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1CliffBurns
Starting off June with Don DeLillo's ZERO K and Russell Edson's THE REASON WHY THE CLOSET-MAN IS NEVER SAD.
Just because it's summer doesn't mean I have to dummy down my reading...
Just because it's summer doesn't mean I have to dummy down my reading...
2CliffBurns
ZERO K is a book that demands slow reading, addressing the notions of mortality, impermanence, the role death plays in keeping us human, finite, each breath precious.
Not as out and out brilliant as UNDERWORLD, but a meditative, unsettling book, inspiring thoughtful reflection and discussion.
Not as out and out brilliant as UNDERWORLD, but a meditative, unsettling book, inspiring thoughtful reflection and discussion.
3iansales
Currently reading If on a winter's night a traveller.
4bluepiano
Oh goody a thread about best-sellers for the beach! To keep in the spirit of things I'll mention that I'm reading Dressed to Impress: Looking the Part, an anthology of sociological essays including very interesting ones about changes in dance & costume as court ballet evolved into romantic ballet, the relation of Mormon outer & under garments to religious beliefs & mores, and the various stances for/against hijab ban in French schools. And a very crap one about Burberry being at bottom imperialistic and dismissive of women; to bolster her case the author displays two photos, one of a man taking his dog for a walk, one of a woman who's just after leaving her house. #itsasummersizzler
5CliffBurns
Finished Matt Ruff's LOVECRAFT COUNTRY.
Very reminiscent of a Neil Gaiman novel--fantasy lite.
As with Gaiman, the reader knows from the first few pages that this is going to be a safe read, no big emotional or psychological impact, never sacrificing entertainment value for something more profound and long-lasting.
A summer read, and no sweat if the pages get wrinkled and stained or the cover ends up torn...
Very reminiscent of a Neil Gaiman novel--fantasy lite.
As with Gaiman, the reader knows from the first few pages that this is going to be a safe read, no big emotional or psychological impact, never sacrificing entertainment value for something more profound and long-lasting.
A summer read, and no sweat if the pages get wrinkled and stained or the cover ends up torn...
6CliffBurns
WE LEARN NOTHING: Essays and Cartoons by Tim Kreider.
Personal essays, some very personal indeed: Kreider writes courageously of his ethical and personal struggles to accommodate a world that gets a little bit faster and a little bit crazier every day.
Really enjoyed this book, highly recommended.
Personal essays, some very personal indeed: Kreider writes courageously of his ethical and personal struggles to accommodate a world that gets a little bit faster and a little bit crazier every day.
Really enjoyed this book, highly recommended.
7mejix
Finished Geronimo's Story of His Life and am giving The Prose Edda a chance.
8CliffBurns
Wrapped up ISTANBUL, at once a memoir and Orhan Pamuk's ode to his native city. Wonderful stuff--good reading before our trip later this summer.
9iansales
Just started My Struggle - no not that one, this one: A Death in the Family, the first book of Knausgaard's autobiographical series.
10Karin7
I'm doing a slow read of Our Mutual Friend. I haven't read Dickens in a while.
11Cecrow
Reading Staying On, Paul Scott's last novel after the Raj Quartet had driven him into drinking, divorce and suicidal thoughts. Surprisingly light and comic.
12Avdotya_Raskolnikova
I just finished Swann's Way and I am currently reading Their Eyes Were Watching God. Swann's Way is a meandering, reflective book that any lover of great literature should read.
13Cecrow
Definitely need to tackle Proust at some point in my life, but working on the Joyce mountain for now.
14CliffBurns
Finished Bernard Lewis' WHAT WENT WRONG?
Certainly kept my attention and created a lot of inner debate. I can see why it was controversial when it first came out--and I seem to recall that while promoting the book Lewis made some rather impolitic remarks about the Armenian holocaust that didn't endear him to folks.
Certainly kept my attention and created a lot of inner debate. I can see why it was controversial when it first came out--and I seem to recall that while promoting the book Lewis made some rather impolitic remarks about the Armenian holocaust that didn't endear him to folks.
15CliffBurns
Finished C.F. Cavafy's SELECTED POEMS.
The poet seems to have two obsessions: antiquity and lovely young men. But I loved the simplicity and, in both instances, I think Cavafy is yearning for a lost time. "He Vows", "Ionic", "Ithaca", "The Footsteps"...poems that stand the test of time.
(Translation by Avi Sharon)
The poet seems to have two obsessions: antiquity and lovely young men. But I loved the simplicity and, in both instances, I think Cavafy is yearning for a lost time. "He Vows", "Ionic", "Ithaca", "The Footsteps"...poems that stand the test of time.
(Translation by Avi Sharon)
16CliffBurns
Yesterday evening I zipped through WHY YOU SHOULD READ KAFKA BEFORE YOU WASTE YOUR LIFE by James Hawes.
I've read a number of books on Kafka, including a couple of volumes of Stach's big biography, but this book was fascinating in that it took pleasure in debunking a number of Kafka myths--we was unknown in his lifetime, etc. etc.--and granted me more insights into a small, but highly literate body of work.
I've read a number of books on Kafka, including a couple of volumes of Stach's big biography, but this book was fascinating in that it took pleasure in debunking a number of Kafka myths--we was unknown in his lifetime, etc. etc.--and granted me more insights into a small, but highly literate body of work.
17BookConcierge
New to the group, so forgive me if this is inappropriate. Trying to find a group with active, engaged readers...
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell – 3.5***
Eleanor is the new kid – and target – at school; Park is a quiet loner who prefers listening to his music tapes and reading comics. Eleanor winds up sitting next to Park on the bus and slowly they begin to notice the value in one another. I can certainly see where the target audience would love it (as my niece did). But for me it’s just a little better than average. Fair warning: there is some very vulgar language in the book.
(A more expansive review is on my book shelf)
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell – 3.5***
Eleanor is the new kid – and target – at school; Park is a quiet loner who prefers listening to his music tapes and reading comics. Eleanor winds up sitting next to Park on the bus and slowly they begin to notice the value in one another. I can certainly see where the target audience would love it (as my niece did). But for me it’s just a little better than average. Fair warning: there is some very vulgar language in the book.
(A more expansive review is on my book shelf)
18BookConcierge
Circling the Sun by Paula McLain – 3***
Audio book narrated by Katherine McEwan
McLain does extensive research and had a wealth of information on which to base this work of historical fiction. I appreciate how she paints the landscape of this part of Africa in the early part of the 20th century. I recognize Markham’s intelligence, determination and tenacity, but she never seemed to learn anything from her mistakes. I struggle with giving the work a higher rating because I so disliked Beryl Markham. McLain chose to focus her work on Beryl’s childhood and young adulthood, so that the character is just becoming the woman we know about when the novel ends. And I’m left feeling disappointed in both Beryl and the book.
Katherine McEwan does a fine job narrating the audio version. She has good pacing and is able to give the characters sufficiently unique voices that I had no trouble following the story.
Audio book narrated by Katherine McEwan
McLain does extensive research and had a wealth of information on which to base this work of historical fiction. I appreciate how she paints the landscape of this part of Africa in the early part of the 20th century. I recognize Markham’s intelligence, determination and tenacity, but she never seemed to learn anything from her mistakes. I struggle with giving the work a higher rating because I so disliked Beryl Markham. McLain chose to focus her work on Beryl’s childhood and young adulthood, so that the character is just becoming the woman we know about when the novel ends. And I’m left feeling disappointed in both Beryl and the book.
Katherine McEwan does a fine job narrating the audio version. She has good pacing and is able to give the characters sufficiently unique voices that I had no trouble following the story.
19BookConcierge
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa – 5***** and a ❤
A beautifully elegant gem of a novel. The slow way in which the Housekeeper, Root and the Professor get to know one another is framed by his lessons on the poetry of mathematics. I liked how Ogawa used the Professor’s and Root’s love of baseball to frame their growing friendship. It is a story about love (not to be confused with a “love story”).
(A more expansive review is on my bookshelf)
A beautifully elegant gem of a novel. The slow way in which the Housekeeper, Root and the Professor get to know one another is framed by his lessons on the poetry of mathematics. I liked how Ogawa used the Professor’s and Root’s love of baseball to frame their growing friendship. It is a story about love (not to be confused with a “love story”).
(A more expansive review is on my bookshelf)
20anna_in_pdx
Welcome, BookConcierge! That third book sounds quite good.
21Cecrow
That's what reading is all about, hoping to find those five-stars-plus-heart discoveries. I'm feeling it now myself while reading Staying On by Paul Scott, a Booker Prize winner I can actually love for returning me one last time to the Raj Quartet.
23BookConcierge
The Hundred Foot Journey – Richard C Morais
Book on CD performed by Neil Shah
3***
Hassan Haji was born into a restaurant family. Starting with his grandfather’s restaurant in Mumbai, the family has made food their passion and careers. But after a tragic fire, they pull up stakes and set out across continents, ultimately settling in the small mountain village of Lumiere France. The village has never seen anything like the noisy extended family with their exotic Indian cuisine. And across the street from their Maison Mumbai is the venerated Le Saule Pleureur, a Michelin 2-star establishment run by the formidable Madame Mallory.
The book focuses on Hassan and his decades-long career as a chef. The clash of cultures is a major element in this novel that reminds me of and old-fashioned fable. I liked the way he and Madame Mallory slowly developed their relationship, and how he continues to grow as a chef when he moves to Paris. I would have liked a little more attention paid to the family relationships; they seemed to be an afterthought rather than an integral part of Hassan’s life.
I loved the food descriptions:
Champagne: It made me want to sing, dance, fall in love. Rather dangerous, I thought.
A memorable meal: …a teacup of Marseille fish soup, before moving on to a delicate dish of tiny clams, no bigger than babies’ fingernails,…”
A special dish created for a memorial to a fellow restaurateur: I stuffed the birds with glazed apricots…and then so blackened the fowl with black truffle slices inserted in their skin that they looked like birds dressed for a Victorian funeral.
Neil Shah does a reasonably good job of voicing the audio version. His pace is good and he was able to clearly differentiate the many characters. I loved his Madame Mallory! I don’t speak French but his pronunciation of various French phrases and names of various restaurant offerings seemed authentic; ditto for the Indian phrases.
Book on CD performed by Neil Shah
3***
Hassan Haji was born into a restaurant family. Starting with his grandfather’s restaurant in Mumbai, the family has made food their passion and careers. But after a tragic fire, they pull up stakes and set out across continents, ultimately settling in the small mountain village of Lumiere France. The village has never seen anything like the noisy extended family with their exotic Indian cuisine. And across the street from their Maison Mumbai is the venerated Le Saule Pleureur, a Michelin 2-star establishment run by the formidable Madame Mallory.
The book focuses on Hassan and his decades-long career as a chef. The clash of cultures is a major element in this novel that reminds me of and old-fashioned fable. I liked the way he and Madame Mallory slowly developed their relationship, and how he continues to grow as a chef when he moves to Paris. I would have liked a little more attention paid to the family relationships; they seemed to be an afterthought rather than an integral part of Hassan’s life.
I loved the food descriptions:
Champagne: It made me want to sing, dance, fall in love. Rather dangerous, I thought.
A memorable meal: …a teacup of Marseille fish soup, before moving on to a delicate dish of tiny clams, no bigger than babies’ fingernails,…”
A special dish created for a memorial to a fellow restaurateur: I stuffed the birds with glazed apricots…and then so blackened the fowl with black truffle slices inserted in their skin that they looked like birds dressed for a Victorian funeral.
Neil Shah does a reasonably good job of voicing the audio version. His pace is good and he was able to clearly differentiate the many characters. I loved his Madame Mallory! I don’t speak French but his pronunciation of various French phrases and names of various restaurant offerings seemed authentic; ditto for the Indian phrases.
24BookConcierge
The Paris Wife - Paula McLain
Book on CD narrated by Carrington MacDuffie.
4****
When Hadley Richardson arrives in Chicago to visit her friend Kate, she has no idea that she is about to meet the man who will change her life. At a party that night she’s immediately attracted to a tall, darkly handsome and charismatic young man who is eight years younger than the 28-year-old Hadley, but so much more worldly than she. One dance leads to another, and before long Hadley lets herself be led towards happiness … at least for a while. The young man is Ernest Hemingway and after a whirlwind courtship they’ll marry and move to Paris, where they’ll absorb the atmosphere and enjoy the company of the likes of Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald, et al. It is the Jazz Age, and while their money is limited, it’s enough for fine dining, more than a little drinking, some gambling and even skiing. Of course, it will all end much too soon, but their story will captivate the reader.
For love, as we know, is not enough by itself. The Hemingways have love, but they are not prepared for the whirlwind that is 1920s Paris and find themselves ill equipped to deal with the realities of their life together. Ernest is moody and ill-tempered as he struggles to find his creative voice. Hadley does her best to support and help him but often finds herself feeling lonely and insecure. She suspects he is unfaithful but doesn’t really want to know, so she continues carrying on. When the end of their journey together finally comes it is nevertheless tragic for being expected.
I have been a fan of Hemingway’s writing since I first read The Old Man and the Sea when I was in about 8th grade. There is something about the immediacy of his writing that just draws me into his novels and stories. Most of the book is written from Hadley’s point of view, but there are sections where McClain emulates Hemingway’s style, giving us a glimpse of his point of view. This is very effective when read on the page, partly because the change in font clearly alerts the reader to the different narrator. But the audio book doesn’t have any such clue, and I found it confusing and distracting. Nevertheless, Carrington MacDuffie did a good job of the narration on the audio version.
I had previously read Hemingway’s memoir, A Moveable Feast. This is a wonderful companion piece.
Update 17June16 - I listened again to refresh my memory for book club meeting. I really noticed that Carrington MacDuffie does NOT do Zelda Fitzgerald justice at ALL - where is her southern accent? I think were I rating it today, I’d lower the rating based on the audio, but since I didn’t do that when I read / listened the first time, I won’t adjust it now.
Book on CD narrated by Carrington MacDuffie.
4****
When Hadley Richardson arrives in Chicago to visit her friend Kate, she has no idea that she is about to meet the man who will change her life. At a party that night she’s immediately attracted to a tall, darkly handsome and charismatic young man who is eight years younger than the 28-year-old Hadley, but so much more worldly than she. One dance leads to another, and before long Hadley lets herself be led towards happiness … at least for a while. The young man is Ernest Hemingway and after a whirlwind courtship they’ll marry and move to Paris, where they’ll absorb the atmosphere and enjoy the company of the likes of Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald, et al. It is the Jazz Age, and while their money is limited, it’s enough for fine dining, more than a little drinking, some gambling and even skiing. Of course, it will all end much too soon, but their story will captivate the reader.
For love, as we know, is not enough by itself. The Hemingways have love, but they are not prepared for the whirlwind that is 1920s Paris and find themselves ill equipped to deal with the realities of their life together. Ernest is moody and ill-tempered as he struggles to find his creative voice. Hadley does her best to support and help him but often finds herself feeling lonely and insecure. She suspects he is unfaithful but doesn’t really want to know, so she continues carrying on. When the end of their journey together finally comes it is nevertheless tragic for being expected.
I have been a fan of Hemingway’s writing since I first read The Old Man and the Sea when I was in about 8th grade. There is something about the immediacy of his writing that just draws me into his novels and stories. Most of the book is written from Hadley’s point of view, but there are sections where McClain emulates Hemingway’s style, giving us a glimpse of his point of view. This is very effective when read on the page, partly because the change in font clearly alerts the reader to the different narrator. But the audio book doesn’t have any such clue, and I found it confusing and distracting. Nevertheless, Carrington MacDuffie did a good job of the narration on the audio version.
I had previously read Hemingway’s memoir, A Moveable Feast. This is a wonderful companion piece.
Update 17June16 - I listened again to refresh my memory for book club meeting. I really noticed that Carrington MacDuffie does NOT do Zelda Fitzgerald justice at ALL - where is her southern accent? I think were I rating it today, I’d lower the rating based on the audio, but since I didn’t do that when I read / listened the first time, I won’t adjust it now.
25BookConcierge
Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord – Louis de Bernières
4****
Dionisio Vivo is a philosophy teacher in Ipasueño, who begins writing letters to the national newspaper about the effects of the coca trade on the people of this unnamed South American country (though, presumably Columbia). He’s a young man, given to idealism, and his letters are full of outrage and obvious concern for the poor of his country. And then corpses begin turning up on his front lawn. His friend, Ramon, an honest (!) policeman finds the message all too clear: the drug lords want Dionisio to stop his tirades against them in the press. A series of assassination attempts fail, leading to speculation that Dionisio is a powerful brujo (witch or wizard). But if his life is somehow charmed, that protection doesn’t necessarily extend to those he loves.
What a fun romp of a satire, full of magical realism and totally outrageous scenarios, one more fantastical than the next. I laughed aloud in many places, and cried out in dismay in others.
This is the second in de Bernières “Latin American Trilogy,” after The War of Don Emmanuel’s Nether Parts. While it can be read as a stand-alone novel, the reader who has read the first book will have the background story that explains – if such supernatural elements can be explained – some of the more fantastical plot points and characters.
The language de Bernières employs is nothing short of delightful. Colorful phrases abound, and lend an air of fantasy and mysticism that just tickles my fancy. The story shifts perspective from chapter to chapter, sometimes leaving the reader feeling dizzy and disoriented. But as is true of many novels of this genre, the reader who can suspend disbelief and just go along for the ride will find much to enjoy.
4****
Dionisio Vivo is a philosophy teacher in Ipasueño, who begins writing letters to the national newspaper about the effects of the coca trade on the people of this unnamed South American country (though, presumably Columbia). He’s a young man, given to idealism, and his letters are full of outrage and obvious concern for the poor of his country. And then corpses begin turning up on his front lawn. His friend, Ramon, an honest (!) policeman finds the message all too clear: the drug lords want Dionisio to stop his tirades against them in the press. A series of assassination attempts fail, leading to speculation that Dionisio is a powerful brujo (witch or wizard). But if his life is somehow charmed, that protection doesn’t necessarily extend to those he loves.
What a fun romp of a satire, full of magical realism and totally outrageous scenarios, one more fantastical than the next. I laughed aloud in many places, and cried out in dismay in others.
This is the second in de Bernières “Latin American Trilogy,” after The War of Don Emmanuel’s Nether Parts. While it can be read as a stand-alone novel, the reader who has read the first book will have the background story that explains – if such supernatural elements can be explained – some of the more fantastical plot points and characters.
The language de Bernières employs is nothing short of delightful. Colorful phrases abound, and lend an air of fantasy and mysticism that just tickles my fancy. The story shifts perspective from chapter to chapter, sometimes leaving the reader feeling dizzy and disoriented. But as is true of many novels of this genre, the reader who can suspend disbelief and just go along for the ride will find much to enjoy.
26mejix
During his lifetime many people were convinced that Delacroix was Talleyrand's illegitimate son. It has never been proved though. Footnotes some times have interesting stuff.
27bluepiano
>26 mejix: Goodness, I'd not heard that one.--Was reminded by something I read this week that Leon Daudet, son of Alfonse, married Hugo's grand-daughter, and discovered this week that the well-known Dr Charcot was the father of another doctor who became famous as an Antarctic explorer and whose first wife had been that same granddaughter previously married to L. Daudet. This game of 'Six Degrees--Celeb Edition!' was being played long Alma Mahler came on the scene.
Have just begun a Slovenian poet's little book; from what I've read possibly not as essential as Cavafy to pack in the beach bag patterned with starfishes in flourescent colours.
Have just begun a Slovenian poet's little book; from what I've read possibly not as essential as Cavafy to pack in the beach bag patterned with starfishes in flourescent colours.
29RobertDay
>27 bluepiano: Cue Tom Lehrer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWFEy1lVUMI
Is an LT 'Six Degrees' thread something we'd be safe kicking off?
Is an LT 'Six Degrees' thread something we'd be safe kicking off?
30BookConcierge
The Rope Walk – Carrie Brown
Book on CD narrated by Elaina Erica Davis.
3***
This coming-of-age novel opens on Memorial Day. Alice McCauley is the youngest child, having five older brothers who dote on and protect her. Her father is a Shakespeare scholar at the local college; her mother died when Alice was a baby. On the morning of her tenth birthday, she senses that her world is about the change. At her party Alice meets two people unlike any she’s known to date. Theo is the bi-racial, New York City kid who has come to this small Vermont town to spend the summer with his grandparents. Kenneth also hails from New York, where he has worked as a renowned set designer and artist in the city; suffering from AIDS he has come home to live with his sister. Over the summer the three will form a lasting bond, and Alice will begin to leave childhood behind.
The novel has a somewhat slow pace, but it brought back many fond memories of the idyllic summers of youth. Long days spent doing “nothing” and “everything.” Exploring the endless wonders of our environment, making friends, learning new skills, gaining confidence in our abilities to handle adversity, and also coming to terms with loss.
One of the difficulties with choosing a child narrator, however, is that the adult reader will clearly see certain plot elements coming long before the innocent (or perhaps less-experienced) child. Still, I thought Brown did a good job of revealing the plot elements, and the changing relationships.
Elaina Erica Davis does a reasonably good job performing the audio. She makes me believe it is narrated by a 10-year-old. I wasn’t a fan of Kenneth’s voice and didn’t understand why one of Alice’s older brothers had a British accent. But those were minor. I loved Alice and Theo as Davis portrayed them.
Book on CD narrated by Elaina Erica Davis.
3***
This coming-of-age novel opens on Memorial Day. Alice McCauley is the youngest child, having five older brothers who dote on and protect her. Her father is a Shakespeare scholar at the local college; her mother died when Alice was a baby. On the morning of her tenth birthday, she senses that her world is about the change. At her party Alice meets two people unlike any she’s known to date. Theo is the bi-racial, New York City kid who has come to this small Vermont town to spend the summer with his grandparents. Kenneth also hails from New York, where he has worked as a renowned set designer and artist in the city; suffering from AIDS he has come home to live with his sister. Over the summer the three will form a lasting bond, and Alice will begin to leave childhood behind.
The novel has a somewhat slow pace, but it brought back many fond memories of the idyllic summers of youth. Long days spent doing “nothing” and “everything.” Exploring the endless wonders of our environment, making friends, learning new skills, gaining confidence in our abilities to handle adversity, and also coming to terms with loss.
One of the difficulties with choosing a child narrator, however, is that the adult reader will clearly see certain plot elements coming long before the innocent (or perhaps less-experienced) child. Still, I thought Brown did a good job of revealing the plot elements, and the changing relationships.
Elaina Erica Davis does a reasonably good job performing the audio. She makes me believe it is narrated by a 10-year-old. I wasn’t a fan of Kenneth’s voice and didn’t understand why one of Alice’s older brothers had a British accent. But those were minor. I loved Alice and Theo as Davis portrayed them.
31mejix
For the art book nerds:
Getty Publications
http://www.getty.edu/publications/virtuallibrary/
National Gallery of Art Publications
http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/research/publications/pdf-library.html
and of course, the Holy Grail, MetPublications:
http://www.metmuseum.org/art/metpublications
(MoMA just gives sampling of books. tsk tsk)
This week Mejix recommends:
http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/research/publications/pdf-library/circa-1492.h...
http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/research/publications/pdf-library/japan-the-sh...
Getty Publications
http://www.getty.edu/publications/virtuallibrary/
National Gallery of Art Publications
http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/research/publications/pdf-library.html
and of course, the Holy Grail, MetPublications:
http://www.metmuseum.org/art/metpublications
(MoMA just gives sampling of books. tsk tsk)
This week Mejix recommends:
http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/research/publications/pdf-library/circa-1492.h...
http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/research/publications/pdf-library/japan-the-sh...
32CliffBurns
Two last books to wrap up June:
WE'VE ALREADY GONE THIS FAR, an excellent collection of short stories by Patrick Dacey, and MUSIC OF A DISTANT DRUM, a compilation of Middle Eastern poetry selected and translated by Bernard Lewis.
WE'VE ALREADY GONE THIS FAR, an excellent collection of short stories by Patrick Dacey, and MUSIC OF A DISTANT DRUM, a compilation of Middle Eastern poetry selected and translated by Bernard Lewis.
33BookConcierge
Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands – Chris Bohjalian
Book on CD narrated by Grace Blewer.
3.5***
Emily Shepard is a troubled teen. Totally understandable, given that she’s been orphaned by a nuclear plant disaster where both her parents worked, she’s homeless, and she’s one of the most reviled people in Vermont, if not all of America. This is her story.
The novel is told as a series of journal entries, or writings encouraged by a therapist to help the writer (Emily) understand how she came to this point in her life. Opening line: I built an igloo against the cold out of black plastic trash bags filled with wet leaves.. This gave me the sense that this was going to be a post-apocalyptic novel. But it isn’t post-apocalyptic, or not for everyone; the world doesn’t change for everyone, though it definitely changes for Emily. The disastrous melt-down at the nuclear plant where both her parents worked has resulted in thousands of people being displaced and serious questions asked about how this could have happened. One name keeps coming up – Emily’s father, who was known to have a drinking problem and is rumored to have been drunk on the job. So rather than stay with her classmates in their evacuation center, Emily sets out on her own.
The story moves back and forth in time, as she recollects and records the events and decisions that led her to where she is when she’s writing it down. Like many teens – especially teens using drugs or alcohol, or with poor impulse control, or serious self-doubt – Emily’s recollections are not linear. She bounces from subject to subject, introducing characters and then saying, “but I’ll explain later.” She also has issues with trusting authority figures and may not be telling the entire truth all the time, in an effort to shield herself, her parents or her companions. To say she’s an unreliable narrator is putting it mildly.
Often, I was irritated with her, but I grew to like her and root for her. She was intelligent, resilient, tried to be responsible, and very vulnerable. By the end I was so worried about her I cried out when it was over … I wanted to know what is next for her and I was afraid to know.
Grace Blewer does a fine job narrating the audio version. Blewer is Bohjalian’s daughter, and she helped him with the slang and cadence of speech so that he could write in a more-believably-teen-aged voice. The audio has a bonus interview with author/father and narrator/daughter which was very informative.
Book on CD narrated by Grace Blewer.
3.5***
Emily Shepard is a troubled teen. Totally understandable, given that she’s been orphaned by a nuclear plant disaster where both her parents worked, she’s homeless, and she’s one of the most reviled people in Vermont, if not all of America. This is her story.
The novel is told as a series of journal entries, or writings encouraged by a therapist to help the writer (Emily) understand how she came to this point in her life. Opening line: I built an igloo against the cold out of black plastic trash bags filled with wet leaves.. This gave me the sense that this was going to be a post-apocalyptic novel. But it isn’t post-apocalyptic, or not for everyone; the world doesn’t change for everyone, though it definitely changes for Emily. The disastrous melt-down at the nuclear plant where both her parents worked has resulted in thousands of people being displaced and serious questions asked about how this could have happened. One name keeps coming up – Emily’s father, who was known to have a drinking problem and is rumored to have been drunk on the job. So rather than stay with her classmates in their evacuation center, Emily sets out on her own.
The story moves back and forth in time, as she recollects and records the events and decisions that led her to where she is when she’s writing it down. Like many teens – especially teens using drugs or alcohol, or with poor impulse control, or serious self-doubt – Emily’s recollections are not linear. She bounces from subject to subject, introducing characters and then saying, “but I’ll explain later.” She also has issues with trusting authority figures and may not be telling the entire truth all the time, in an effort to shield herself, her parents or her companions. To say she’s an unreliable narrator is putting it mildly.
Often, I was irritated with her, but I grew to like her and root for her. She was intelligent, resilient, tried to be responsible, and very vulnerable. By the end I was so worried about her I cried out when it was over … I wanted to know what is next for her and I was afraid to know.
Grace Blewer does a fine job narrating the audio version. Blewer is Bohjalian’s daughter, and she helped him with the slang and cadence of speech so that he could write in a more-believably-teen-aged voice. The audio has a bonus interview with author/father and narrator/daughter which was very informative.
34justifiedsinner
>33 BookConcierge: Er... It's July....
35Avdotya_Raskolnikova
On a quest to read as many Russian novels as I can this summer, I just finished One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich and am currently reading The Brothers Karamazov.
36bluepiano
Ooh, I like more and more the juxtaposition of the thread title and the posters' reading: Calvino, Cavafy, and now the Brothers K with pages stained with sunblock whilst being read in Benidorm. I just finished TV byMathieu Bernard-Reymond while abroad downing fluorescently-coloured drinks with parasols--digitally produced photos containing screenshots from telly (which doesn't sound promising, but the photographs are actually quite atmospheric and a bit unsettling), and here at home I've been reading off and on The Autobiography of Michel de Montaigne when chilling out between various rowdy barbeques, poolside orgies, and hot dog eating contests.
37bluepiano
(Sorry for faulty first link but to correct it wd entail scanning v. long list and besides Twilight *does* sound like something someone somewhere would think a Sizzling Summer Read.)
38BookConcierge
>34 justifiedsinner:
And if you look at my shelf, you'll see that I finished this book in June
And if you look at my shelf, you'll see that I finished this book in June
