his ten year sentence after being accused (erroneously) of becoming a spy after being captured by the Germans as a prisoner of war during World War II. The conditions are just as miserable as you could imagine (reminded me of the scenes from Hillenbrand's Unbroken). But the interesting thing is how the author reveals the horrors of the Gulag by writing that Shukhov is not unhappy, in fact he is having a really good day. Throughout the day he enjoys his labors (the author went on endlessly about cement block laying and mortar--morrrrtarrrr--made me laugh thinking of wwhhhheat from Karenina), having a smoke, and most importantly, having enough to eat. It is through the title character's acceptance of these unhumane conditions that we see the terrible truth. --so, so sad to realize the years stolen from so many.

3 stars

Into the Fire

61.

Embers by Sandor Marai
published in Hungary in 1942, translation published in 2001
213 pages

This is my second novel by the incredible Sandor Marai, the exiled Hungarian novelist who sadly took his life in San Diego in 1989. I absolutely loved this book about the elderly General and his final confrontation with his best friend. I literally got chills reading the conversation between the two. The tension just kept building as the General's accusations were slowly revealed. --wow, onto my favorites list this goes!

4.5 stars

2 points I feel I need to stress regarding my book reactions:

1. obviously my stars don't always reflect a novel's true merit-- I recently gave Huck Finn 3.5 stars and today the Solzhenitsyn 3 stars. These books surely deserve 5 stars for their brilliance and impact, but I guess they didn't completely resonate with me. It's the age old question of tastes I suppose.

and 2. why so many 4.5 stars lately? why not 5 stars? what is the difference for me? A perfect read for me means that I didn't want it to end-- I took my time--I never allowed myself to skip a word-- I was in awe of the book--I wanted to hold the book to my breast and never let it go. ok...lol, you get the idea! :o)

Oh, I love Embers, too. I read it several years ago and keep meaning to re-read it. Maybe this year...?

Katie, this is easily a book I see myself rereading every few years--it really moved me.

Our beloved LT has announced a new feature this morning that I'm excited about--What should you borrow? (see home page for info) Here are some of your 4+ rated novels that struck me:

katiekrug--Trespass and Fingersmith-- I haven't ever been able to read the second one--library doesn't carry it and too expensive on Kindle. Dare I break down and actually spend $, lol?!

mark--The Inheritance of Loss and The Abstinence Teacher and In Cold Blood

pat--Amsterdam and An Artist of the Floating World

donna--Dr. Zhivago and White Teeth and The Portrait of a Lady and The Brothers Karamazov

I had not such a great reading day yesterday. really struggling with Mason and Dixon but I think I may have finally broken through! the new novel by country-blues-rock singer Steve Earle I'll Never Get Out of this World Alive started to bother me but late last night I began liking it- so will finish soon. and the second Stephen King Dark Tower book The Drawing of the Three had an awful first few chapters, so we'll have to see..... :o)

Ooh, that is a fun feature! And I highly recommend Fingersmith - it is crazy and fun and meaty and sooo good. I'd be happy to lend you my copy if I ever get it back from making the rounds of my family :)

Hi Jenny, I want to jump into that water painting... and I'm the type who doesn't like to get her hair wet anymore! I'm going to steal borrow the meme with all the bookish questions from your last thread when I get some time to think about my answers. I liked your responses and seeing what everyone else answered as well.

>8 GCPLreader:: I enjoyed Embers when my book group read and discussed it a few years ago. It was a keeper for me!

>11 GCPLreader:: That new feature is news to me. I don't even remember White Teeth all that well, but I stand by the others!

you're sweet, katie! gotta read it (I know what...I'll check used copies at Amazon)

"I'm So Lonesome..."

62.

I'll Never Get Out of this World Alive by Steve Earle
2011
243 pages

My boyfriend's a fan of the singer-songwriter Steve Earle so I took notice when I started seeing reviews of the release of his first novel. Known for his strong storytelling in his early music, it's no surprise that Earle delivers a beautifully written, well-structured, gritty novel. Lead character Doc is a heroin addicted doctor forced to support his habit by performing illegal abortions in 1963 San Antonio, Texas. Doc is haunted by his former friend, the now dead Hank Williams, who regularly appears to Doc when he's under the drug's spell. Hank wants something from Doc and it's not until Doc meets a lovely young Mexican girl who's sought his help that Doc begins to find hope and love. I had to suspend belief over aspects of the book: lots of religious tones here and the rather absurd notion of such a tight, loving community of drug-pushers and prostitutes and Earle's obvious political bias. But, it's a really good story and it's got me listening to some even better music.

3.5 stars

Hank--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19vApPwWqh8

Nice link to the Hank Williams song.

Jenny- Yes, The Inheritance of Loss & In Cold Blood are excellent. The Abstinence Teacher is very good, that is one that did get a mixed response.
Glad you liked Earle's 1st novel. It has also been getting some mixed reviews. I may have to give it a try. I've been a big fan of his music for nearly 25 years.
BTW- Thanks for the Hank! He's a National Treasure.

hi Donna--sorry I missed your post. I love seeing your answers to the questionnaire. I think everyone is most intrigued about your page 42 idea! Whenever I'm home from the library with a haul I read the jacket notes and the first few pages of each novel to see in what order I should pounce.

Barry, Mark, thanks for stopping by. I saw on YouTube that there's still quite a controversy over the Opry keeping Hank Williams banned. This is from the Wikipedia article that shows the inspiration Earle no doubt used to write his novel (only 29-- can you imagine what might have been?!):

In 1952, Williams's consumption of alcohol, morphine and other painkillers to ease the pain resulting from his back condition caused problems in his personal and professional life. He divorced his wife and was fired by the Grand Ole Opry due to frequent drunkenness. On January 1, 1953, on the way to a concert, he had a doctor inject him with a combination of vitamin B12 and morphine, which, added to the alcohol and chloral hydrate that Williams had consumed earlier, caused him to have a fatal heart attack. He was only 29. Despite his short life, Hank Williams has had a major influence on country music.

Strange Doings in an Appalachian Hollow

63.

Witches on the Road Tonight by Sheri Holman
2011
264 pages

Sheri Holman's latest is an odd, complex novel of family secrets and yes, witchcraft. Eddie is a former late night horror show host (I can certainly remember the one from my childhood on our local independent tv station) who has cancer and is reaching out to his unhappy news-anchor daughter. Through flashbacks they tell 2 stories: Eddie of his boyhood in the mountains with his strange mother, and Wallis, his daughter, of the time a fosterchild stayed with the family and wrecked havoc. The scenes set in an Appalachian hollow (pronounced holler) are the best. Eddie's mother is a fascinating witch, with the ability to ... (well, I won't spoil it, but it's unlike anything I've read before!)

Sheri Holman is best known as the author of The Dress Lodger, which I love, and The Mammoth Cheese, which I also thought was good. She's wonderfully descriptive--for example Eddie's cancer is described as tumors that grow like a stalk of brussel sprouts, and the mother's beauty compared to a tin can rusted down to tetanus lace. Here though, I think she just does too much. I would have preferred the novel without the intrusion of the modern timeframes. The supernatural elements are strong and the book has a wonderful carnal, very erotic feel to it. Do I recommend this?...oh, yeah

3.5 stars

Hi, Jenny. Just spent some little time reading both threads, and of course adding to the overstuffed W.L. I really like the format you have for yor reviews.

Going to try to do the quiz meme tomorrow on my thread.

Jenny- Thanks for the Hank info! I completely forgot about the Grand Ole Opry situation. That is so ridiculous. They need to get over it. He is a country giant.
Hey, I'm over 200 pages into The Sisters Brothers and really loving it.
Where did you hear about The Upright Piano Player? I heard it on BOTNS, after Ann raved about it. Well, I just picked it up from the library and will be starting it early next week.
We are on the same book-length, that's for sure.

I have Witches on the Road Tonight on the TBR shelves, along with The Mammoth Cheese. I als loved The Dress Lodger but haven't gotten around to her other books... sigh...

Gail, thank you for taking the time to read through all my nonsense. I'll come by your thread tomorrow to read your answers to the questionnaire. When I check out your "Books I Should Borrow" listings I'm most interested in The Power and the Glory and Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. I admire all the Classics you've enjoyed.
Did I see somewhere that you are a teacher?!

Mark, I requested The Upright Piano Player through the Early Reviewer program back in May. I'd remembered seeing it mentioned on the Tournament of Books site as a book to be on the lookout for in 2012.-- great read!!!
So glad you're loving The Sisters Brothers--can't imagine someone not liking it. After all, who doesn't love the story of a hitman with heart who wants out of the life?

Katie, Holman really impresses me. She can write historical and contemporary fiction, and now--supernatural, almost Gothic lit. -- very cool :o)

What if Odysseus...?

64.

The Lost Books of the Odyssey by Zachary Mason
2010
228 pages

The cover says ": A Novel", but that's not quite right. This clever book is instead a collection of random, out-of-order "takes" on Homer's classic The Odyssey. I must have started and stopped reading this a half a dozen times over the last few weeks. I couldn't figure it out at first. But today I forced myself to give it more of a chance and before too long I was hooked. Each story is really short and the majority of them are just fascinating. Athena, Penelope, Achilles, the Trojan Horse, the Cyclops, Sirens, and even Theseus and the Minotaur--- they're all here. I just love any fiction that pays homage to Greek mythology. -- very well done

4 stars

>17 GCPLreader: - there is a debate over Williams consumption of alcohol. There was a documentary on BBC where various people stated that Williams didn't actually drink that much, he was just got drunk very quickly.

Other people have been banned from the Grand Ole Opry - Johnny Cash was banned stomping out stage lights (they let him back after 7 years); Neko Case however is banned for life for removing an outer piece of clothing revealing a camisole.

Wait. The Grand Ole Opry still has a mad on at Hank Williams? That's interesting. Considering the success and influence of Williams' music (I have all of it on cd's reproduced from original recordings--love it), it would appear that having the blessing of the G.O.O. isn't as important as they might like to think. It's still a sad situation, though. Imagine if he had lived to, say, 40!

Jenny, I count Hardy as a Victorian, although he'd be on the border of the Edwardian era, I think. I'm particularly fond of Jude the Obscure. I highly recommend both books you mentioned. They are outstanding. P.M. me if you'd like to borrow. And yes, I was a teacher for (gasp!) 30 years: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grades, not all at the same time. A fascinating, demanding, maddening, rewarding career.

Jargoneer and Gail, I'm sure you'd agree that it only hurts the Opry's image to have made such an error. It's suprising that Hollywood hasn't made a biopic of his life.

Gail, I have 6 years left until I reach my 30 years! I, too, have taught 2nd, 3rd, and 5th. Right now 5th suits me. 2nd grade is the easiest grade to teach, I've always thought. Which grade was your favorite?

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"The Pink, the Pearl, and the Perfection of Your Sex"

65.

Orlando by Virginia Woolf
1928
329 pages

Perhaps you've seen the Tilda Swinton movie portrayal of Virginia Woolf's sex-shifting, ageless Orlando. I'm a fan of the film and a lover of Woolf but this book didn't quite deliver. Orlando begins life as an aristocrat in the Elizabethan era and the story ends in the Edwardian 20th century. It seems that the novel is written as a tongue-in-cheek social commentary about gender and the limits of society. Only when Woolf focuses on the meaning of literature and the love of nature and companionship was I fully engaged. There are some beautiful passages of brilliance here, but overall I was disappointed.

3 stars

I absolutely agree that 2nd grade was the easiest to teach, by quite a long margin. I enjoyed 5th a couple of times, but things changed and I didn't like it quite so much. I think, over all, I liked third grade the best. I really disliked teaching first grade, as I wanted to spend the schoolday just chatting with them and listening to their intriguing and oh-so-serious tales. No time for the curriculum if I did that1

I've been putting off Orlando for quite a while. Guess I'll keep on avoiding it for a bit longer!

>26 GCPLreader: - they did. Your Cheating Heart was made in 1964 and starred George Hamilton as Hank Williams - not particularly faithful (probably due to the involvement of Williams ex-wife who in real life was the cause of many of Williams problems).

Jenny, Interesting thoughts on Orlando, Virginia Woolf I read this many years ago and felt underwhelmed by it. I have often thought that maybe I missed something and should re read it, but after reading your post I think I can safely leave it alone for a while longer.

Jargoneer, George Hamilton?! sounds dreadful

Gail and Barry, VW just doesn't develop enough story in Orlando. Such wasted potential really with the dynamics of the timespan and the genderbending but of course she's more interested in exploring themes (which are really wonderful).

I've had the most marvelous time today reading the sentimental, old-fashioned A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I just love the detailed setting of what life was like for the poor in Brooklyn in 1912.

>30 GCPLreader:: Oh good, you're reading one of my all-time favorites. I love an occaional sentimental, old-fashioned book. Another one of this type although with quite a different setting (my stomping ground of SW Missouri) is The Moonflower Vine.

I'm glad to hear there is a new Holman book. I was quite taken with The Dress Lodger.

Hi Donna, yes, loving ATGIB. I read The Moonflower Vine last year based on your trusted recommendation-- and you're right, they are both warm and nostalgic. :o)

Important Life Lessons

66.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
1943
493 pages

ahhhhhhh, just what I needed. I had such a good cry with this reread of a favorite. If you've never read this, or if, like me, you don't remember the story, do yourself a favor and read this beautiful, nostalgic novel of the poor tenements of Brooklyn in the years leading up to WWI.

5 stars

As a teacher, I was of course stirred by Betty Smith's emphasis on education as a means to better yourself and escape poverty. I see this first hand with the immigrant families I teach. The hot debate at the moment here in Georgia is the new strict immigration law. :o( A Tree Grows in Brooklyn reminds me of how these parents sacrifice to ensure a better life for their children. If only our legislators could see what I see--that these children are learning and becoming truly intelligent, generous members of our society.

Mason and Dixon by Thomas Pynchon-- published in 1997, 773 pages-- I give...I am defeated...no way I'm going to have any success with this too-smart hf novel at this time. --pity, I can tell it's a truly magnificent book, but I just kept scratching my head and feeling too frustrated.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn has prompted me to start a tag in my virtual library of inspirational books for teachers. To Kill a Mockingbird and The Whistling Season come to mind. Anyone have any other recommendations? :o)

I am planning to re-read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn next month. It's been years since my last re-read, which used to be an annual occurance.

#34 - How about The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie for your virtual library for teachers?

Steven, looks wonderful! Thank you for the recommendation. Unfortunately my library doesn't carry it, so onto the wishlist it goes.

Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test...

Conscientious, Fulfilled, and Spiritual

6 Renaissance, 3 Islamic, 4 Ukiyo-e, -13 Cubist, -16 Abstract and -6 Impressionist!

The Renaissance was a cultural movement that profoundly affected European intellectual life. Beginning in Italy, and spreading to the rest of Europe by the 16th century, its influence affected literature, philosopy, religion, art, politics, science, and all other aspects of intellectual enquiry. Renaissance artists looked at the human aspect of life in their art. They did not reject religion but tended to look at it in it's purest form to create visions they thought depicted the ideals of religion. Painters of this time had their own style and created works based on morality, religion, and human nature. Many of the paintings depicted what they believed to be the corrupt nature of man.

People that like Renaissance paintings like things that are more challenging. They tend to have a high emotional stability. They also tend to be more concientious then average. They have a basic understanding of human nature and therefore are not easily surprised by anything that people may do. They enjoy life and enjoy living. They are very aware of their own mortality but do not dwell on the end but what they are doing in the present. They enjoy learning, but may tend to be a bit more closed minded to new ideas as they feel that the viewpoint they have has been well researched and considered. These people are more old fashioned and not quite as progressive. They enjoy the finer things in life like comfort, a good meal, and homelife. They tend to be more spiritual or religious by nature. They are open to new aesthetic experiences.

Take What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test at HelloQuizzy

warning-- skip the part at the end where you enter your birthday et al.

38 - Fun! Though there was not nearly enough modern art so I came out Cubist: 'Extroverted, Progressive, and Intelligent'.

#38 enjoyed that test. I'll post my results over on my thread.

#38 I looked at the test but was not able to make many decisions about which pictures I liked best.

lol, Barry, then I've chosen the painting for you--->

Nice one. I saw the original (Rodin statue) in Paris last summer.

Poor Lonely Monster

67.

Grendel by John Gardner
1971
174 pages

thank you to Barry (baswood) for this excellent recommendation. Here's the story of Beowulf told from the monster's perspective. Poor Grendel is only a teenager and (like Frankenstein's creature) he only wants acceptance. But Hrothgard's Danes in the legendary meadhall are cruel and make for some easy eatings. The prose is quite beautiful here but I was occasionally confused by the poetry and philosophical rantings. Still a good read and especially recommended to fans of Seamus Heaney's Beowulf.

3.5 stars

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Jama's Journey

68.

Black Mamba Boy by Nadifa Mohamed
2010
285

Disappointing debut novel of an 11-year-old boy crossing the Horn of Africa in the 1930's to find his father. It's not that the author writes poorly (perhaps a shade too purple-- (let's say lilac!)), but poor Jama is subjected to the most horrible cruelty and violence along the way. The only parts I enjoyed were the kindnesses shown him when he'd come to a new town and find someone from his Somali clan to take him in. Let this be a lesson to me to avoid 1st novels where the author tells the nobel story of her family's struggles in the old country. I rarely like them (The Invisible Bridge was pretty good, but still....(ducks head)).

2 stars

"I want to be a surgeon."

69.

My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira
2010
364 pages

Mary Sutter is a renowned midwife in Albany who wants to study medicine and become a surgeon. But, of course, everyone she applies to tells her to forget it. When the Civil War begins Mary is not even accepted as a nurse (Dorothea Dix requires her nurses to be over 30 years old). Mary takes work as a charwoman at the Union Hotel hospital in Washington, but when the first wounded soldiers begin pouring in after the debacle of Bull's Run, Mary assists in an amputation and wins the physician's respect.

Even though this isn't what I would call literary historical fiction, it is a very good, solid historical novel. The author really knows her stuff. Lincoln's war department is here and I learned a lot about the early days of the Union's campaign. Ms. Oliveira writes graphically of 19th century medicine and the lack of knowledge about germs and infection. Here's a fun bit that illustrates the treatment options at the time:

"This one can't breathe."
"Give him whiskey."
"This one can't walk."
"Give him whiskey."
"This one has diarrhea."
"Haven't they all?"
"We've run out of quinine."
"Give oil of turpentine."
"We've run out of turpentine."
"Then boil some willow bark and put it in whiskey and give it to him."
"We've run out of whiskey."

Sure, there are flaws here (too much romance, underdeveloped characters), but the setting and history of Civil War medicine makes this book, for me, a winner.

4 stars

Jenny, I've been waffling about Mary Sutter because of the mixed reviews. It's back on the list for one of those "in-between" reads. I just can't seem to get enough Civil War stories these days.

Lol about the 'give him whiskey' line.

I'm with you, Donna--love Civil War stories. I'm thinking of adding your Confederates in the Attic book to my tbr list. Mary Sutter is quite interesting, just a few too many romance story lines.

I've got a few new library books going at the moment and I can't decide which one to settle into:
The Museum of Innocence
The Idea of Perfection
Incendiary
Amsterdam

Dear Osama

70.

Incendiary by Chris Cleave
2005
237 pages

Oh, this is a tough one to rate. On the one hand, I liked the conceit of this novel: a woman loses her family to a terrorist attack and writes a letter to Osama bin Laden detailing her loss and subsequent decline. I also liked the writing voice that seemed authentic to a lower middle class undereducated Londoner. This excerpt from page 4 is especially keen after recent events:
"As for you, I know you'd stop the bombs in a second if I could make you see my son with all your heart for just one moment. It would make you too sad. So I will do my best with these words Osama. I suppose you can see they don't come natural to me but I hope this letter reaches you anyway. I hope it finds you before the Americans do otherwise I'm going to wish I hadn't bothered aren't I?"

But I did have major issues with this book. The author makes outrageous plot choices, especially in the end when things get out of hand. Something about the tone didn't sit well with me. I guess it was just too exciting, when I felt it needed a more somber mood. ---not sorry I read it though. Incendiary will stay with me because of the all too real threats that unfortunately shape our collective experience.

3 stars

I didn't realize they'd made a movie of Incendiary. Anyone seen it? Seems quite different than the novel but the cast looks great. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiSkiG40wQs

Happy 4th to all my American friends! I'm spending my day watching the fantastic "John Adams" on HBO.

Pleased to see my recent quizzes making the rounds. Here's a short Independence Day meme I discovered:

Favorite 4th of July song:
God Bless America can make me weepy depending on how much alcohol I've imbibed!

Favorite 4th of July picnic food:
I love it all: deviled eggs, potato salad, watermelon, cheeseburger cheeseburger

Favorite 4th of July parade element:
marching bands-- love it when they're uber-loud and right in front of you

Favorite 4th of July firework:
just love the finale when it seems like hundreds go off at once

Favorite 4th of July memory:
laughing fits with my friends over our collective "oohs" and "ahhs" --and not so great-- being stuck in traffic for hours on end after nearly every event I've attended at Lenox Square and Stone Mountain

Happy 4th, Jenny! Thanks for sharing your Independence Day memories. I read Little Bee last year and did not care for it, so I'm hesitant on starting another Cleave book.

Happy Fourth of July from me too, Jenny.

Like Mark, I read Little Bee and didn't care for it. Your comments about Incendiary ("The author makes outrageous plot choices . . . . Something about the tone didn't sit well with me.") could have applied to Little Bee as well as far as I'm concerned. I thought Little Bee was way overhyped and I'm not likely to read another book by Chris Cleave.

Hi Mark, hi Pat! Yeah, I thought Little Bee was way overhyped as well. The problem may be that Chris Cleave shouldn't be writing his novels with female lead characters. I don't think he gets it right.

I love your reviews, Jenny. Short but right on target.

A happy Fourth to you; enjoy the food and fireworks!

Too late to wish you happy 4th July, but here is an Englishman (now American Resident) singing about the 5th July - the clearing up day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUnDtRAcXL0

Thank you, Gail. I try to write the kind of review that I like to read--very little plot exposed, just is it good or not.

Barry, gorgeous song, thank you. Clearing up day?...as in the end of gatherings and fireworks and all? I tried to find the lyrics online, but failed.

Jenny, glad you liked the song. You will struggle to find the lyrics. Terry Reid did not write the song, it was written by Louise Goffin and Reid Savage and there is no agreement with them to publish the lyrics.

A Promise is a Promise

71.

Amsterdam by Ian McEwan
1998
193 pages

Sharp novel of friendships and scandal. --a classical composer commissioned to write the "Millennium Symphony", a newspaper editor with questionable ethics, and a conservative politician -- all three meet up at their former lover's funeral. Just what I've come to expect from McEwan-- a fascinating plot, such smart writing, and of course, moral dilemmas. --recommended

4 stars

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Delusion

72.

The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk
original Turkish text 2008, English translation 2009
532 pages

This gorgeous Turkish novel tells the story of the obsessive love of Kemal, a wealthy business owner, for Fusun, a common shopgirl. Kemal is engaged to marry, but when Fusun insists he break off the engagement or else she will leave him, Kemal continues to believe that he can have it both ways. When Fusun leaves him, he becomes so determined to find her that he becomes ill and his world falls apart.

Okay, I know what you're thinking-- uhh, I've heard this story a hundred times. Well, I have too and on top of that it starts off with a good 300 pages of Kemal obsessing over this woman. But then the author takes the novel in a direction I hadn't expected and I just couldn't put it down. (The ending is a knock-out!) Sure many parts of this novel are plodding and repetitive, but it is so rich in themes of traditions and love and time and remembering. I just loved it. The author, Orhan Pamuk, won the Nobel Prize just prior to this work. I can't wait to read more from him. --guardedly recommended for the patient (and romantic) reader

4.5 stars

Nice reviews, Jenny. I liked Amsterdam, and I'll probably read The Museum of Innocence later this year, as part of my 11 in 11 challenge to read a novel by 10 different Nobel laureates.

The critic's love Orhan Pamuk and after reading your review I think I will too. I have been to Turkey a few times and have found the people there warm and friendly so its about time I read their most famous current international author.

Jenny, I loved Amsterdam. I think it's my favorite McEwan book. I tried reading something by Orhan Pamuk a long time ago but couldn't get into it. You've convinced me to give The Museum of Innocence a try.

Jenny- You might have to sit down for this: But I have not read McEwan. I know, what's my problem? Good question. I have a couple of his books in the stacks too and Amsterdam sounds good too.
Also good review of The Museum of Innocence. Might have to toss that one on the WL.
BTW- I'll be starting both Emily Alone & Doc. Yah!

Hey everyone! You've made my day. I worry that not everyone will take to TMoI, but it's awfully good. I loved the setting in 1975 Turkey, just on the cusp of modernization, but without the benefits of our Western women's lib. movement. Barry, with your travel experience, I know you'll love it. My library carries 11 of his books, so not sure which direction to go in next.

Mark, no worries Mate. There's still time. But I know when you read his crazy good writing and his brilliant ethics-driven stories you'll be hooked. (read Saturday first!) I'm so happy for you to be reading EA & Doc-- your cheeks are gonna start achin' from smiling so much (and have those Kleenex ready too). :o)

Two books I already own (but have not read)! And I just picked up Doc from the library where I had it on hold. Good reading ahead :)

Amsterdam was the first book I read by Ian McEwan, and I cannot recall it so well, but have a lingering impression that I did not find it very interesting. I should probably reread it, since having now read almost all of McEwan's other books, and considering him one of my favourite authors.

As a result of my impulsive buying, I now have two copies of Orhan Pamuk's latest novel, The museum of innocence, which I hope to read this year or next. Your review has many elements that seem typical of Pamuk's work: fairly common themes, which, however, are worked out in obsessional ways, creating a lasting impression of lifting these common issues to mythical proportions. The search for a lover, becomes a quest for Love.

Hey Katie, started Doc yet? If so, I don't expect you to be reading this. :oP

Edwin, nice of you to visit. What's your fav. McEwan? You're exactly right about Pamuk's strength in lifting common themes to mythical proportions. I think what I loved most (and this book certainly won't leave my mind) is how brilliantly Kemal is portrayed as an unreliable narrator. You just feel so bad for the guy.

Got some good books at the library yesterday. I opened the little The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating, and I couldn't put it down-- and you know me, I rarely take to nonfiction.

For my completely ridiculous summer horror read (last summer's was The Passage) I've got The Five by Robert McCammon. found this in a list of Stephen King recommended summer reading. So far it's about an Austin TX rock band on the verge of breaking up. I'm wondering if it's going to be one of those sell your soul to the devil for success types of things. (and please Lord, no vampires or zombies!)

As far as lliiitrature, I've got Turgenev's Fathers and Sons and Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich. and for my historical fiction fix I have Jamrach's Menagerie. shortlisted for the Orange Prize I think and about an 1857 London street urchin who boards ship for the Dutch East Indies-- yum!!

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House Hunters

73.

Trespass by Rose Tremain
2010
253 pages

My go-to show when there's nothing on is HGTV's House Hunters (it's always on!). Lately on the International editions you see wealthy foreigners looking to buy romantic old stone cottages in Southern France and the like. Rose Tremain must have seen this and read reports (she references this in the novel) of the local natives despairing over the invasion of these outsiders and how home prices in their region are driven through the roof. In this book 2 pairs of formerly abused, miserable siblings clash over the sale of a French isolated stone farmhouse. Not sure why I didn't like this more. Yes, it's very cheerless, but I usually go for that sort of thing. Perhaps it's the crime element. --not too bad, but not sure I'd recommend this.

3 stars

Hi Jenny! I haven't started Doc yet. Maybe next week? I am on the waiting list for Jamrach's Menagerie at the library. I think I am really going to like that one, so I may just cave in and buy it one of these days... I'm sorry you didn't like Trespass more, but that seems to be how it goes - a lot of mixed reviews. Have a great weekend!

I think Enduring love is my favourite novel by McEwan.

Rapid Reviews -- not feeling up to my normal write-ups but here's the low-down:

74.

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey
2010
178 pages

--bedridden author receives gift of snail and learns life lessons, sweet and lovely little book, the snail teaches us that there's lots to do at whatever pace we can achieve ( would make perfect gift book) 4 stars

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75.

The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Master and Man by Leo Tolstoy
1886 & 1895, 2001 Modern Library Edition
116 pages

--2 short stories of facing death, Ivan Ilyich suffers and seeks solice in first, liked 2nd better-- snowstorm strands rich landowner and peasant 3.5 stars

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76.

The Five by Robert McCammon
2011
518 pages

--good novel of sniper targeted rock band, tense story with well written characters, wonderful homage to the value of supporting live music 3.7 stars

Congratulations on reaching the 75 books mark, Jenny!

Oh! thanks for pointing that out Darryl! And a big congratulations Jenny. That's impressive with almost half the year left to go.

thank you, Darryl and Pat! I think my numbers may be down from last year, but I've read about 9 books with over 500 pages so far this year, so it may indeed even out. :o)

Wow, Jenny; you've made it already!

I loved your short review of the snail book--immediately on WL.

On McEwan: I find his works kind of polarizing: either I absolutely love them or (rarely) hate them. Atonement is my favorite, although I really enjoyed Saturday and Amsterdam too. Really, really disliked On Chesil Beach.

I'm kind of intimidated by Pamuk, but I'll add this one on your rec.

Gail, you'll love The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating-- such a charming, intelligent book. Found this trailer on YouTube-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf2suzMV_ME

I understand your reaction to Chesil Beach. It was quite dull in parts, but didn't that climax (ahem, no pun intended!) just hit you in your gut? McEwan sure knows how to write a tragic scene.

The Pamuk is not hard, just real long-- but rewarding. :o)

I've really been enjoying Jamrach's Menagerie today. Love a great seafaring adventure! -- off to read more.

Nihilism--. Philosophy
a. An extreme form of skepticism that denies all existence.
b. A doctrine holding that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated.
2. Rejection of all distinctions in moral or religious value and a willingness to repudiate all previous theories of morality or religious belief.
3. The belief that destruction of existing political or social institutions is necessary for future improvement

77.

Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev
1862, translated by Rosemary Edmonds 1965
295 pages

What a nice read this was! Arkady returns home after college to his father and uncle bringing with him his mentor, Bazarov. Bazarov shocks the older generation with his nihilistic views of the futility of art and traditional Russian values. The novel really took off in the second half when the young men meet a like-minded woman and then later when they visit Bazarov's overzealous, loving parents. And there's even a duel! Won't tell you who's involved but look at this fun dialogue:

"I have the honour to suggest the following: let us fight early tomorrow morning, at six, shall we say, behind the copse, with pistols, at a distance of ten paces..."
"At ten paces? That will do; we can detest one another at that distance."...
"We shall fire two shots and, as a precaution, let each of us put a letter in his pocket, holding himself responsible for his own demise."
"Now I don't altogether agree with that... It smacks too much of a French novel..."

Fathers and Sons is my favorite Russian novel to date and a perfect motivator for my reading of War and Peace starting this weekend. (I bet there'll be a duel in W&P too! Don't tell me!)

4.5 stars

War and Peace might slow you down a bit Jenny. I read Fathers and Sons earlier this year and thought it was great.

Barry, thank you for bringing my attention to the Turgenev-- so great! War and Peace will slow me down, eh? My goal is 2 weeks. Did you not like it much?

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"He wanted a story. A thing of horror. I have a story, a terrible one. But I'll tell no tales. He doesn't understand at all: it's not that kind of a story, not horror but grief I have to deal with. Too much to tell. What shall I do with it?
Live with it."

78.

Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch
2011
295 pages

The year is 1857. After being rescued from the mouth of a tiger, eight-year-old Jaffy is hired by Mr. Jamrach who runs a London exotic animal import business. After several years, Jamrach is commissioned to track down an animal that is whispered to exist in the Pacific isles-- a dragon. Jaffy sets sail aboard a whaling ship unaware of the dangers and misery that await him.

I loved the setting, the details of whaling, the animal trapping, and yes, the story of grief. But the book fell short for me especially in the beginning when I think the author slighted the story of Jaffy's years at the Menagerie. The author has written a gruesome, exciting, exotic tale. I only wish it had been a bit more developed as was one of my favorites of the year--We, the Drowned.

3.5 stars

Jenny, I have not read War and Peace I have always been a bit frightened of tackling it. I must get to it soon though.

Jenny, War and Peace is my favorite book of all time. I've read it twice. If you enjoyed Fathers and Sons, you'll probably love War and Peace.

When I read it with another reading group a few years ago, I made a couple of maps that show, chapter by chapter, where the action takes place in Central Europe in parts 2 and 3. They are too big to upload to LT, but here are direct links to the other site. I hope the links work for you and that you find the maps helpful.

http://readliterature.com/stamps/images/War%20and%20Peace%20Part%202.jpg
http://readliterature.com/stamps/images/War%20and%20Peace%20Part%203.jpg

Barry, you afraid of tackling it?!! with all those difficult Medieval books you read! crazy crazy :oP

oh, Steven, the maps look wonderful! thank you so much. I'm quite excited to get to it (it's in transit to my library home branch, so will pick up tomorrow!). am getting the pretty new blue one translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky-- hope I made the right decision--seems to come with lots of bells and whistles which I'll no doubt need. hope you won't mind answering any questions I might have. :o)

Hi Jenny, I loved your mini review of the snail book. I've been wondering what to get my husband when he has surgery next month. I think I'll go out to the garden and pluck him a snail to watch for two weeks while he recovers. Oh, maybe I'll even get him the book that goes along with it.

I've not read anything by Orhan Pamuk yet. I hope to get to either My Name is Red or Snow sometime this year. Those are the two that I own.

Donna, do get the snail book and try the experiment. Would be so interesting for you to post your discoveries! My thoughts will be with you and your husband during his surgery. :o) I'll wait for you to read your two Pamuk's to help me decide which one to read next.

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2 Australian Novels-- wherein I learn what the Australian slang is for chicken--> chook

78.

The Idea of Perfection by Kate Grenville
1999
401 pages

I couldn't quite connect with this Orange Prize winning novel. It's a quirky character study full of the social awkwardness found in the small Australian "bush" town of Karakarook. Harley has come to town to establish a heritage museum and Douglas has also just arrived to oversee the demolition of an old wooden bridge. Both characters are deeply wounded and have given up on love. There's also a side story of a self-obsessed housewife who is convinced the butcher is in love with her. Her story is interesting and no doubt is needed to further establish the theme of perfection. Not bad at all, but seemed a bit dated and too familiar.

3 stars

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79.

Gilgamesh: A Novel by Joan London
2004
272 pages

I was attracted to this book by its cover. I like how the woman is looking straight at me. She seems strong and determined. What you can't tell is that she is an unmarried mother leaving the Australian bush with her infant son to travel to Armenia in the late 1930's in search of the boy's father. Earlier that year, her English cousin and his Armenian friend, Aram, had visited their lazy farm as part of their whirlwind travels. Edith barely knows the man, but 9 months later after the birth of her son she senses the scorn of her neighbors and employers and decides she too will seek out an adventure. The difficulties are endless: she has no money, she has never left her sleepy town, and Armenia is under Soviet control in wartorn Europe. So begins her journey and my favorite part of the story.

The Gilgamesh of the title refers to the ancient poem of a Mesopotamian king who traveled the world with his best friend seeking adventure. Edith had received this book from her cousin and as her son, Jim, grows up, he begins to identify with the story and seek his own place in the world. It's a good story. I was disappointed that it didn't turn out as I expected, but there's enough here for me to recommend.

3.5 stars

With all the discussions of Orange Prize winning novels (for best English language female fiction) around LT, I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents. (damn, never realized before that there's no cent sign on the keyboard- wierd) Since I've just finished The Idea of Perfection, that brings my readings to 9 of the 16 winners.

Loved:
We Need to Talk About Kevin

Liked A lot:
On Beauty
Property
Small Island

and these were just okay:
The Idea of Perfection
The Tiger's Wife
The Lacuna
Half a Yellow Sun
Bel Canto

I have a much better record of enjoying other prize winners. For example, of my 28 Pulitzer Prize winning reads, I've assigned 4 and above stars to all but 4. I hope this doesn't mean I prefer male authors. I know I'm fairly even on my male:female author ratio. LT tracks my stats as Percent male: 51.67% : Percent female: 48.33%.

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Today I picked up what will probably be my last library book haul of the summer and they all look great:

Before I Go To Sleep-- psychological thriller (amnesia I think)
The Girl in the Blue Beret-- WWII French Resistance (by Bobbie Ann Mason, a fellow KY girl who wrote the fabulous In Country)
Once Upon a River-- coming of age, inspired by Huck Finn I think (everyone raves over Bonnie Jo Campbell's short stories)
and of course, War and Peace-- spent about an hour with it today and got to page 5! but taking my time to get familiar with intro and characters and all.

Jenny- Wow, such interesting books. I have not got to Kate Grenville yet, although I have 1 or 2 in the stacks.
I hope to get to We Need to Talk About Kevin later this summer. I'm also a big fan of Small Island.
Great library haul. I've been hearing good buzz on both Before I Go To Sleep & Once Upon a River. I wish they would stop releasing such good books. I can't keep up.

Hi Jenny - I am on the waiting list at the library for Before I Go to Sleep and Once Upon a River; the latter sounds so good, I may just cave in and buy it... Look forward to hearing your thoughts on them!

Jenny, you're doing some fantastic reading. I just bought Gilgamesh at a library book sale knowing next to nothing about it so I was glad to see you liked it. I have Before I Go to Sleep on hold at the library but I'm No. 75 in the queue so I assume that's going to be a long wait.

I also loved We Need to Talk About Kevin, Small Island and On Beauty. I actually loved Half of a Yellow Sun too so I'm hoping I like some of the others that you thought were just OK, like The Lacuna and Bel Canto, because I have copies of them sitting unread on my shelves.

And, you just reminded me that I need to track down Once Upon a River. Bonnie Campbell's American Salvage was one of my favorite books last year.

For the cents sign you can copy this one: ¢

If you have a PC you can generate it yourself by holding down the Alt key and entering 0162 then releasing the Alt key.

More

Robert

¢

well, the good news, Mr. Durick, is that your code works. But the bad news is all of my post following it got wiped out!

Mark, you're so right. I hate it when I've got all my classics and older wishlisted books lined up and ready and they have the gall to go and publish new, interesting books. Before I go to Sleep is off to a good start.

Katie, BIGtS has an interesting diary format that I'm really enjoying. I'm worried about the Campbell because I think I saw an unfavorable review recently here on LT... finger's crossed.

Pat, thank you so much. I'm so glad to hear you have a copy of Gilgamesh. Does your cover match the one I posted? I ordered it for my Kindle because it was the only affordable price I could find for my wishlist books (under $7) I hope Once Upon a River isn't too much like Huck Finn-- I may be a bit too Hucked out this summer! If I like it, I may break down and read her short stories.

The cents sign (¢) didn't do it. You might have had something highlighted, or the LibraryThing acid baths might have eaten it.

Robert

Who Can You Trust?

80.

Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson
2011
358 pages

Here's a fun, exciting thriller that's perfect for summer reading. Christine has suffered a trauma and now has a form of extreme amnesia where she wakes up each morning with no memory of where she is and who the man sleeping beside her is. She stumbles into the bathroom each morning and is shocked to see her aged self. Taped to the mirror are pictures and notes to remind her of her husband Ben and her life. And every morning Ben patiently calms Christine down and tells her the story of what's happened to her. When Ben leaves for work, Christine receives a call from her therapist who reminds her that she has an appointment that day and that he can be trusted. The therapy involves keeping a journal of what happens to her everyday and any memories that begin to occur to her.

The contents of the journal make up most of this novel. Each day Christine rereads what she's written so she can piece together her present and her past. The journal is fascinating but, to me the reader, it did become tedious to reread some of the same details over and over again. The shocker of the book comes early when Christine reads a note she left herself about someone in her life that is not to be trusted. It's a great hook and this book quickly became one I didn't want to put down. I did have problems with the book's resolution and often its implausibility. But I suppose these things can be forgiven for a book like this that delivers thrills and much to puzzle over. recommended!

3.5 stars

atmospheric YouTube trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZAKsO8wGG4&feature=related

oh, and the library copy I read has a gorgeous, unique three-quarter jacket revealing the printed hardcover beneath-- so those of you debating buying it, it is quite cool.

I just put this one on hold at the library but I'm number 74 at the moment so who knows when I'll actually get it but it sounds like a fun read.

Pat, I hope the library copies move quickly. It is an absorbing read. Interesting that the author's gender seems to be deliberately ambiguous on the jacket. (I cheated and googled to find out.) Late in the novel, I felt that there was a giveaway, though, and I'm anxious to discuss with another reader.

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Here are some visuals to add some flavor to my War and Peace read:

War and Peace: wow, you are ambitious! I loved the old, old series from Britain with Anthony Hopkins as Pierre. I was at one time inspired to buy a copy. And there it sits, sometimes glaring at me, sometimes weeping, waiting to be read...but I'm going to wait to see how you do with it.

Many thanks to Mr. Durick for the coding info., very helpful

And lol at publishers and writers having the nerve to come up with new, enticing books1

Gail, the battle scenes from part II in Austria are just the best war scenes I've ever read. Enjoyed this much more than part I where the characters are socializing and it was very difficult to keep names straight. I've seen it discussed that men read War and Peace for the war, while women read it for the peace. Well, so far I'm definitely in the war camp!

Steven, I'm studying the part II map and I'm amazed to find that Bagration, for example, was a real Russian general. Love the artillery captain Tushin. I hope to see him again for sure. Disappointed that Pierre's stayed back, but no doubt, his time to serve will come.

I'm enjoying my reading of War and Peace so much. Here's a bit of Tolstoy's graceful writing: "...as soon as he put his arm around her slender, mobile, quivering waist, and she began to move so close to him and smile so close to him, the wine of her loveliness went to his head..."



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I'm also well into Bonnie Jo Campbell's Once Upon a River and it's very good. Reminds me of the fabulous Winter's Bone. My library copy of Monica Ali's Untold Story has come to me, but the first few chapters are rather disappointing. She's written a what-if story of Princess Diana hiding out in middle America to escape the craziness of her former life. Seems rather too chick-littie I guess.
and speaking of disappointing books:

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Yawn

81.

The Girl in the Blue Beret by Bobbie Ann Mason
2011
345 pages

Marshall Stone is a newly retired airline pilot and widower. He decides now's the time to return to France to visit the people and places from his WWII experience as a downed fighter pilot. There's a lot of sitting around reminiscing about the era of the French Resistance, when citizens risked their lives to aid stranded allied soldiers during the Nazi Occupation.

"Whatever I did for you, I also did for myself, for my family, for France. We were crushed, Marshall. Defeated. You cannot know the shame. Whatever any of us did, we did for ourselves--so that we could have still a little self-respect. Just a little."

Unfortunately, there's not enough story tension here and I found the novel quite dull. Shame to see a misfire from Bobbie Ann Mason, whose In Country was a favorite of mine years ago. There are just too many good WWII novels out there. Take a pass on this one.

2 stars

I love following your reading Jenny and you may just convince me to give War and Peace a try. I love the illustrations that go along with your discussion.

Too bad about the Bobbie Ann Mason book. Otherwise you're on a winning streak.

Jenny- I can't wait to get to Once Upon a River. I loved American Salvage. Wow, it's turning out to be an outstanding year for new books and we have 5 months left.

Hey Pat, no surprise that all my "current" reads pale when compared to War and Peace. It's not for nothing that the expression "well, it's no War and Peace" became so popular! (or did I make that up? can't find the actual expresson on google?!)

Mark, you'll like Once Upon a River. I only wish I'd loved it more.

from Bobbie Ann to Bonnie Jo...
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The Maiden of the River

82.

Once Upon a River by Bonnie Jo Campbell
2011
348 pages

"When Margo swam, she swallowed minnows alive and felt the Stark River move inside her."

Sixteen-year old Margo lives in rural Michigan along the Stark River. The novel opens strongly with descriptions of her affinity to river life. She's happiest when drifting alone in the teak boat she inherited from her grandfather. Margo has a special knack for shooting and God help any animal that comes within her sights. There is a terrible act of violence early on and Margo takes to the river to escape.

I've read novels like this before. Part Huckleberry Finn, part Swamplandia!, part Winter's Bone. The writing here is solid and I liked it best when Margo's survival instincts and newfound sexuality were explored. But the second half let me down. I didn't want her to settle where she did or with whom she did. What happened to the earlier tension and desperation? I wanted Margo's journey to continue.

3.25 stars

Hi Jenny. I have Once Upon a River on hold at the library. I loved American Salvage when I read it last year. Did you read that too? It was short stories and I've never read a novel by Bonnie Jo Campbell.

Pat, I think this may be her first novel. I hope you love it!

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fun bit of Tolstoy from my current reading of War and Peace (from Tsar Alexander's war council):

A Frenchman is self-assured because he considers himself personally, in mind as well as body, irresistibly enchanting for men as well as women. An Englishman is self-assured on the grounds that he is a citizen of the best-organized state in the world, and therefore, as an Englishman, he always is unquestionably good. An Italian is self-assured because he is excitable and easily forgets himself and others. A Russian is self-assured precisely because he does not know anything and does not want to know anything, because he does not believe it possible to know anything fully. A German is self-assured worst of all, and most firmly of all, and most disgustingly of all, because he imagines that he knows the truth, science, which he has invented himself, but which for him is the absolute truth.



Parting of Napoleon and Alexander I at Tilsit-- painting by Gioacchino Serangeli

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Off to Summer Camp

83.

The Inverted Forest by John Dalton
2011
325 pages

The Inverted Forest is an interesting, original story about the goings-on at a summer camp for disabled adults. The camp's owner has to make some quick decisions about hiring counselor replacements after feeling compelled to let the previous staff go due to an unauthorized nighttime skinny dip. But are the new counselors qualified to care for the demands of the mentally retarded wards of the state hospital? And most compelling is the lead character of Wyatt Huddy, who was born with the congenital disorder of Apert syndrome and who is often mistaken as being mentally disabled himself. The author takes his time developing the story and building suspense toward the shocking climax. But then when the 2nd half opens and we see where the story goes, it's quite excellent. I found the author's treatment of the retarded refreshingly and brutally honest and not at all sentimental. highly recommended

4 stars

Following your comments on War and Peace and enjoying your pictures.

Barry, I'm glad to hear that. I'm nearing the finish line and it's been a wonderful read.

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fans of historical fiction will like this article and video from the wall street journal-- http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304911104576443871615544338.html

#103 There is more than one way of skinning a cat. Perhaps gentlemen always carried very sharp pen Knives around with them. Just in case

>103 GCPLreader: - Thanks for that link, Jenny. I've always wondered how accurate those things are.

>104 baswood: - Excellent point, Barry :)

Oh, I'd hate to see such expensive and lovely undergarments cut open, Barry, not to mention the risk to the woman. Patience, patience I say... good things come to men who wait.

Hey Katie! The link sure sheds light on the falsity of the term "bodice ripper".

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Sing, Muse, of the Tragedy of Penelope

84.

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
2005
196 pages

Here's an easy, fun sister-read to my recent The Lost Books of the Odyssey. Margaret Atwood supposes the tale of Penelope who waits twenty years for the return of her beloved Odysseus. Best of all, in alternating chapters, Atwood recreates the Chorus of the Maids, common in Greek drama, to give voice to the haunted spirits of the twelve handmaidens slain by Odysseus upon his return. This book is part of the Cannongate Mythology series-- the best of them IMO.

I'm loving my forays into mythology (definitely want to take a college course on this when I retire)-- up next this fall- Metamorphoses by Ovid. Anyone have a recommendation for the best translation?

4 stars

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Don't Eat That!

85.

Kosher Chinese by Michael Levy
2011
240 pages

Thank you to Gail for recommending this fun, lightweight memoir. Young Mike Levy joined the Peace Corps in 2005 to teach English in China's interior. While some of the content was upsetting, the author uses a humorous, natural voice along with current, hip pop culture references and I did enjoy reading about his friendships and students. I was looking for more about Mike's Judaism as referenced by the title, but there's not much here. I don't usually read memoirs, but I think this travel sort of book is right for me.

3.5 stars

Jenny- I was hoping you would have a better opinion on Once Upon a River. I was expecting another knock-out, after her terrific American Salvage.
I also love all your comments and pictures of War and Peace, which, I shamefully admit, I've never read. I need to pick a month and just devote myself to this classic. Maybe someone will join me.

I'm loving your comments and info on W. and P., Jenny. You may be converting me.

Also, let me know when you're going to read the Ovid. I'd love to read along with you. I think I just have the standard Penguin trans., but I've been putting it off for awhile, so will be delighted to be motivated to read it.

Added both The Inverted Forest and The Penelopiad to the W.L.

Mark, I know, I know. I wanted to love it and there were parts of it that really worked. But on the whole I just felt that it didn't deliver.
Gail, you picked two good ones. I really hope that Dalton's novel takes off; it's very good and unlike anything I've read. Oh, goodie, let's read Metamorphoses this winter. I'll keep you posted. In the spirit of my Greek mythology reads I want to ask my friends who is their favorite god/goddess. I'll say Hera, just because she's always so bitter and vengeful and truly awful (and who could blame her for all of Zeus' fooling around!)

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It's nice to see Napoleon looking so dejected. This is Napoleon abdicated at Fontainebleau Artist: Delaroche, Paul



from Tolstoy's War and Peace:
Napoleon was sitting at the foot of the barrow and drinking punch when Murat's adjutant galloped up to him with assurances that the Russians would be crushed if his majesty gave them one more division.
"Reinforcements?" said Napoleon, with stern astonishment, as if failing to understand his words and gazing at the handsome boy-adjutant with his long, curled black hair. "Reinforcements!" thought Napoleon. "What sort of reinforcements can they ask for, when they've got half an army in their hands directed against a weak, unfortified Russian wing!"
"Tell the king of Naples, " Napoleon said sternly, "that it's not yet midday, and that I still don't see my chessboard clearly. Go..."
The handsome boy-adjutant with long hair, not taking his hand from his hat, sighed deeply and galloped back to where people were being killed.
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Here's how I always imagined Napoleon prior to reading Tolstoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9RUbJPBcgw

I don't see it among the touchstones, but this is the Metamorphoses that I read and enjoyed. I haven't compared it to anything, though, and I don't know it in its original; still I recommend it.

Robert

Thank you, Mr. Durick. I'm glad you enjoyed it. My library carries the Signet translation by Gregory and the Penguin by Raeburn. Here's the mythology book that I'm sure many of you remember and that I used to love sharing with my students. D'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths

I loved D'Aulaires Greek Myths! My sister and I read that over and over :)

#111 - Jenny - I don't recognize the book, but I've just requested a library copy... for my kids.

Katie, that's a great memory to have. Dan, can't wait to see how your family enjoys it. :o)

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ok, here's my final posting of the amazing War and Peace. Wanted to share some final favorite short quotes and pictures (wouldn't let me paste in one post):

"Ve must fight to the last trop of plod," said the colonel, pounding the table, "und tie for our emperor, and then all vill be veil. And reason as little as possible."
Portraits of war heroes of 1812 line the walls in the Winter Palace

Something inhuman--death--is forcing the door, and he has to hold it shut. He lays hold of the door, strains in a last effort--to lock it is already impossible--just to hold it shut; but his attempts are weak, clumsy, and, pushed by the terrible thing, the door keeps opening and shutting again.
Arthur William Devis - 'The Death of Nelson'

"This Asiatic city with her numberless churches, holy Moscow. So here she is at last, this famous city! It was time," said Napoleon..."A city occupied by the enemy is like a girl who has lost her honor."
View on the Resurrection Gates in Moscow, 1811, by artist Fyodor Alexeyev

"I should never, never have believed that one could be so happy," she whispered to herself. A smile lit up her face but at the same time she sighed, and her deep eyes expressed a quiet sadness as though she felt, through her happiness, that there is another sort of happiness unattainable in this life and of which she involuntarily thought at that instant.
Russian Icon Archangel with the Golden Hair

Nice quotes and images, Jenny (though the one in #114 is not showing). Thanks for sharing your experience with us!

War and Peace

86.

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
1865 --Pevear and Volokhonsky translation 2007
1273 pages

War and Peace, yes, and so much more:

nobility and muzhiks (Russian peasants)
faith and doubt
dragoons and hussars
wolfhounds and borzois
dueling and dancing
Napoleon and Alexander
society and solitude
parents and siblings
laughter and tears

The war of the title refers to the Napoleonic wars that advanced into Russia in 1812. (Americans--know that there was an even bigger "War of 1812") The peace focuses primarily on three families of the upper class society of Petersburg and Moscow at the time, and also the peace that comes from the family and faith in God and acceptance of death. Yes, there's melodrama here in the portrayal of romance, but it is all rather suspenseful and fun. Who will end up with whom?! Don't be afraid of the descriptions of battle. I found Tolstoy's narrative very exciting and poignant.

For such an immense novel, the pacing is wonderful. Aside from perhaps a total of 30 or so pages of war theory and philosophical rants about the science of war and the meaning of history, which I skimmed, the story moved briskly from the personal stories of the main characters to the horrors of battle and back again. Tolstoy himself in the endpages wrote that this is not a conventional novel, but rather all that he wanted to express. But to me it is the perfect Russian novel and a beautiful gift to the world. I loved it.

5 stars

I've enjoyed all your W&P posts and love the paintings. Some day I really should read this...of course I've told myself that several times before.

Great stuff Jenny

Katie, is it showing correctly now? and you're welcome-- I've loved every minute of it.

Dan, thank you. put aside that dreary Shadow Country (sorry!) and pick up this tome instead. :oP

Thanks, Barry. Will all my reading now be jaded by comparison?!

Yup, I can see it now :)

Jenny- I've loved all your thoughts & pictures of War and Peace. Great job! I have to get to this book!! Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

#122 - ha! Saddly, I've had trouble getting into Shadow Country. Every time I start, something else more interesting to me comes up.

Hey, the phone book as they say.... I stuck it out to page 300 or so, but it just kept repeating itself.

Mark, hi and no, I'm not enjoying my weekend. totally miserable and anxious and slightly nauseus with today being the final day of my summer vacation. I'm sad that I couldn't afford to go anywhere this summer. I filled my time with swimming, baseball (go Braves!), my forever floundering Yahoo fantasy teams, and my computer gaming and blogging. And, of course, reading-- 39 books. And though I don't generally like people (kids excluded), it's probably time I actually went back out into the world and spoke to someone. wish me luck

I still can't get used to grade school starting so early in Georgia, even though I've lived here since 1997. I just checked the AJC; this is the first day of class for children in Cherokee County, and most other school districts, including Gwinnett County, start next Monday. When I was in grade school we didn't start until the day after Labor Day!

>8 GCPLreader: Thanks so much for the review of Embers. I'm unfamiliar with Mari's work and have now requested a copy of this book from PaperBackSwap. It's always so nice to find a new author.

Darryl, I know. It is ridiculously too soon. I'm in preplanning all week. The kids come to register on Thursday, so I'll meet my class then.

Marge, so nice to have a new visitor. Do you keep a thread here or over in the 75 group? You'll love Embers. Just be patient with the first half. The ending is just exquisite.

"In Russia...There are only crime stories."

87.

Snowdrops by A.D. Miller
2011
262 pages

Well, I thought it might be interesting to juxtapose a modern Russian novel with my recent 19th C. reads. Huge mistake. Now, I realize why Russia suffers so from corruption and I blame Stalin and Communism for the ruin of the empire, but it's all just so ugly... and so sad. Snowdrops came to my attention because it's on the Booker Prize longlist for 2011. It tells the story of a British expat in Moscow who falls in love and is blind to how he's being scammed. Masha, the attractive girlfriend, seems underwritten, too much like a stereotype. I know what she looks like, but, aside from her obvious lies and secrets, nothing else. Lovers of crime fiction will probably be quite impressed with this debut novel. It's quite well written, it's just not for me.

3 stars

I've been going back and forth about requesting Snowdrops from the library and think I will pass for now.

ETA to fix typo.

>130 GCPLreader: Hi, Jenny. I have a thread here on CR: http://www.librarything.com/topic/104906
Margaret

Nice review of Snowdrops, Jenny. I'll still plan to read it during my Bookerfest, but I'll put it toward the bottom of my list for now.

Well, as it turns out, I had already placed a hold on Snowdrops from the library and received notification this afternoon that it was available. So I guess I will give it a whirl...

do read it, katie. it's not that bad. darryl, hope you like it. I'm so excited to see the praise for the hollinghurst novel-- can't wait.

I've loved the pictures you've posted along your War and Peace way. Isn't there another substantial Russian novel in your near future? Those wacky Karamazov brothers might make fifth grade boys seem much more angelic by comparison!

Alison, I was considering either The Idiot or The Brothers Karamazov next. But I like what you said about the wacky brothers, so perhaps I'll lean that way. :o)

For my current library selections I've got:
The Mill on the Floss -- so far (100 pages in) quite good. Jim was swinging by the library to pick up a book and I told him to grab a thin classic for me and he brought home this 500+ page beauty. Guess they all look slim to him after W &P!
Pigeon English--gonna read for my Booker group
A Prayer for the Dying-- itchin' to read some more O'Nan
Stone Arabia-- critics really like this new one
Watchers-- Jim wants me to try some Koontz and this one seems to be a good one (talking dogs!) to start with

oh, and I've got Robopocalypse (don't laugh) on my nightstand, too

Jenny- It's been many years, but Watchers is a terrific thriller, my favorite of Koontz's books. I'm not laughing, because I have an audio copy of Robopocalypse. It's actually got some good reviews.

>99 GCPLreader:: Your comparison to Winter's Bone made me move Once Upon A River up the wishlist. Wait a minute, it's already at the top! I'm another fan of her writing after reading those haunting stories in American Salvage. I'm sorry her latest fell a bit flat for you; that's why I'm waiting for a library copy instead of buying it.

I wish I'd thought of adding the Russian art experience to my reading of War and Peace. I've enjoyed reliving the book through the pictures you've posted.

Summer is drawing to a close too quickly - for you. Personally, I'm ready for fall, but I remember those end-of-summer jitters. I hope you have a class full of motivated learners, Jenny. Congrats on reading 39 books this summer and ending on the high note of War and Peace.

Ack! I have Snowdrops checked out from the library. I'm lowering my expectations but I'll still read it for the Booker group. I have a few other Booker nominees checked out so I can contrast and compare.

Oh good, Mark, can't wait to get to Watchers. Do you not read Koontz anymore?

Donna, so nice to hear your kind words about my returning to the classroom. I met many of my students Thursday at registration and they seem wonderful. Numbers are up, though--approaching 30, yikes! I do hope you like the new Campbell novel. And I'll be very interested to hear your take on Snowdrops. These Bookers are letting me down a bit. I'm about 50 pages into Pigeon English and I don't like it at all.

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"Ah, Maggie," said Philip, almost fretfully, "you would never love me so well as you love your brother.
"Perhaps not," said Maggie, simply; "but then, you know, the first thing I ever remember in my life is standing with Tom by the side of the Floss, while he held my hand; everything before that is dark to me..."

88.

The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
1860
522 pages

This beautiful Victorian novel is my second Eliot and I think I like it even better than Middlemarch. The story follows a miller's daughter and son who must survive their father's downfall. I love the character of Maggie as she grows from a precocious young girl into a lovely, idealistic woman who is willing to sacrifice her happiness for the honor of her doting father and strongwilled brother. Yes, the themes are outdated and the outcome terribly unfair, but the prose is just so delicious.-- yum!

4.5 stars

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and now for something completely different...

"Baby-Comes-Alive? Is that you?"

89.

Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson
2011
347 pages

Weeeeeee-- fun read alert! Fans of World War Z and The Passage take note. Nonfiction robotics Ph.D. author here tries his hand at fiction and the results are quite good. Think Hal from 2001 A Space Odyssey and you'll get the vibe of Archos, the computer that leads a robot revolution to rid the world of those pesky, controlling humans. I love the story arc and the unique chapters (well, it's actually quite a bit like World War Z) that tell the story from multiple characters around the world as the robot's conquest leads to Zero Hour and then the human retaliation. From an elderly Japanese recluse obsessed with his lovebot to an Afghanistan military safety and pacification robot unit gone awry to an Osage Indian Reservation in Oklahoma where an army is forming to the big cities where destruction of the city is the only way to slow down the bots-- there is so much here and it's hard to put down. Oh, and did you notice my top quote?--electronic toys come to life! fun! Quite scary and gruesome and a good read for when you're looking for something different.

4 stars

Jenny- Yes, I haven't read Koontz in many years. I'm not sure why. There were a few that sounded interesting, including the Odd Thomas books. Maybe, someday.
Loved your review of Robopocalypse. I hope to squeeze this one in soon.

Other than Middlemarch, I haven't been successful with George Eliot. I just couldn't get very far with Silas Marner but you've convinced me to give The Mill on the Floss a try.

Unfortunately, I found World War Z too scary to finish even though I thought it was an excellent book. I'm very suggestible if a scary story is realistic and can have trouble sleeping. I may try taking Robopocalypse out the library.

Great reviews. I find it hard to believe the summer is over for you in early August.

Hey Mark! I'm so excited to see you're reading We Need to Talk About Kevin. You know how I feel about that one.

There's my Pat! Hi Sweetie, yes, summer's over but I'm enjoying my students very much. We had great fun today investigating with our microscopes. I just wish my body was as young and painfree as it used to be. (feet are killing me!) I'll avoid Silas Marner for now, but I definitely want to try some more Eliot and Hardy (Return of the Native is up soon!).

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epigraph: "There is no escape in a time of plague. We must chose to either love or to hate God."
Albert Camus

90.

A Prayer for the Dying by Stewart O'Nan
1999
195 pages

Jacob Hansen is a Civil War veteran and the current sheriff and undertaker and pastor of the town of Friendship, Wisconsin. Jacob has survived the horrors of war and is now blessed with a loving wife and baby daughter. But his faith is tested when a terrible diptheria epidemic decimates his community. I'm enjoying all the novels of Stewart O'Nan and this one is just so sad and so haunting and so beautifully written. I'll never be able to forget this remarkable character and the crushing decisions he must face.

4 stars

Jenny- I read A Prayer for the Dying many years ago. I don't remember it very well but the guy can write and I love his diversity.
Hey, I picked up a copy of any Human Heart. I've never read Boyd.
Don't you love this LT frenzy over The Sisters Brothers? We even have Aussies reading it. I think you were the 1st one I noticed reading it, you trend-setter!

I've yet to read a Stewart O'Nan that I haven't thought of long after reading. I'll have to find this one.

I love Stewart O'Nan. I have A Prayer for the Dying waiting on the TBR shelves. Nice review, Jenny!

Mark, I wanna read The Circus Fire by O'Nan next. I remember you recommended that one. So glad you got the Boyd novel--such a lovely read. And yes! loving all the attention The Sisters Brothers is getting-- thank the Booker committee for that.

Alison, this one was my third after the Lobster and Emily Alone. O'Nan's one more book away from me adding him to my favorite author status. APftD is certainly a strong, heartbreaking story. I'm going to check your library to see which you've loved.

Hi Katie-- thank you! oh, I hope you'll love it. You're okay with dark, aren't you? (I mean really, really dark)

started Stone Arabia last night and it's great-- so well written. seems to be a sister writing of her artistic, eccentric, guitar-playing brother. -- wonderful early memories of seeing the movie A Hard Days Night and the Beatles changing their lives.

Oh, yes, I do like dark!

Rock Chronicles

91.


Stone Arabia by Dana Spiotta
2011
235 pages

Denise and her older brother Nik grew up in the Los Angeles rock and roll scene of the 70's and 80's. Now middle-aged, Denise lives alone and agonizes over her obsession with stories of suffering on the cable news channels and her own perceived memory loss. Nik, who experienced limited success with his rock band experimentations in his youth, has spent his adult life in relative solitude chronically his music and songwriting that he produces solely for his sister and only a handful of others. Nik is truly a vituoso talent, and like other reclusive artists, he doesn't seem to need an audience to create. The author writes "One wonders, or at least I wonder, what happened to these people? Not the one-hit wonders but the no-hit wonders?"

Denise is the responsible one. As she cares for their aging mother who is experiencing dementia, she worries about her own memory. When the author writes of Denise's realization of the memories that we retain, the memories of the body-- of the senses, she truly hits the mark. Perhaps it is because these characters are my age, but I was greatly moved by their experiences and their decisions on how to enter the second halves of their lives. Denise says in my favorite quote--"The second half of my life was just the bill due for the pleasures of the first half." With its shared setting and themes, Stone Arabia makes a wonderful companion read to this year's Pulitzer Prize winner A Visit from the Goon Squad. I may even prefer it.

4.5 stars

Jenny- Loved your Stone Arabia review. You earned a fat old Thumb! I've heard the buzz on this one already and it looks like my kind of book. I'm a big fan of Goon Squad and music in general.
Circus Fire is a Must Read and will haunt you for years.

Yes thumbs up for Stone Arabia. It is on my to buy list.

thank you, Mark...thank you, Barry -- such a good book. I hope you both love it. :o)

forgot to mention my new library books and upcoming reads:

Watchers by Dean Koontz-- not sure I can handle much more of this-- rather too violent, but the dog angle is wonderful
Conquistadora by Esmeralda Santiago-- new hf about woman plantation owner in 19th C. Puerto Rico--got good reviews and I've been looking for more latin american fiction that's not too heavily laden with magic realism (not an easy task)-- hope this one's great
White Teeth by Zadie Smith-- been waiting for this one from the library for forever-- should be right up my alley
The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollack-- good reviews for this new novel of violence in Appalachia in the 1950's
Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman-- random (often base) life observations of an immigrant child in London-- about 100 pages in but not liking it-- help me out, Darryl!

Happy Reading Everyone!

saw this on Yahoo about our president's planned vacation reads as he heads to the Massachusetts' coast:

Obama picked up two of the books on an outing with daughters Sasha and Malia on Friday: "The Bayou Trilogy," a mystery collection by Daniel Woodrell set in Louisiana, and "Rodin's Debutante," a novel by Ward Just with a character who becomes politically conscious after moving to a rough neighborhood on Chicago's south side, echoing Obama's time there as a community organizer before he entered politics.

The president also bought along books: "Cutting for Stone," a novel by Abraham Verghese that traces the lives of two boys who are born joined at the skull in Ethiopia, and "To the End of the Land," a novel by David Grossman of a mother who tries to keep her son alive while he is at war by hiking the length of Israel, hoping that if she cannot be reached to be told of his death, he won't die.

He also brought "The Warmth of Other Suns," by Isabel Wilkerson, the only non-fiction work on the list, which describes America's migration of blacks from the South.

I've read 2 of these-- Cutting for Stone which was good and To the End of the Land which was long and difficult but ultimately rewarding. I do respect the man's taste and I wish him long, happy hours of uninterrupted reading. :o)

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92.

Watchers by Dean Koontz
1987
391 pages

Well, Jimmy, I gave Koontz a go. He tells a good story, but his writing--ughhh. Watchers is a thriller about a scientific research labratory in the California Foothills that plays around with genetic engineering and creates a super-wonderful, intelligent golden retriever and at the other end of the spectrum, the Outsider--a hideous baboon-like killing machine. All hell breaks loose, as do the two animals. The dog, soon named Einstein, is rescued by Travis, a down-on-his-luck loner. The Outsider's sole desire is to track down and kill poor Einstein. Added to the terror, is a Soviet (yes, Soviet)-hired hitman who is commissioned to kill the doctors from the research lab and steal their secrets. I could have done without these homicides--- waaay too descriptive, waaay too violent for my tastes.
The story of Einstein and his uncanny ability to communicate was endearing, but in the end, the writing was just too sloppy to win me over. Now, Jim, you owe me one. It's time you read a book I recommended.

3 stars

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93.

White Teeth by Zadie Smith
2000
448 pages

Wonderfully audacious debut novel-- had such a good time reading this this weekend. Smith uses humor and fantastically detailed characters to tell the story of London friends and immigrants (Bengalis and Jamaicans) and their children and parenting and Islam and Jehovah Witnesses and so much more. Essentially, it's a novel of second-generation children and their choosing between their parents' older, traditional values and the pull of modern Britain at the end of the 20th C. Reminded me of White Tiger and Midnight's Children and Oscar Wao. --such a delight -- damn, can this woman write!

4.5 stars

Jenny- I have to admit I was a big fan of Watchers, although it's been close to 25 years since I read it. Maybe I would feel differently now, if I read it, who knows?
I also loved White Teeth but I am due a re-read on that one. BTW- I just started Stone Arabia. See the kind of influence you have on me?

oh goodie, Mark, I do hope you like it!

I realize my thread is quite a drag recently, but I am rather tired and unmotivated to put anything into my reviews. so sorry, all :o)

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If you have the stomach for it....

94.

The Devil All the Time by Donal Ray Pollock
2011
261 pages

Startling, very violent, and unputdownable-- This strong novel tells of serial killers and religious perversions in rural Ohio and West Virginia after WWII.

4 stars

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Much Better than Book Lust (imho)

95.

The Book Club Companion by Diana Loevy
2006
338 pages

When I stumbled upon this book at the library the other day I was excited to recall that I had read it back when it first came out. I got so many great recommendations from this author: from Wallace Stegner to Graham Greene to Marilynne Robinson. Recommended titles have a full page devoted to them and further reading suggestions. I especially like the "Time Travel: If You Were in a 19(20)'s Book Club" lists that are scattered throughout the book. There's much here that I skimmed over-- book club meeting ideas and themes and even menus, but the titles suggested are all pretty stong and I think it's a fun read for book lovers.

4 stars

96.

Conquistadora by Esmeralda Santiago
2011
415 pages

The year is 1844 when Ana marries young and leads her husband and his twin to leave Sevilla and take over the running of a sugar plantation in Puerto Rico. The farm is in disarray, there are slaves to be managed, and the marriage is strained (seems both brothers consider Ana their wife). But Ana is determined like her ancestor before her, don Cristobal Colon, to conquer the New World no matter what.
Good writing here and a better than average historical fiction story. I loved the setting and the sprinkled Spanish throughout.

3.5 stars

The Book club companion looks a fun read.

Barry, after your recent book club woes, this book might've been a great help. You still meeting with them?

I'm back from the library today and excited as always about my next reads:

Rabbit, Run by John Updike-- I like this blurb on the back cover: "...an American protest against all the attempts to impress upon us the 'healthy, life-loving and comic' as our standard for novels. It it sexy, in bad taste, violent, and basically cynical. And good luck to it.--Angus Wilson -- (thanks to Steven for encouraging a move up the tbr stack) Reminds me of Roth's books, which I love.

The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene-- (recommended by Barry -yay!) I've loved the Greene I've read and this is supposed to be his masterpiece- yum

The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan -- described as both literary horror and filthy, so should be a blast

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett-- friends have said they found this disappointing, so I'm interested to see how I'll like it. Topic of possibly unethical Amazonia medical research sounds intriguing

Tolstoy and the Purple Chair by Nina Sankovitch-- another book about books, memoir of woman who deals with sister's death by plunging into a book-a-day reading challenge (and of course Tolstoy getting a shout-out doesn't hurt!)

Dating Jesus by Susan Campbell-- just discovered this yesterday on Ridgewaygirl's thread-- memoir of childhood spent in fundamentalist church mirrors my own experience

Happy Reading All! :o)

Hope you enjoy The power and the Glory. Rabbit Run is also a favourite of mine, but I read it a long time ago, might be a little dated now. A great selection of books Jenny.

The book club limps on, as I am now the organiser I had better get hold of The book club Companion

"If you have the guts to be yourself, other people'll pay your price."

97.

Rabbit, Run by John Updike
1960
309 pages

Poor Rabbit. He's twenty-six years old and already feeling trapped in a bad marriage. He longs for the former glory of his high school basketball years, and life seems like a miserable disappointment to him. On a whim, Rabbit leaves his wife and toddler son and drives all night, trying to get down to the Gulf Coast. But he gets lost and scared and turns around. He arrives at the doorstep of his former coach, who he realizes is a washed-up embarrassment. He takes up with a prostitute, but is tracked down by the family's pastor, who befriends him and reminds him of the responsibilities he's left behind.

Updike's writing is everything I'd heard it to be-- modern and expressive. I truly did find myself sympathising with Rabbit. No, I didn't find him likable and I did cringe at the way he talked to women (e.g. he often referred to them as his "piece"). But I also found the women infuriating (and shocking to see an expectant mother drinking and smoking). Let's just say that I'm grateful that I live in post-sexual-revolutionary world and that I was raised to speak up and communicate my feelings. I can't wait to read the other books in this series and see if Rabbit grows up and finally stops his running.

4 stars

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The Whiskey Priest

98.

The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene
1940
222 pages

Greene's masterpiece tells the story of a Mexican priest who is being tracked down by a lieutenant of the Red Shirts in the 1930's. Like the other Graham Greene novels I've read, this one starts slowly and the writing takes some getting used to. But by part two I was caught up in the struggles of this broken-down man to keep his faith and minister to the poor indigenous souls of southern Mexico. I loved the introduction of the "Judas" character who is described as having only two teeth, his canine fangs, and is obviously leading our beloved priest to the army in order to receive his blood money. Greene's love of the Catholic Church is evident in the simple sacraments the priest delivers and of his awareness of God's love while he sits in prison. The author's vivid descriptions of desolate Mexico felt almost dystopian and I was reminded of McCarthy's Blood Meridian and The Road, as well as Willa Cather's gorgeous Death Comes for the Archbishop. --a beautiful novel of faith

4 stars

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"...every insect in the Amazon lifted its head from the leaf it was masticating and turned a slender antenna in her direction..."

99.

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
2011
368 pages

Dr. Marian Singh is a researcher for a pharmaceutical company in Minnesota. She receives a letter announcing that her colleague has died while visiting a research outpost deep in the Brazilian rainforest and Marian is asked by his widow and by her boss (and lover) to fly down to find out what's happened. It seems Marian's former professor, the most unpleasant Dr. Swenson, is conducting some rather ludicrous research on the Lakashi tribe whose women bear children well into their seventies.

Patchett does a good job of describing the jungle and Marian's nightmares and despair. I just couldn't believe that the investigation into the death of her good friend seems to be put on the backburner and only resolved late (really late) in the novel. While interesting in parts, overall a disappointment.

3 stars

Jenny - I'd be mad at you for adding to my WL if all three of those weren't already on it (I think the Graham Greene is actually on the TBR shelves somewhere...)! Nice reviews.

The other Rabbit books in the series are just as good if not better than Rabbit, run, but does he grow up? Well I dunno.....

oh yay, visitors! Katie, lol, I'm not surprised-- I know how long that WL of yours is!

Barry, don't tease me like that. All the 26 year old men I knew were basically selfish dicks and they all turned out all right, so I'm sure he'll straighten up a bit. (but not too much I hope, or there'd be no fun!)

Hi Jenny, I've been trying to collect the Rabbit books so I can read them together. I have two down... and two to go.

I've been waiting for State Of Wonder far too Long now. I'm sorry to hear it was a disappointment for you. It sounds like my kind of book so I'll have to see for myself -- if I ever get it!

Jenny- I always love your book selections (sorry if I've said this to you before). You effortlessly move from one end of the spectrum to the other.
I have the 1st 3 Rabbit books in a single volume and plan on getting to them next year. I think the only one I have read is Rabbit is Rich, which I read 25 years ago.
I also loved The Power and the Glory. If you have Netflix, look for a John Ford film called "The Fugitive", which is loosely based on the book. It's an over-looked classic. IMHO.
Sad to hear about State of Wonder. I was pumped about that one.

Very entertained by your comment to Bas in #165.

Hey Donna-- yeah, I'm with you. I want to read all the Rabbit books close together too. Perhaps I should've grabbed the compilation Rabbit Angstrom: A Tetrology: Rabbit, Run; Rabbit Redux; Rabbit Is Rich; Rabbit at Rest while I had the chance.

Mark, you are too sweet. You're right-- I do love to mix it up. I will program "The Fugitive" into my DVR search so I can catch it next time it's on.-- thanks!

Hi Dan-- perhaps my comment reflected your younger self?!

I've never had any desire to read Graham Greene, but with your comparisons to Cormac McCarthy and Willa Cather.... The Power and the Glory is now on my wishlist.

Oh, but I didn't think I was so bad...at least I didn't think so at the time.

oh good, Cait, I hope you love it.

I've had the best weekend of reading! All new and all good--time to catch up on reviews:

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A Book a Day

100.

Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: My Year of Magical Reading by Nina Sankovitch
2011
236 pages

Reading as therapy--I'm sure we all can relate. The chance not only to escape our worries, but be lifted by beautiful art and by the reflections of ourselves and our connectedness to the page. While grieving the death of her sister, Nina Sankovitch, a part-time book blogger, decides that she needs to take a year off work and just read. A book a day is her goal. And through the power of literature, she hopes to slow down and reconnect with herself, with her memories, and with her lost happiness.

I wish she'd written a little less about these feelings and written a bit more about the specific titles she chose (I did like her taste), but I did find Tolstoy and the Purple Chair to be a lovely book overall. For how could I, someone who craves that uninterrupted hour of reading, not smile and totally relate to her drive?

3.5 stars

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A Steady Man Seeing the World Turn and Turn

101.

Train Dreams by Denis Johnson
2011
116 pages

So good that just a few hours after finishing this jewel, I went back and read it again. Denis Johnson, National Book Award Winner for Tree of Smoke, has written a tender, sparse novella of the life of Robert Grainier, a common laborer in the Northwestern US in the early 20th C.. Granier is a quiet man who lives, loves, works, and grieves and tries not to be too overwhelmed by the remarkable changing world. Just enough-- just perfect!

5 stars

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Everyone Sing Along--------> "Ahhh Oooooooooo, Werewolves of London"

102.

The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan
2011
293 pages

Completely ridiculous, yet so well written I didn't care. I understood Jake. I loved Jake and I wanted him to survive. For 200 years, he's lived as a lonely, rich, sex-driven man 353 days a year. But oh, those other 12 days. The delicious details and the amazing twist revealed in the 2nd half were so good that I easily overlooked some of the over-the-top plotting (did we really need vampires thrown into the mix?!). If you've not tried literary horror, then you need to smack yourself on your wrist and give this a go. Too much fun!

4.5 stars

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Not Quite the Rapture

103.

The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta
2011
355 pages

This was a curious book. It's not quite speculative fiction, not quite dystopian. The author just states that 3 years before, thousands just up and vanished in an event that became known as the Sudden Departure. There's no rhyme or reason to their disappearance. These weren't the "Faithful" as Christians are taught to believe. The novel simply deals with those left behind and how they survive the loss.

The author captures American suburbia perfectly. I love how he shows the not-quite-right creepiness of the new order of things. But perhaps I was looking for a stronger emotional connection to the characters and I didn't feel that all of it worked. Good in a thought-provoking kind of way, though.

3.5 stars

Geez, Jenny, slow down! I can't add to my wish list as fast as you read :) Actually, Train Dreams is the only one not already on the WL. Great reviews.

The last Werewolf sounds like fun. Literary horror indeed.

Katie, I can't slow down. the books-- they call out to me!

Hey Barry, you should try it. throw a little trash into the mix. :o)

Jenny- I love your reviews! I was hoping for more love on The Leftovers. He is such a good writer and this is such a terrific premise.

yeah, Mark-- like but not love. I do wanna read Little Children-- loved the movie. What have you read by Perrotta?

I read and liked The Abstinence Teacher. And like you, really enjoyed the film version of Little Children but have not yet read it. Wasn't that pedophile story-line creepy?

I really liked Little Children - even more than the film which I thought was very good.

I loved the public swimming pool scene. So cool to see again the actor famous as Kelly Leak from the Bad News Bears. Really glad to hear Katie say the book is great-- gonna read it soon. Oh, and I heard that HBO already has the rights to The Leftovers-- too cool.

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear: when will I ever find time to read all books you've made me add to my TBR pile?

Margaret, you've got all the time in the world. Isn't it wonderful to think that we will never run out of good books to read?!

Lovely cool front rolling through Atlanta and I'm home from the library with new books for the weekend:

The Wife by Meg Wolitzer -- biting take on divorce from what I've heard
On Canaan's Side by Sebastian Barry-- didn't make the Booker shortlist this year, but a good Irish novel is always welcome
The Bad Girl by Mario Vargas Llosa-- been dying to read Llosa-- matches my goal of reading more latin american lit. this year
Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada-- many recommendations here on LT compel me to try this novel of Nazi resistance in WWII Berlin
The Siege of Krishnapur by J.G. Farrell -- Booker winner about colonial uprising in India looks fantastic

happy reading everyone!!

Jenny- Looks like you've landed some interesting books. Every Man Dies Alone is outstanding. My top read from a couple years ago! Enjoy!

Very nice library haul, Jenny! I look forward to your comments about them, particularly The Bad Girl, which I haven't read yet.

I'm glad to hear that the temperatures in Atlanta are finally cooling down!

Love that feeling of bringing home books from the library!

thanks, Mark! guess which one I gravitated to first? yup, Every Man Dies Alone. I'm really enjoying it.

oh good, Darryl... I bet you could recommend your favorite Llosa.

Bonnie, so happy to see you back making the rounds on LT! You've been missed. And yes, library days are my favorite days. :o)

Happy Pirate Speak Day all-- can't stop sniggering at all the silliness!

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"the righteous few"

104.

Every Man Dies Alone by the scurvy dog Hans Fallada
1947- English translation 2009
542 pages (don't miss the fabulous endnotes)

This fascinating novel of a small Nazi resistance within Berlin really had an impact on me. Based on a true story, Every Man Dies Alone tells the story of the Quangels, a quiet middle-aged couple who've lost their son to the war effort and decide to write postcards to place throughout the city to hopefully warn others to open their eyes to the horrors of Hitler and the Nazi regime. There is a police investigation underway to catch the notes' distributors and a cast of unsavory characters who spy and scheme for the official Party. Berlin of the 1930's and 40's under the control of the despicable Gestapo reminded me of the Russian people who suffered their loss of freedom under Stalin's reign of terror.
Fallada's writing is not especially literary and there were a few too many scenes dominated by minor characters, but oh, the final third of the novel is truly spectacular. Not at all the heroic resistance I expected, and for that I loved it all the more. highly recommended

4 stars

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"...get you unto the land of Canaan;... and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.”

105.

On Canaan's Side by the scurvy dog Sebastian Barry
2011
256 pages

Young Lilly Bere escaped political upheaval in Ireland and sailed to America during the Great Depression. Now eighty-nine years old, Lilly begins a journal telling her life's story as she mourns the death of her grandson and prepares for her own passing. Her story was just interesting enough to hold my interest, but it's the writing that's the star here. Sebastian Barry is the exemplar of a literary fiction author. Such gorgeous prose, such beautiful metaphors-- such a talent.

4 stars

Ahoy, Jenny. Sorry I don't do pirate talk very well.

I just popped over to see how you liked Every Man Dies Alone, one of my favorites a few years ago. The story really got to me. I'm looking forward to the new Sebastian Barry book. I also really liked The Secret Scripture. He does have a way with words!

Every Man dies Alone and On Canaan's Side have both made the to buy list

Hi Donna, hi Barry-- thank you for stopping by. I hope everyone is well. I'm enjoying my wonderful class this year and have been extra busy trying to plan my Civil War lessons, a Science unit on genetics, and (oh fun!) division with decimals (the kids do so want to cling to the concept of a remainder and are disstressed to see me continuing to add zeros to the dividend). But Friday nights, all day Saturday, and early Sunday is me time and I enjoyed 2 good novels this weekend.

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"Everyone needs a wife; even wives need wives."

106.

The Wife by Meg Wolitzer
2003
219 pages

Joan Castleman has sacrificed everything for her husband. Now that the children are grown and Joan and Joe are aging, she decides that she's had enough. Joe Castleman is a popular literary novelist and Joan has lived in his shadow long enough. This is the novel's opening:

The moment I decided to leave him, the moment I thought, enough, we were thirty-five thousand feet above the ocean, hurtling forward but giving the illusion of stillness and tranquility. Just like our marriage, I could have said, but why ruin everything right now? Here we were in first-class splendor, tentatively separated from anxiety; there was no turbulence and the sky was bright, and somewhere among us, possibly, sat an air marshal in dull traveler's disguise, perhaps picking at a little dish of oily nuts or captivated by the zombie prose of the in-flight magazine. Drinks had already been served before takeoff, and we were both frankly bombed, our mouths half open, our heads tipped back. Women in uniform carried baskets up and down the aisles like a sexualized fleet of Red Riding Hoods.

While I couldn't relate to the wife's self-sacrifice, I appreciated the author's story and fine writing. I knew where the book was headed, however, so the climax didn't quite move me. But I'm intrigued enough with Meg Wolitzer to try her new novel The Uncoupling, which has the interesting premise of a town swearing off sex.

3 stars

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Holding On

107.

The Siege of Krishnapur by J. G. Farrell
1973
343 pages

A siege always makes for good storytelling. How long will the fortress's inhabitants hold on? Will they run out of food and amunition before the rescue party arrives? And most interestingly, how will characters develop and change as they are faced with such terrifying odds of survival?

J. G. Farrell's novel is based on the true story of the Muslim Sapoy uprising in British Colonial India in 1857. The author makes the decision (and to my mind, mistake) of not introducing any native Indian characters, but instead focusing on the English subjects who stay locked within the isolated outpost. The Colonial leader, known as the Collector, is a wonderful man who does all in his power to ensure their survival.

While I found the first half rather dull, the novel really picked up the pace in the second half and I came to truly care about these people. The tone seemed a bit too light and flippant at times, but underneath you sense the great tragedy of the British who lived in their insular, supposedly superior world, but knew nothing about the country or the people whom they sought to control.

4 stars

Nice to review that oldie - Farrell's Siege of Krishnapur; I got that through Bookmooch a few years ago, but haven't come round to reading it. Your review is enticing to do so, some time this winter.

Hi Jenny- It looks like you've been doing some terrific reading. On Canaan's Side sounds very good. I've never read Barry. I have several of Farrell's books on the WL. Need to get to him.
Glad you loved the Fallada! I think it was a great read.

Hope you love it, Edwin. I found the 2nd half thrilling.
Mark, I can see why Every Man Dies Alone made your best of list. Such a strong story and not at all typical of other WWII novels.

Some new releases have come in at the library:

West of Here by Jonathan Evison-- nice n' chubby historical novel of the American Northwest at the turn of the century I think
The Submission by Amy Waldman-- been dyin' to get my hands on this fictional account of the New York 9-11 memorial competition
The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore by Benjamin Hale-- not sure about this one-- a chimpanzee that evolves into a man??!! (seems there are even rumors of inter-species sex involved!-eww), do I want to read this?! but reviews are good and hey, I'm open-minded

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A Monster of Egotism and Insensitivity

108.

The Bad Girl by Mario Vargas Llosa
2006
276 pages

As a boy in Peru, Ricardo loves Lily. He loves Lily when he runs into her in Paris, then later in London, then Tokyo, then Spain. Ricardo obsesses over Lily even though he knows she does terrible things and is not to be trusted. Llosa writes the kind of romantic (sentimental whisperings in ears) and erotic scenes that create a very sexy mood throughout. The novel went on a bit too long, but I never lost interest in the obsession and my desire to see Lily change for Ricardo's sake.

3.5 stars

I'm looking forward to seeing what you think of The Submission. I haven't read anything noteworthy touching on 9/11, except The Reluctant Fundamentalist and so will be very interested in how this book does.

Alison, I'm about a third of the way into The Submission and I'm a bit on the fence. The author has introduced way too many characters and I'm impatient for the story to move along-- we'll see. The only 9-11 related novel I loved was Next James Hynes.-- took me completely by surprise.

I'm also reading The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore and enjoying the chimpazee's first-person narrative. I won't finish anything this weekend-- I'm fighting a bad cold and am indulging in quite a few naps to hurry up the healing. I just can't be sick this week at school due to parent conferences (yikes!).

I've heard a few people say that The Submission started off kind of weakly but gained strength as it went along.

Feel better!

oh good, Katie, thank you for the encouragement!

Yay, finished a book. Boo, didn't really care for it.

109.

The Submission by Amy Waldman
2011
299 pages

Would the general public really act so ugly if faced with such a situation? If a Muslim architect won the design competition for the NYC 9/11 memorial, would all hell break loose? Maybe I am too naive. I know I don't like confrontations, and for that reason don't really care for politics, but I found Waldman's book too bleak, too stereotypical, and too nasty.

I'll give it 3 stars for the writing and for the juggling of the characters.

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Now for the good news-- I'm quite far into the chubby The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore and find it fascinating. Here's a debut novel from a recent graduate of the ubiquitous Iowa Writer's Workshop that tells a fictional memoir of the first chimpanzee to acquire the ability to speak and to read. Very wordy and overly descriptive, but really interesting.

And I've finally gotten my hands on Amitav Ghosh's follow-up to Sea of Poppies, River of Smoke. 70 pages in and I love it. Such storytelling!!!!

I'd been wondering about The Submission. It seemed as though it could go in the direction of being preachy or two-dimensional too easily.

You're right, Alison. For me, it was both of those things. I wanted more of the the two primary characters and less of the sideshow. Still, an important read and one that would lead, no doubt, to a heated discussion. Do you have it on reserve at the library?

110.

The Rape of the Muse by Michael Stein
2011
206 pages
Advanced Reader's Copy from LT's EarlyReviewer Program

I admit it. I chose this book from the EarlyReviewers program based on its striking cover, but this based-on-a-true-story novel of art-world rivalry was quite dull. The story alternates between courtroom drama and its backstory. An artist is being sued for libel by his former close friend over a computer-generated image that might depict an unflattering portrait of the friend. The artist is indeed angry at his friend for abandoning true art and selling-out by producing commercial pottery. There wasn't enough drama here to hold my interest and ultimately, I can't see why the author felt that this story needed to be told.

2 stars

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111.

The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West
1918
112 pages

Thank you, Katie, for this wonderful recommendation. I put my Kindle to good use for a change (not that I don't enjoy my addiction to Monopoly and Scrabble!) and ordered a free download of this chaming novella. It's about a WWI soldier who returns home to his wealthy estate a changed man. Chris's amnesia has wiped out all memories of the past 15 years and of his marriage. Instead, Chris remembers his happiest time and the love of his life, Margaret. The story's theme of British class snobbery reminded me of E. M. Forster's Howards End. I found The Return of the Soldier the perfect way to idle away an hour or two on a crisp, fall day.

4 stars

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112.

The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore by Benjamin Hale
2011
576 pages

What does it mean to be human? How have we evolved from our possible knuckle-walking ancestors to upright, speaking, cultured, modern Homo sapiens? Bruno Littlemore is a chimpanzee rescued from a Chicago zoo and reared among humans at a research lab who longs to become human. At the age of 40, Bruno walks upright, speaks and reads, and even directs theatrical plays (albeit with mostly ape actors). How did this remarkable transformation occur? Bruno narrates his story and, most shockingly and tenderly, tells about his love affair with Lydia, the primatologist who took Bruno into her home.

This novel is definitely flawed by its wordiness and over-descriptions (Bruno tends early on to spend pages describing his impressions of what to us are mundane things), and the third act when he leaves Chicago didn't work as well for me, but the writing is smart and the story always interesting. First time author, Benjamin Hale, is definitely a talent to watch. Bravo for Bruno!

4 stars

(I posted only the 2nd review here on LT for Bruno. There are over 280 over at GoodReads! What's up with that?)

So happy you enjoyed The Return of the Soldier!

Return of the Soldier sounds superb. I'll download it from Gutenberg for my Kindle app.

Katie, I can always count on you to drop by! so appreciated :o)

Margaret, you can't go wrong with TRotS-- so, so good. I know you'll love it.

I've enjoyed my 3 day weekend. Today was a forced day off (furlough day)-grumble, grumble, but I've gotten a lot accomplished. I've got some excellent (I hope) books on the nightstand this week: River of Smoke, Hillary Jordan's latest When She Woke, and West of Here. Happy reading everyone!

Of course I stop by - this is one of my favorite threads :) We have similar tastes; case in point, your post above. I am planning on reading When She Woke as soon as I finish my current read, I have River of Smoke on the WL (must first read Sea of Poppies which I own), and West of Here is somewhere in the stacks. So, needless to say, I'm anxious to hear your reactions to all three!

Jenny- Sadly, I've still not read Sea of Poppies. Ridiculous, I know. Maybe you'll inspire me. I've had When She Woke on my radar for awhile, despite some mixed opinions. Anxious to see your thoughts.

Hi Katie, can't wait to hear your reaction to When She Woke. I found it terribly flat.
Mark, I loved, loved, loved Sea of Poppies! Such a rich tableau of characters and language and setting.

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Disappointing Sophomore Effort

113.

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan
2011
340 pages

Figured I couldn't go wrong with this one-- loved Mudbound, love dystopia, and I'm a fan of The Scarlet Letter. But the dystopias I love paint a fascinating picture of a damaged society and all that can go wrong. In When She Woke, we are told very little about the setting and why the public is so hostile and repressed. The author supposes an America that is a strict, narrow-minded Christian society where prisons cannot cope with those sentenced and so the convicted are melachromed and forced to reenter society with colored skin. The main character, Hannah Payne, has been found guilty of abortion and her skin is dyed red.
Sounds good on paper, but the setup is weak, the characters are one-dimensionally offensive, and the writing is just uninspired. Seems that this book is well beloved by many, but I can't help but compare it to the amazing Handmaid's Tale, and it doesn't even come close.

2 stars

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The Ibis Trilogy-- Book Two

114.

River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh
2011
517 pages

Ghosh's trilogy is about the Opium Wars between Britain and China in the first half of the 19th century. The first novel (a favorite of mine) set the story in India where the poppies are grown and shipped to China. Here in River of Smoke, the story moves to Canton, and more specifically Fanqui-town--the sectioned-off portion of the coastal city where foreign traders have established a trading post. The main character is Bahram, an Indian importer of opium, who is invited to sit on the council of merchants and must face the threatening clampdown by the Chinese government on their profitable trade. Another beloved character is Robin Chinnery, a homosexual artist, who finds in Canton an inspiring setting where he can be open and find, in his words, a true "Friend".

While I was disappointed at first that Ghosh didn't continue his focus on the characters from Sea of Poppies, the new cast and setting were exhilarating. He describes every character and their backstory (and the backstories of their backstories) with extreme detail. What sets this trilogy apart is the language. Here is a taste of dialogue that contains many obscure references in Hindustani and Pidgin:

"So you have seen the world a little, eh munshiji?" said Bahram. "Done a chukker or two? Tasted something other than daal-bhat and curry-rice? Munshis who can manage chair-sitting are not easy to find. Can you handle knife-fork also? Little-little at least?"

Half the time I don't know what they're saying, but I was so caught up in the world that it hardly mattered. The theme of the drug trade is wholly relevant to today and it was heartbreaking to witness the gestation of a time when men made their riches from the addictions and misery of others. I can't wait for the 3rd installment where I'm sure Ghosh will bring all his characters into the explosive Opium Wars.

4 stars

I'd like to share my thoughts on the nominations for this year's National Book Award.

The finalists for fiction are Andrew Krivak, for The Sojourn, a novel set during World War I; Téa Obreht for The Tiger's Wife, a best-selling debut novel set in the war-torn Balkans; Julie Otsuka for The Buddha in the Attic, about Japanese “picture brides” brought to the United States nearly a century ago; Edith Pearlman for Binocular Vision, a story collection whose characters confront issues of identity and relocation; and Jesmyn Ward for Salvage the Bones, a story of a Mississippi Gulf family facing Hurricane Katrina.

Now, admittedly I've only read The Tiger's Wife, which I didn't really care for, but these others seem so obscure and so banal that I must admit I'm disappointed. I do plan on reading The Buddha in the Attic which does seem promising. I browsed through my current American novels from this year to see if I felt anyone had been slighted. I do feel that it wasn't an especially strong year for US novelists. Here's a list of some I found good enough to qualify:

When the Killing's Done
Doc: A Novel
Emily Alone
The Inverted Forest
Stone Arabia
The Devil All the Time
Train Dreams

Who knows--last year's winner, Lord of Misrule, was a letdown as I recall, but maybe I'll be pleasantly suprised to find that I end up loving the winner for 2011.


(Strange to note that all of these books are really short just like with the Booker nominees this year. Can judges not be bothered to read longer works?!)

Jenny, are you thinking this is another lite selection, with the emphasis to much on readability.

So far, I'm having a similar reaction to When She Woke as you did, Jenny. It's just kind of meh... I thought maybe the more I got into it, the more it would grab me but your review is making me wonder...

Maybe it's that, Barry. I don't know but I read a lot of articles online and book blogs and people are just not talking about these books. Or maybe I'm just looking for the Franzen/David Foster Wallace type of sprawling novel that is just complex and smart.

Katie, oh no-- there's definitely something wrong with the two of us!

>208 GCPLreader: I'm with you, Jenny. I eagerly awaited the release of the NBA fiction finalists, after this year's Booker Prize fiasco, but I'm equally disappointed at this list. I'm planning to read The Tiger's Wife this month for Orange October, and I did buy Salvage the Bones last week, so I'll read those books soon. Andrew Krivak is a fellow Rutgers alumnus and The Sojourn was published by Bellevue Literary Press, which specializes in books about medicine and science, so I'll look for it this week. (BTW, Bellevue Literary Press also published Tinkers by Paul Harding, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction last year.) The other two books are less appealing to me (although RidgewayGirl(?) liked Binocular Vision), so I won't rush out and get them.

I was very disappointed that Open City by Teju Cole didn't make the list, and I thought that The Submission by Amy Waldman would have been a strong contender as well.

Hey, Darryl. Can't wait to hear your thoughts on Tiger and Salvage. I've requested The Sojourn from the library. Thanks for the recommendation on Open City-- might like that.

I'm anxious to start on Ovid's Metamorphoses this week. I downloaded a sample for my Kindle to make sure the translation by Gregory would be good and it's a go! I've also got the next Rabbit read from Updike waiting for me and some Toni Morrison. Happy Reading All :o)

3 Lovely Reads

115.

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
1977
352 pages

exquisite early Morrison novel of man's journey to understand his family and find his identity -- for me, without question, I consider Morrison the greatest living novelist

5 stars

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116.

West of Here by Jonathan Evison
2011
496 pages

so glad in the end that I didn't quit on this. Wonderful story of a place-- Washington state, modern day and 100 years ago. Author weaves together the stories of over 50 characters of the present day and their ancestors who settled the area in the 19th century (and only one didn't work for me). In the end, very rewarding.

4.5 stars

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117.

The Sojourn by Andrew Krivak
2011
192 pages

Loved the first half, second half let me down-- Jozef is born in America, loses his mother at a young age, and is taken by his father back to the old country of Austria-Hungary in the early 1900's. Raised as a mountain sheepherder, Jozef learns to survive and hunt and when another boy is taken into their home, he becomes connected to the brother he's never had. When the young men come of age, they become engaged as sharpshooters during WWI. Much is beautifully written here, but the "soujourn" of the title as Jozef winds his way home, seemed rushed and underwritten.

3.5 stars

Jenny- Nice to see you back! Looks like you were reading some good books. I read Song of Solomon years ago and remembering loving it. I've heard good things about West of Here and with your positive stamp, I'll have to add it to the WL.

oh good, Mark, do give it a try. And I've got another wonderful chubby book to recommend-- The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach-- fantastic first novel of small a college baseball's team 4.5 stars

Been so busy with my recent move into our new house (yay!) that I'm not going to do any official posts-- just catch my friends up on what I've been reading.
in addition to The Art of Fielding I've finished:
The Maid by Kimberly Cutter-- new Joan of Arc novel --am a bit of a Joan of Arc nut so really liked this- 3.5
The Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enright-- her latest tells of an adulterous love affair-- gorgeous writing-- 4 stars
Rabbit Redux by John Updike-- 2nd in Rabbit Tetrology not as good as first-- dated and quite unsavory in parts, but strong writing compels me to continue with the series-- 2.5 stars

About 1/2 way through with Zone One by Colson Whitehead and (look away, Mark) finding it to be a bit of a slog. Also started The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman--her latest tells the of the historical Jewish siege at Masada -- good so far. And I keep dipping into Metamorphoses by Ovid-- just beautiful--alternatively funny and sad poetic verse of the gods messin' with people. On the nightstand, I have a Scandinavian horror novel- The Harbour John Ajvide Lindqvist and We, the Animals by Justin Torres, and Nanjing Requiem- Ha Jin's latest. I think that's about it. Had to return 2 to the library unread (never had to do that before!)-- The Marriage Plot- Eugenides's latest--the first 2 chapters didn't take and The Stranger's Child by Hollingshurst--didn't even crack that one.

Hope all are well. I'm going to head out onto my new back deck and watch my dogs enjoying their new back yard (they're so thrilled to be out of that apartment!!) and soak up the rest of this beautiful fall weekend. Happy reading all!

Hi Jenny - I'd wondered where you'd gotten to! Glad to hear your "disappearance" was for something good like moving into a new house :)

I have The Art of Fielding and am glad to hear you liked it so much!
My library just notified me that my number's come up for Zone One - I've already lost some enthusiasm for reading it and your comments don't help.
I also have a copy of The Dovekeepers and will get to it early next year, I think.
I've been eyeing The Marriage Plot and The Stranger's Child but haven't pulled the trigger on either one yet.

Sometimes I feel like we are book twins!

Yay, Katie-- my sista from another mother (boo, doesn't quite rhyme like when the guys say it!). So glad to hear you've got Fielding lined up. I was checking out the Amazon reviews earlier and some of them are brutal. Funny thing about Amazon-- some books have 50 glowing 5 star reviews and 50 miserable 1 star reviews side-by-side. I found it to be a delight, but perhaps I'm biased being a baseball fanatic!
I'm not gonna quit on Zone One. Have a feeling it might finish strong.

LOL! I've been interested in Harbach's book since I read an article in Vanity Fair a few months ago that explored how Harbach wrote the novel, his search for an agent and publisher, the cover art decision, etc. It was a really fascinating look at modern publishing (and the book sounded good, too!).

Jenny- Congrats on the move and the new house! That's wonderful. It looks like you've been reading or attempting to read some fabulous books, as usual. I hope Zone One picks up and I'll have to add the The Art of Fielding to the List. I also have a copy of "The Harbor" in the stacks.

I'm going to look for that article, Katie--does sound interesting.

Hi Mark! thank you!! Another reason I'm enjoying my new digs is I'm back to a 40 minute commute, so now I can get back into my love for a book on CD for the ride. Picked up Last Man in Tower by Aravind Adiga (of White Tiger fame) 2 days ago and it's making the drive a real delight. (and keeps my mind off the exorbitant gas prices!)

I'm sorry my recent recommendations have been 500+ paged books. I saw your recent discussion about chubby books. I find myself drawn to them (if the writing's good of course).

I wonder if I heard about Harbor from you-- do you recall the buzz on it?

I share your love of the substantial book. There's something so satisfying about getting to spend time with a novel and not just a few days.

hi Alison, yes, and big novels especially carry me long when there are multiple narratives or alternating chapter time frames or the like.

122.

Zone One by Colson Whitehead
2011
2011

K, maybe I've just had enough of zombies. I mean when you get down to it, it just doesn't seem to mean anything-- so completely random-- like let me revolve my dystopic novel around mutant shoes that come to life and stomp on people. Zombies have no personality, nothing interesting in the least. At least Whitehead tried a new brand of zombie in his latest-- the "stragglers" who stay forever in a catatonic state and don't even attack. (yawn) I found Zone One to be just ok. For me, the literary writing (this guy can write) was not really enough to carry the lackluster plot. Sure I see the deeper picture of society Whitehead wants to represent, but I didn't feel the zombies were needed or added anything at all to his theme. And to be honest, I felt detached the whole way through.

3 stars

Bleh. I think I'll wait awhile to read Zone One.

Yeah, what Darryl said. I picked up my copy from the library and have flipped through it but I'm just not feeling it.

Darryl and Katie, it was so well-written-- I'm sure it's just me.

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123.

We the Animals by Justin Torres
2011
125 pages

This beautiful novella is a series of vignettes that cast a light on the coming-of-age of 3 brothers who grow up mixed-race (Puerto Rican/White) in upstate New York. Their irresponsible, child-like parents are alternatively loving and kind and then neglectful and abusive. The spare language is almost poetic in its shocking vivid details. I did find the ending, with its leap ahead to their teenage years, to be too jarring. I think the author should have lengthened his narrative and given us more of a set-up to the finale. Still, a lovely debut for this young, promising author.

4 stars

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124.

Nanjing Requiem by Ha Jin
2011
300 pages

Former National Book Award winner Ha Jin's newest novel recounts the cruel treatment of Chinese citizens during Japan's occupation of Nanking in 1937. The story focuses on the well-documented girls' school run by the American Minnie Vautrin, that serves as a refugee camp during the invasion, boarding some 10,000 displaced Chinese. While the novel started out strong with devastating descriptions of the real-life horror, the drama turned dry and uninvolving. How I wanted Jin to follow the stories of individual lives, and instead, the documentary approach felt unexplicably flat. quite a disappointment-- wish I'd read the nonfiction accounts instead.

2.5 stars

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125.

Harbor by John Ajvide Lindqvist
2008 (Sweden) 2010 English translation
500 pages

The sea is the monster here. And the sea demands much of the inhabitants of a quaint Swedish island. Although some plot elements were perhaps silly, this Stephen King-like thriller really delivered, largely thanks to fantastic character development. There's the depressed Anders, who returns to the island two years after the inexplicable disappearance of his young child, his grandmother-- the matriarch of the town who knows the dark secret history of the sea, and her old boyfriend Simon, a former magician, who comes across a mysterious, worm-like, saliva awakened "Spiritus" that.. (no, I won't tell you!) The many backstories are each fascinating and often heart-wrenching and the novel moved at a brisk pace. -- quite a good read

4 stars

126.

The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles
1949
313 pages

I'm not sure why this book spoke to me. Could be the exotic North African Sahara setting. Or the 3 lost American travelers, not tourists, who felt disconnected from life. Or credit the author, Bowles, whose storytelling was fascinating and beautifully introspective. Whatever the reason, I loved it.

5 stars

here's some images from the Bertolucci film along with the gorgeous soundtrack-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnRKWriyu-4&feature=related

ANOTHER one I have on my TBR shelves. Must bump it up!

Have a great holiday, Jenny.

Katie, bump it up, bump it up!

p.s.-- did you see my Thanksgiving pic. at the top? Shamelessly trying to bring in more posters-- so lonely over here!

Ha! Love the Thanksgiving cat and dog up top. I am thinking of abandoning Club Read in 2012 as I get very little interaction with people. Come on over to the darkside with me. All the fun kids are at the 75ers :) My thread there gets a lot more action.

The Sheltering Sky is one of my all-time favorites. I'm glad you enjoyed it. The film is great too.

I like the Thanksgiving picture. That couple in the water looked nice, but they were starting to get a little pruney :)

You're right, Katie. Mark had warned me but I didn't listen. Perhaps I didn't feel confident enough. Not sure I even am right for the thread game. I'm a good reader, but such a lousy writer.

Steven, thank you for the visit. Isn't TSS just gorgeous? I had watched the film again recently and knew that I had to get my hands on Bowles's writing. They were just different enough (mainly sexually) to make for good comparisons.
lol--You're right about the summer pic. I just kept waiting for my thread to fill up so I could change to a nice fall theme. But today I decided I could make my own rules.
So now I've read 2 of your favorites-- War and Sky. You have the best taste!

I've been neglectful here (and elsewhere). Catching up today. Sheltering Sky sounds like a book to keep in mind. I'm not sure I had ever head or Paul Bowles.

He's alive! Hey Dan. How have you been? I saw that a Club Reader finished Shadow Country and it wasn't you. :oP

Here's the perfect song to accompany my read of The Sheltering Sky. My LT friend Mark was mentioning Led Zeppelin's Kashmir yesterday and I remembered this version that is so evocative of the Sahara experience. (be sure to listen through to the end-- crazy good!) -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO1Bh7rZrog

Happy Thanksgiving, Jenny! I'm in the Philadelphia area, visiting my parents and brother. Are you in Gwinnett County, or elsewhere?

I'm sorry to hear that Nanjing Requiem was a disappointing read. For a nonfiction account, I would highly recommend The Rape of Nanjing by Iris Chang.

Wow, another amazing flurry of book reading over here! You are one of my heroes (heroines?) on LT and don't cut yourself short about your writing skills, which I completely admire. You put my amateurish scribbling to shame! Maybe the 75 next year? You are tailor-made for it.
I'm glad you liked We the Animals. It's not for all tastes but he's a very promising young writer. I have "Harbor" on the Must Read Now shelf. I also need to get a copy of The Sheltering Sky. Sounds like an incredible book.
Glad you enjoyed Kashmir. Bonham's outstanding drumming is hypnotic.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Darryl, I'm in Gwinnett enjoying my morning in my new kitchen in my new house. Stock's bubbling away on the stove. Acorn squash are baking. Bread mixer is whirling away. Turkey is patiently waiting for its 10:00 appointment. Stuffing, green beens, mashed potatoes, gravy yet to come. oh happy day!
Completely shocking how tiresome the Ha Jin read was. I expect much more from him.

Mark, thank you for your kind words-- always so supportive. Enjoy your turkey-- gobble, gobble!

Happy Thanksgiving, Jenny!

And I will, of course, follow your reading wherever you decide to set up camp!

Jenny, we should arrange for an Atlanta area LT get together at some point after the holidays. I live in Midtown near Piedmont Park, Ardene (markon) lives in town, and a couple of other LTers live in Decatur.

#234 - still alive, yes. wasn't me, no. But, still, I plan to try again...just the name Kashmir makes think of Fast Times at Ridgemont High, but not that version, which I've never heard before (haven't gotten to the end yet)

127.

Unless by Carol Shields
2002
213 pages

Shields' final novel is exquisite. She packs more into 200 pages than I knew was possible. While not plot driven, the story is nevertheless intriguing. Reta Winters is a happy novelist, wife, and mother of 3 girls who's never experienced heartache until she discovers that her 19 year old daughter has dropped out of life and is sitting for hours upon the hard Toronto pavement begging, with a sign around her neck reading "Goodness".
Norah won't speak to her family, and Reta, unable to break through to her, must try and carry on with her life.

The best parts of the book are letters that Reta composes to various authors speaking out against the exclusion of women in their writings. "But did you notice something even more significant: that there is not a single woman mentioned in the whole body of your very long article (16 pages, double columns), not in any context, not once?" Reta becomes convinced that her daughters, as well as herself and all modern women, are undervalued and not recognized for their greatness or potential greatness. "What Norah wants is to belong to the whole world or at least to have, just for a moment, the taste of the whole world in her mouth. But she can't. So she won't."

The reviews for this novel are quite mixed, but for me it was truly beautiful and said much that needed to be said. I've read only one other of Shield's novels, The Stone Diaries, which I loved, and I am sad to know that she's passed away. I can't wait to read the full body of her work.

5 stars

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128.

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
2011
501 pages

I used to read a lot of Alice Hoffman's novels back in my 20's. When I saw that her new release was a historical drama of the Roman conquest of the Jewish stronghold of Masada in the 1st C., I jumped at the chance to read of an important historical event that I knew little about. What I'd forgotten about Hoffman's books was that they are well known for their magical realism, and indeed that's what turned me off of this work. She writes well of grief and I appreciate her feminist-empowered narrators, but the book was too long (I admit to skimming the final chapters) and the use of magic and abundant metaphors was overkill for me.

2.5 stars

Two good reviews, Jenny. I have both books on my shelves!

shocking! :oP
Can't wait for you to read Unless. Near perfect for me, but then again I've been thinking about my male vs. female reads lately. Until just the past few weeks, the guys really had it. Shields, Morrison, and now the book I started today by JC Oates, have reaffirmed my faith in the fictional voice of women.

I will definitely move Unless up on the TBR pile. I read The Stone Diaries earlier this year and absolutely loved it. What Oates are you reading? She is so prolific but in so many different ways and so successful in maintaining a high standard (though some work better than others) - it boggles the mind...

I've got I'll Take You There -- one I'd not heard much about. Opening 3rd was good-- girl feels alienated after moving into college sorority. I'm reading Blonde at Christmas time, and now with the commercials out for the new Marilyn Monroe movie with Michelle Williams I'm quite anxious to get my hands on it.

I'm not familiar with I'll Take You There - look forward to your comments!

129.

Last Man in Tower by Aravind Adiga
2011
400 pages

Masterji is the holdout. All other tenants of the Vishram Society Towers A and B have accepted a payout by the real estate development company that plans to tear down their apartments and build a new luxury complex. But the retired schoolteacher Masterji has too many memories associated with his building, and with the recent loss of his wife and daughter, he can't let go of those connections. Because the society is a cooperative, if one doesn't accept the deal, then no deal. Pressures mount and I wasn't even sure whose side I was on. Adiga's second novel is a wonderful fable of economic and moral turmoil in modern Mumbai.

4 stars

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130.

I'll Take You There by Joyce Carol Oates
2002
290 pages

In what surely seems like a semi-autobiographical novel, Oates tells the coming-of-age of a young college woman in the early 1960's. The story is divided into 3 sections: her sorority fiasco, a mixed-race love affair, and a family crisis. The interesting thing here is the unnamed woman of the first person narrative. It almost reads like she is an unreliable narrator in the sense that she is just so hard on herself. She seems quite distant and it's difficult to accept that she was truly that awkward and strange. But of course I remember that age and the insecurities that come with "finding yourself". Oates writes beautifully, as always.

3.5 stars

Wow, the reviews keep coming! I've had the Stone Diaries in the stacks forever. I need to get to it and keeping it company is The White Tiger. How do we ever keep up??
Hope you are having a nice weekend.

Echoing the wow above. LT once recommended I borrow The Stone Diaries from someones' library. Also, I've been hesitant to start a JCO because there is so much. If I'll Take You There truly has some autobiographical elements, then that might be a good one for me to start with. I'll keep it in mind.

Keep 'em coming, Jenny!

I loved The Stone Diaries. Unless is definitely one I want to read.

The Dovekeepers doesn't sound like it's for me. I like the cover, though.

The White Tiger was an absorbing novel, but I came to feel that it was extreme in its depiction of the hopeless plight of India's poor. At least for their sake I hope it was. Other readers have felt this way as well. So I wasn't eager to read more by Adiga. Did Last Man in Tower seem like it might have been more fair and balanced?

JCO has written so much! I have probably more books by her on the shelf than any modern author (with just three read so far), yet haven't heard of I'll Take You There. It sounds good, but first I need to read Blonde.

Yay, visitors! Thank you all for your comments. Alas, my reading marathon must come to an end-- vacation ends tomorrow. But I've got two good ones yet on my nightstand-- The Abstinence Teacher and In Cold Blood.

Mark--now I know you'd love the Adiga-- dig that sucker out! The Stone Diaries is the perfect book to remind you of the older women in your family and what their struggles might have been like.

Dan--you're right about there being so many Oates novels and not knowing where to begin. I've read and loved a lot of her stuff and often at the library I'll see half a shelf devoted to her novels and I'll pass them by-- not knowing if I would be picking the "right" one. I think I'll Take You There would be a good intro to her writing.

Katie-- let me catch my breath!

Steven--hope you love Unless. I wasn't sure from the opening chapters that I'd take to it, but slowly, yet surely, it snuck up on me-- then wham! Last Man in Tower is wonderful in that it doesn't focus primarily on the slums, but on India's rising middle-class. I found it balanced in that the developers are not wholly corrupt. Try this interview with Adiga and see if it doesn't convince you to give him another go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwpJJhlYWrQ&feature=related
(I did post this in my comments after reading The White Tiger: well-written but lately stories of poverty in India depress me) His latest didn't leave that impression at all.
Blonde does look good, doesn't it? Not sure why I've put it off for so long.

That's a very interesting interview, Jenny. Adiga's new book will go on my wish list. He makes an interesting point about writers from India being subject to political criticism while those from the U.K. (and obviously the U.S.) are immune.

I'll try out the new continue thread option because this one is rather graphic heavy. Please join me. :o)