What are you reading the week of October 28, 2017?

I made some time to read this week. I'm about halfway through Against the Grain: A Deep History of the Earliest States. It's an interesting assessment by a political scientist of what is known about the transition from nomadic hunter-gathers to sedentary, agriculturalist villages to organized, hierarchical states with kings, taxes, armies and all that comes with it: slavery, famine, pestilence and war. Every step towards "civilization" seems to be in the wrong direction. So why did we do it?

Greetings! I am back from my three week vacation which included three days in Tel Aviv to visit my wife's cousins and then two weeks in Croatia. All in all a great trip. I completed three books along the way and will report on them one by one.

To begin with, I finished a superb memoir, Land of Frozen Laughter: a Community Development Volunteer in the Vietnam War, 1967-1969 by John Lewallen. It is full of compelling episodes of his struggles to help the people in the villages he's assigned to while navigating ethnic rivalries, governmental bureaucracy and, of course, his desire not to get himself killed, especially during the infamous Tet Offensive. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in what life in the rural villages of Vietnam was like during the late 1960s.

Hello fredbacon and welcome back rocketjk!

I'm back to rereading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: The Illustrated Edition by J. K. Rowling. I like what the illustrated edition brings to my reread.

>3 PaperbackPirate: Thanks!

The next book I read on vacation was Fire in the Sky by J.A. Shears. I couldn't find any information about this author, who evidently wrote two books (at least there are two listed here on LT and also on Amazon). At any rate, Fire in the Sky was an entertaining adventure tale about a rough and tough American trapper (but with a heart of gold, of course) and his Native American bride in the Alaskan Yukon when that territory was still owned by Russia. The protagonists are vengeful and fierce Native Americans. There is some very good nature writing along with a fun adventure story. This was excellent vacation reading.

Still reading Norwegian by Night, Fortress in the Eye of Time, and The Wind in His Heart.

I can't believe it's been about 2 years since I have been here! Life is settling down, although working full time doesn't allow for as much reading or knitting damn it!!

I have just started An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris. A work colleague lent me a pile of Robert Harris so I am working my way through them when I am between library books.

Grant by Ron Chernow

I'm reading John O'Hara's first novel, Appointment in Samarra. It's very good so far with a Hardyesque quality in the structure of the story.

Heart and Soul– Maeve Binchy
Audio book read by Sile Bermingham.
3***

This is a story of family, friends, patients and staff whose lives intersect at a heart clinic in Dublin. Dr Clara Casey has taken on the job of director of this underfunded but much needed clinic. She agrees to a one-year contract because she has plenty of other issues in her personal life – two adult daughters with whom she has a difficult relationship, and an ex-husband who is trying to worm his way back into her good graces. The staff she assembles is eclectic and not without their own issues. Ania is a Polish émigré looking to escape her disgrace and find a way to help her widowed mother. Dr Declan Carroll is still in training and doing a rotation at the clinic; he has a natural empathy that helps both patients and other staff members.

This is my first Binchy book, though her books have been on my TBR list for ages. This was the right book for me at the right time – a gentle, engaging story that focuses on relationships. It is a sort of snapshot of a year in these people’s lives. We learn of past heartaches, their insecurities, their strengths, and emotions.

Sile Bermingham does a fine job of reading the book. Her pacing and inflections are right on target, and she brings the many characters to life.

Update, Oct 2017 - I re-read this one to fulfill a challenge. Despite its length, it's a fast read. I've read other Binchy books since first reading this one, and now realize that it is a sequel of sorts to Nights of Rain and Stars, with most of those characters appearing here as well.

Jumanji – Chris Van Allsburg
Audiobook performed by Robin Williams
5*****

Peter and Judy’s parents are going to a matinee, and they leave the children at home, with instructions to “keep the house neat,” as they’ll be bringing some guests back after the performance. Of course, they immediately make a mess with all their toys, but even that is boring after a while, so they head for the park. There they find a discarded board game – JUMANJI: A Jungle Adventure Game - and decide to take it home and play it. Fortunately, they DO read the instructions ….

What a flight of fancy and imagination! Oh, the thrill of being just a little naughty and pulling one over on the parents … followed by the sheer terror when you realize that you are going to get caught and most certainly severely punished. How can they possibly explain to Mother and Father about the rhinoceros stampede, or the monkeys in the kitchen, not to mention the python on the mantel and the torrential downpour that has soaked all the carpets.

Van Allsburg’s wonderful illustrations won the Caldecott Medal, and this was a well-deserved prize.

The 30th anniversary edition I got from the library has a surprise: an audio CD of the book, performed by Robin Williams. I confess that I listened to it twice!

The first full day of my recent vacation brought my wife and me a full day's layover in Portland. This, of course, brought me to Powell's Books for the very first time! But I was about to head off to Israel and Croatia for a total of 2 1/2 weeks. How many books was I going to be able to schlepp all that way? A brief conversation with a Powell's employee, however, brought me a happy revelation. As I texted to my wife, then browsing in a far flung section of the store, "They ship!" She quickly responded, "Uh oh."

I've been happily been going through the box of books that we shipped home to ourselves that day. A nice chore to have waiting for us upon our return! But the one book from that haul that I did bring along and subsequently read was Paul Auster's The Book of Illusions. I haven't read that many of Auster's works, but the ones I have read I've enjoyed thoroughly. Book of Illusions is a highly satisfying whirl of narratives--stories within stories--about loss, redemption and the creative process. Plus it's just terrific storytelling. You'll find my more in-depth reflections on my 50-Book Challenge thread.

OK, the final book of my vacation is a book I bought in Dubrovnik, started on the plane ride home, and finished up in the days after my return. It is The Jews of Dubrovnik: a Walk Through Space and Time from the Early Days to the Present by Vesna Miovic. By happenstance, the studio apartment my wife and I rented during our three days in Dubrovnik was on the street where, in the 15th through 17th centuries, the Jewish ghetto was located. The Synagogue dating back to those times is still there within the rooms of an old house as it always has been, and is now part museum as well. At any rate, this book is a brief but very interesting history of Jewish life in this fascinating city. There's a bit more on my 50-Book Challenge thread (see post 11).

How does the Illustrated Edition differ from the movie version, and from your own internal imaginings of the print-only version?

Just like >6 FionaWh: Fionawh, my life is settling down a bit more. I'm now gainfully employed, so yay budget and farewell all that free time! No more volunteer activities which can suck up a weekend when you're on the organizing committee; just me and my macBook and a coffee shop. *sigh*

Currently reading The Sentinel and Dreams of Steam 4: Gizmos for a short story challenge that will go into November. Storm of Swords for lunchtime reading (haven't made it to the Red Wedding yet but getting closer). Little Dorrit for my Dickens book group. That's kinda it for this week.

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
Erik Larson
5/5 stars
Larsen is one of my favorite non-fiction authors and he does not disappoint in this book about the sinking of the ocean liner, Lusitania during WWI.
In 1915, WWI was raging in Europe but the United States still had not become involved. Submarines had evolved and now were roaming the oceans aiming at non-military and military watercraft. The Lusitania was on its way to Liverpool filled with non-military men, women and children and though there were warnings about submarines, many passengers were not concerned or did not know about the warnings and thought that their ship would have an escort during the most dangerous part of the trip.
Larsen does a wonderful job describing the time period, the passengers and the crews aboard the submarine and the ocean liner. He also discusses the games Churchill was possibly playing. Was he using the situation to get the US to enter the war? And what was President Wilson’s reluctance to enter the war and who was distracting him from his job.

>11 rocketjk:

Welcome home.

Isn’t Powell’s wonderful?! My most favorite bookstore.
I’ve spent many hours and days there. I think l’d move to Portland just to be near Powell’s.
They have a good website too.

I’m still reading Seven stones to stand or fall by Gabaldon. (500 plus pages)

And my Halloween read is A skeleton in the family by Leigh Perry, suggested by someone on LT.

Finished Hillbilly Elegy. Interesting food for thought.

I finished Katy Tur's Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History. Engaging and interesting.

I'm still reading Every Man Dies Alone. It's very, very good, but depressing.

>12 rocketjk: Glad you had a good vacation, full of interesting reading. The book about Jewish people in Dubrovnik is one I'd like to read, and which I have made a note of.

I finished my (fifth? sixth?) re-read of the Harry Potter books, which brought me great relaxation and comfort during a time of upheaval. Now I'm reading Paula Hawkins's Into the Water, and liking a lot so far.

I have started in on Doc by Mary Doria Russell I have been finding it frustrating to find a book that grabs me. So far Doc has rewarded me, it is about the life of Doc Holliday.

>21 aussieh: I loved Doc.

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race
Margot Lee Shetterly
4/5 stars
This is the wonderful untold true story of the 4 African-American women mathematicians who broke barriers by working as human computers at Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory in Hampton, Virginia. Starting with a shortage of staff to help during WWII at the lab, these smart, college educated women proved that they were reliable and as smart as the other women and men at Langley. Shetterly discusses the time period and the racial tensions going on in that era, all in the context around what was going on at Langley with the building and designing of aircraft for WWII and including their part in the space race. This book really fleshes out the story of these women and the lengths they and their families had to go to work in those industries and the sacrifices that they had to make to have a better life. A true inspiration to all women.

>21 aussieh: Great one! And if you love it, you can follow it up with Epitaph.

>24 Copperskye: I shall look into Epitaph.

>22 JulieLill: so far loving it.

>14 threadnsong: I agree, although I'm working full time it does mean no more running all over the place with volunteer work and 3 or 4 little jobs - one job, one place to go each day - yay!

>21 aussieh: I LOVED Doc and >24 Copperskye: Epitaph is definitely on my list

After having heard about it for ages here on LT, I read Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. This is lovely book, sometimes quite humorous, but also sweet. It would make an excellent movie.

>27 snash: On IMDB they have a page for Major Pettigrew's Last Stand and listed it as a TV series. I think someone has bought the rights but nothing has been made yet.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1742328/

That sounds fun! Re-reading that kind of book is a blast. I remember reading those books as if they were addictive drugs. I turned the pages soooo fast! When reading them again, you can savor Rowling's wonderful descriptions. It's like wallowing, when you go back again.

I love the Binchy's books touch on each other. I just read Minding Frankie, and that brings back a number of characters. Couldn't recall the exact title, and went off to google it. Bumped into some non-flattering reviews of Binchy's work, and while I see their points, I found Binchy's stories to be just that: good, absorbing stories. Perhaps nothing more, but certainly nothing less.

Murder in the Mystery Suite – Ellery Adams
3***

Book number one in the Book Retreat Mystery series introduces the reader to Storyton Hall and the Guardians. Jane Steward is the manager of the mansion turned boutique hotel set in the mountains of Virginia. A widow with two small boys, she’s come to live at the manor with her great aunt Octavia and great uncle Aloysius. The property has suffered from neglect, however. Jane is inspired by the extensive libraries to host a special Halloween event – a Murder and Mayhem Mystery Week, including scavenger hunts and a costume ball. Guests clamor for reservations and all is going well until the winner of the scavenger hunt is found dead – murdered – in his room. Storyton Hall is crawling with detectives – but they are mostly fakes – and it’s up to Jane and the Guardians to solve the case.

This was a delightful cozy mystery. The premise is a bit outlandish … a library so secret that family members are sworn to secrecy and a team of former CIA operatives serve as butler, chauffer, etc in order to guard the precious resources. But what the heck, it makes for a colorful cast of characters and I love all the literary references.

Johanna Parker does a fine job narrating the audiobook. She’s a talented voice artist and she capably handles the very large cast of characters.

I'm reading the Wardrobe Mistress by Meghan Masterson.

Sundown, Yellow Moon – Larry Watson
2**

From the book jacket: On an icy day in January 1961, in Bismark, North Dakota, a sixteen-year-old boy walks home from high school with his best friend, Gene. The sudden sound of sirens startles and excites them, but they don’t have long to wonder what the sound could mean. Soon after seeing police cars parked on their street, they boys learn the shocking truth; hours before Gene’s father, Raymond Stoddard, walked calmly and purposefully into the state capitol and shot to death a charismatic state senator. Raymond then drove home and hanged himself in his garage.

My reactions:
Watson writes in the first person, making this a very introspective story. The narrator is never named, though we learn that he grows up to become a writer, and some of his stories are interspersed throughout the novel. It’s clear that this event, and particularly the mystery of WHY, will haunt him, and give him material for his work for years to come.

But the narrator’s inability to let go of the murder / suicide, and his inability to connect with the people around him – his parents, his best friend, his girlfriend, etc – makes the entire novel read like an oddly unemotional third-person account. I never connected with the narrator or any of the other characters, and was left feeling “is that all?”

I’ve read several of Watson’s other books and am a fan of his writing, but this was clearly not his best work.

Karma– Cathy Ostlere
3***

Maya and her father are going from Canada to New Dehli to spread her mother’s ashes. They arrive, however, on the same day as Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is assassinated by two of her guards. Maya and her father are separated in the riots that ensue, and she must disguise herself and ultimately rely on Sandeep, a boy she’s just met, to keep her safe and see that she gets home.

This young adult novel is told entirely in verse, making for a very fast read. It includes some pretty serious matter, however: religious strife between Sikhs and Hindus, civil and political unrest in India, moral courage, religious differences, and the treatment of women. Central to the plot is the differences between generations and the ability of parent and child to truly see one another’s point of view, and to forgive their differences. Also, one’s own capacity to forgive oneself for past mistakes.

Maya is a strong female lead, despite the trauma she’s faced and her withdrawal into herself. Somehow, she comes across as resilient, resourceful and tenacious, even when paralyzed by fear or indecision. Sandeep is a steadfast and courageous friend; having suffered his own tragedy early in life, he’s determined to help Maya find her way. The differences in their religions and socio-economic status will not deter him.

I’m a little concerned by the ending. I’m not at all sure that Maya will be safe in the future, but I applaud Ostlere for *not* giving us a happy ending, tied up in a pretty bow.

My reread of the classic SF tale The Forever War went pear-shaped in a BIG way over previously invisible-to-me issues of sexism and heteronormativity. Big disappointment to have the whole reading experience spoiled for me.

Now reading both the excellent Potiki for the 75er group's ANZAC literature challenge as well as Radiance by one of my authorial dotes Catherynne M. Valente.

Totally into Doc by Mary Doria Russell , have ordered on line Epitaph for a follow up!!

Fin8shed The Preacher, and am about to begin listening to Twenty Years After by Alexander Dumas.

I am reading Remembrance of Things Past, Volume One by Marcel Proust.

Finished The Wind in His Heart by Charles de Lint. Loved it.

Added The Long Way Home by Louise Penny to my reading rotation.

Yesterday I finished Into the Water by Paula Hawkins - meh.

Am now reading The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian, but it's too early on to have an opinion about the book.

>35 richardderus: My husband was fortunate enough to be in a short story workshop lead by Patricia Grace ( Potiki ) many many years ago. I love her work, and Witi Ihimaera, among other contemporary Maori authors. They are so natural and "real" and my husband could definitely relate to their stories as they often portrayed how he, or his elders grew up.

The new thread is up over here.

>35 richardderus: Richard, it's good to see you again! I had a similar experience re-reading Lucifer's Hammer about 15 years ago. But in this case, I was stunned by the blatant racism. I mostly blame Jerry Pournelle, but it's obvious that the only experience either of them had with African-Americans was watching blaxploitation movies in the early 70's. *Shudder* As a 20 year old, I remembered it as a thrilling adventure story with scientists as the heroes. Wow, did I ever miss the boat on that one! Growing up in the deep south of the 60s and 70s, I was simply too immersed in the mire to recognize it for what it was.

>40 FionaWh: Fiona, I am so jealous of your husband right now that I'm glad y'all live so far away! I'd've loved to have been in that class. Patricia Grace has one of the most apt surnames in literary history.

>42 fredbacon: Thanks, Fred! I've refugeed out of Trumpbook. My blood pressure was way up and my sleep was way down the more politickin' I was around. SOMEthing had to fill those hours, so back I came.

Ukulele Murder – Leslie Langtry
ZERO stars

Hoalohanani “Nani” Johnson is *not* Hawaiian. She was born in Kansas to parents of Irish and German descent, but her mother has always had a fascination for Hawaii, hence her only daughter’s name. After her father died, Nani and her mother moved to Kauai, where Nani, who trained at Julliard, teaches ukulele and struggles to get performance gigs. But the three ukulele professionals already in place are all Hawaiian and do not welcome any competition from a haole. When one of them is murdered, suspicion turns to Nani.

This is just bad. The writing is hackneyed, the dialogue is tortured, the plot is ridiculous, and none of the characters is believable … well maybe Pastor Dan, who dresses as Elvis to perform weddings in the Blue Hawaii Wedding Chapel, is believable. I was particularly irritated by Nani’s internal dialogue, and all the animal similes (e.g. “like a rabid hyena” or “bug-eyed iguana”).

Even worse, in my opinion, is the lame attempt at humor in re Nani’s mother’s alcoholism. Alcoholism is *never* funny. It’s a disease that hurts not only the person suffering from it, but everyone around him/her. Making light of the number of mai tais or running out of rum or passing out is just plain not funny. Shame on Langtry for even trying to make it so.

Ah, well … it was a fast read and satisfied several challenges … but I’ll never get that time back.