lindsacl (Laura's) 2009 Reading

This is more or less what I posted on the introductions thread:

I'll be 47 in February. I'm married, with two daughters ages 13 & 16, as well as 2 dogs (labs) and 3 cats. We live in Chester County, Pennsylvania on the borders of Delaware & Maryland. I work full-time in IT and am currently Chief IT Architect with a large multinational company. Not very exciting ...

Books, on the other hand, are definitely exciting. I've been part of the LT community for just over two years and have developed some really strong friendships here. And thanks to those friends, I've discovered some amazing literature, worlds away from the bestseller lists. I enjoy literary fiction, books by & about women including Virago Modern Classics, prizewinners especially Booker & Orange, and books in translation.

I have two other "personal threads" on LT:
- 75 Book Challenge 2009: lindsacl (Laura's) challenge
- Reading Globally: lindsacl reads around the world

As for my other hobbies, I also enjoy gardening -- primarily fruit & veg -- and I volunteer at a bird rescue & rehab center.

And we're off ....

1. The Road Home - review

From my review: Out of work and mourning the loss of his wife, Lev leaves his Eastern European homeland on a bus bound for London. ... I was instantly drawn into Lev's story. His loneliness and isolation were palpable. The important figures in his life, both at home and in England, were rich and believable. In some cases, it was a bit too obvious the purpose Tremain had in mind for each character; however, this did not diminish my enjoyment of this prizewinning novel. (4 / 5 stars)

I read this book as part of "Orange January"; several LTers are participating in this event to read books that won, or were nominated for, the Orange Prize.

I love Rose Tremain - will be reading that one this year.

2. Property - review

From my review: Set in the 1830s, Property is the story of Manon, the wife of a Louisiana sugar cane plantation owner. ... I believe this was an accurate portrayal of a certain type of individual during that time period, but I was unable to identify with her, which dampened my enthusiasm for this novel. (3 / 5 stars)

This was another "Orange January" selection for me.

3. When I Lived in Modern Times - review

From my review: In 1946, Evelyn Sert left London for Palestine, to be part of Israel's formation. ... This book would be interesting to those wishing to learn more about the birth of Israel, and it puts today's events in historical context. However, I was hoping for a more character-driven novel and in that respect I was disappointed. (3 / 5 stars)

My third "Orange January" selection.

4. A Fine Balance - review

From my review: I loved the structure of this novel. It begins with a prologue, that shows how the characters come to know one another. Then Mistry takes the reader deep into the lives of each character, beginning with Dina, exploring her childhood and marriage. Mistry vividly describes Maneck's parents and the rural setting of his childhood. A full understanding of the tailors comes by going back a full generation to reveal their parents' life and values. Mistry relates each character's story up to the point where their lives intersect, sometimes presenting the same events from different points of view. A Fine Balance is a must-read! (4.5 / 5 stars)

Oh, have the Linda Grant in the pile. Rebeccanyc seemed to enjoy her latest. Love the excerpts you post - thoughtful and succinct, wish I had time to read the full reviews.

So happy that you liked the Mistry book. I love his writing.

>7 avaland:: avaland, you might enjoy the Grant more than I did. I get the impression from your posts that characterization, while important, is often less important to your enjoyment. Am I right about that? Elna manuals excepted, of course ;-)

#7 & 9, I haven't read When I Lived in Modern Times so I have no basis for comparison, but Linda Grant's latest, The Clothes on Their Backs has very strong characterizations.

>9 lauralkeet: hm. Characterization is important, but I think it depends on the book and what the author is trying to do.

#6 Laura: the weirdest thing! When I read your post just now I remembered that I had a dream last night that I accidentally threw A Fine Balance in the bin!!!

Oh, I'm glad that was just a dream!

5. In a Summer Season - review

From my review: Elizabeth Taylor is quite skilled at portraying ordinary people, embodying some with amusing idiosyncracies (such as the aunt who is obsessed with sex, although she has no direct personal experience), while also putting her characters under a microscope to expose the tiny flaws that are often the source of their downfall. This is what I enjoy most about her writing. Unfortunately, the plot did not measure up to the characters, and in my view this book fell short of her other work (i.e.; A View of the Harbour, and Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont).

lindsacl, reading your reviews with interest. Another Rose Tremain fan, I will have to read The Road Home.

Oh yes, I think you'd enjoy it!

6. Mansfield Park - review

From my review: I found this book hard work. I had neutral to negative feelings about all of the characters. Fanny Price came across as mousy and boring; the other women were insipid. Men were cast in typical roles: wealthy handsome cads, kind clergy, etc. And the plot moved at a snail's pace. Whether it was a visit to the country, the staging of a play, or a trip to town, Austen stretched the story on for pages and pages. Having enjoyed most of Austen's other work, I had high hopes for Mansfield Park but found myself skimming towards the end, just to be done with it. (2 / 5 stars)

Laura, as you and I have discussed, Mansfield Park is my least favorite Austen, and Fanny my least favorite of her heroines. But there has to be a "least" in every body of work, I guess. I think, based on some background I've read, that her heart just wasn't in it.

P.S.--I'm glad you enjoyed A Fine Balance. If you're interested in reading more Mistry, I would recommend Such a Long Journey.

7. Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate - review

From my review: The six Mitford sisters were stylish young members of English high society during the 1920s & 30s. These two novellas provide an entertaining look at their world, as seen by their cousin, Fanny. ... While I enjoyed Nancy Mitford's skewering of her own family & society, I enjoyed even more the way these two novellas complemented each other. (3.5 / 5 stars)

>20 lauralkeet: sounds interesting. . .

>21 avaland: avaland: It is. There are actually several more books in which Linda, the narrator, appears. My favorite is Don't Tell Alfred. It is a hoot.

urania, Fanny is the narrator in Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate. Linda is her cousin, part of the Radlett (aka Mitford) family, and featured primarily in Pursuit of Love. She was apparently a composite of a couple of Mitford sisters. Which one appears in the other books: Fanny, or Linda?

I haven't (yet!!) read Love in a Cold Climate or Pursuit of Love but really enjoyed The Mitford Girls by Mary Lovell, a biography of the 5 sisters. At least I think there were 5 of them.. I read it in 2004.

I also loved The Blessing by Mitford. The characters in it appear briefly in Pursuit of Love or Love in a cold climate.

>17 lauralkeet: and 18, As you can probably guess, Mansfield Park was one of my favorite Austen novels & good old FP is one of Austen's more intriguing heroines, in my opinion. I think the book is so much more interesting & complex than her earlier works - not that I don't love P&P. And I think its precisely the fact that Fanny is such an atypical Austen heroine that makes her so interesting. I am constantly seeking out articles & tidbits to help me understand Austen's choices in this novel - I think its the questions that make this one so much more intriguing than all the others. I am quite partisan on this issue, I think. :)

>20 lauralkeet: Great review, Laura! I absolutely agree--the two books should be read together.

>23 lauralkeet: I'm pretty sure it's Fanny in Don't Tell Alfred.

>24 cushlareads: It's actually six sisters. I liked Lovell's biography, but I got the most insight into the sisters in The Mitfords: Letters Between Six Sisters.

Ooh, that looks really good. I think I forgot Pamela! I might look for it when I've recovered from my recent read of the Pankhursts, who were also fascinating to read about but very unpleasant.

linsacl, cabegley, and anyone else I've missed:

I sit corrected. Fanny it is. Probably early senility setting in.

>26 fannyprice: I have to agree about Mansfield Park, although Persuasion still stands as my sentimental favorite. Wasn't MP considered Austen's moral novel? While I have not studied the Regency period lit extensively, certainly the American novels written by women around the same time period were all moral novels. It seems that Austen has as much to say to the Edwards of the world in that story, as she does to the Fannys (Fannies?)

Cushla and Chris, although interesting, I found The Mitford Sisters mildly sycophantic, and thus at times irritating. I still have to read the letters, which I am sure I will enjoy much more.

I agree, Paola, and I think you will definitely enjoy the letters!

#26 - Fanny, I'm with you in defending and loving Mansfield Park. When I studied it a couple of years ago I came across much evidence that scholars and critics hold this one in high esteem as well. There's an excellent chapter about it in A Fine Brush on Ivory. Now the Austen novel that I have problems with is Emma, but this is not the right forum for that conversation. :-)

#31 and #32 - yes, I'd forgotten that. I read it in a post-baby haze though so didn't care. My son was a few weeks old and I cranked through Stalingrad and The Mitford Girls really quickly with lengthy feeding sessions!

8. A Severed Head - review

From my review: As in her other novels, Murdoch seems to enjoy giving the arrogant male his comeuppance, and playing with him as a cat plays with a mouse. ... A Severed Head is both painful and fascinating reading. (4 /5 stars)

9. Moon Tiger - review

From my review: Moon Tiger is a moving, rich character study which also has me considering how to live life in such a way as to have no regrets at the end. (4 / 5 stars)

Laura, your review made me want to read more about it, so I went to other reviews. This sentence from one of them gave me a smile: "Claudia is a well-drawn figure, though amoral and atheist". I'll flag this one as a must be read.

That's a great quote tiffin! Well she is an atheist, although I didn't necessarily think of her as amoral. I don't usually read other reviews before I've written mine, but today I forgot to go back and see what others have said about this book. Thanks!

10. The Unbearable Lightness of Being - review

From my review: Before I'd read 50 pages of this book, I realized it was more about ideas than about character, setting, or plot. ... I am afraid I just didn't "get" what Kundera was trying to say. I don't shy away from ideas: I enjoy thinking, debate, and reading that introduces me to new concepts. But this book just didn't do it for me. (2 / 5 stars)

11. The Professor's House - review

From my review: Willa Cather's prose is beautifully descriptive, illuminating both the mid-western town where St. Peter lives, and the desert southwest of Tom Outland's youth. Her characters are richly developed; even the unlikeable ones are multifaceted and completely human. Cather's writing talents make The Professor's House an enjoyable novel. (3.5 / 5 stars)

Yikes. I have The Unbearable Lightness of Being on my TBR pile.

I loved Moon Tiger.

>41 amandameale:: well who knows Amanda, you might like it, lots of people do.

lindsacl, how is your rating system defined? Anything three stars and up are recommended? Just thinking about the Cather, it's one I haven't read.

avaland, my rating system is on my profile. I'd recommend 3.5 and up. 3 is just OK.

Amanda, I read The Unbearable Lightness of Being centuries ago, when still a university student, and greatly enjoyed it. Kundera is not an easy author to get into, but once you do, he captures you.
I also liked The Joke very much.

12. A Mercy - review

From my review: One afternoon a few months ago, I was sentenced to that purgatory that is a 2-hour drive on the New Jersey Turnpike. But then my spirits were lifted heavenwards by a National Public Radio interview with Toni Morrison. Ms. Morrison discussed her new book, A Mercy, and rewarded her audience with a reading. Sheer bliss. I knew I had to read this book! ... This is a wonderful, moving, haunting book. Highly recommended. (4.5 / 5 stars)

I've loved Moon Tiger since I first read it, and it still moves me on rereading. Just for fun see if you can locate Penelope Lively's The Voyage of QV 66.

>46 lauralkeet: Glad you liked A Mercy. I know I mentioned this somehow in connection with Property but I've forgotten what led my thoughts from one to the other (other than the obvious - slavery).

Taking a page out of citizenkelly's book ...

February Wrap-up
- 6 books (12 YTD)
- 1629 pages (3,731 YTD)
- 5 written by women
- 4 (!!) from the "1001 Books you Must Read Before you Die" list
- 1 Booker Prize winner
- 1 from a "new" country for my Reading Globally journey

Of the six books read, my favorite was A Mercy; I found myself wallowing in Morrison's excellent prose. Moon Tiger and A Severed Head were really quite memorable as well. The Kundera was a surprising disappointment, since so many people I know have loved it.

Laura - Lovely review of A Mercy. I'm just waiting for that one to come out in paperback - I love Morrison.

13. The Remains of the Day - review

From my review:The story is told entirely in Stevens' voice. Ishiguro has a way of making the situation perfectly plain to the reader, even though much is left unsaid. ... I was worried that this book would be spoiled by having seen the film many years ago. And while I couldn't help envisioning Stevens just as he was portrayed by Anthony Hopkins, I still found myself immersed in this book as if experiencing the story for the first time. Wonderful, emotional, reading. (5 / 5 stars)

14. The Cellist of Sarajevo - review

From my review: The siege of Sarajevo took place between April 1992 and February 1996, killing approximately 10,000 people. The city was repeatedly shelled, and snipers took up posts in the surrounding hills, firing on unsuspecting victims. Following the May, 1992 bombing of a bakery, a local cellist played Albinoni's Adagio in G minor (listen here), every day for twenty-two days, in memory of the dead. ... Every time I read a book like The Cellist of Sarajevo, I wonder what it is about humankind that makes us do such things to one another. (4 / 5 stars)

>52 lauralkeet: I just requested this from Early Reviewers - I'm glad to see that you enjoyed it (if that's the right word for this type of book).

15. A Room of One's Own - review

From my review: So much has already been written about this classic work; this book is often read in courses on literature or women's studies, and people much more "learned" than me have had very profound things to say. I find it difficult to offer up any unique point of view. I'm just an avid reader with strong feminist leanings. So this book is right up my street. ... So what does A Room of One's Own offer the contemporary reader? For young women of education and privilege, it is a means to connect with and understand their foremothers' journeys. And Woolf's ideas on education and independence are still important for those advancing the cause of women around the world. Experiencing this book as a reader, not a scholar, I found myself simply enjoying Woolf's writing talents. I flagged more interesting passages in this book than anything else in recent memory. (4 / 5 stars)

16. Schindler's Ark - review

From my review: Even though I've read several books about the holocaust, I've been able to distance myself from the reality -- not denying these events occurred, but not facing the brutality, either. This book was different. I'm sure my mind was not as graphic as the film, and I unconsciously protected myself from the worst of it, but I still had to take frequent breaks. There were so many individual, heartbreaking stories; I found myself wondering how it could be classified as fiction. ... I suspect this book won the Booker Prize more on the basis of Schindler's story; the writing itself was not as fine as I'd hoped. (3 / 5 stars)

17. The Ventriloquist's Tale - review

From my review: Pauline Melville's debut novel is a multi-generational story of Amerindian people in Guyana. ... The story itself was interesting, if somewhat predictable, but Melville's descriptive prose brought the country and its native people to life. The imagery was so vivid; I often felt as if I were right there, experiencing the scenery, the heat, and the heavy rains. This was an excellent choice for my "Reading Globally" journey. (3 / 5 stars)

I'm having a Sunday of catching up on the all Club Read 2009 threads that I've neglected for a couple of weeks!

Just wanted to say that Moon Tiger is my second most favourite book of all time and thanks for the reviews of A Mercy and Remains of the Day which have both moved much further up my TBR list.

Also, I've just finished reading The Mitfords: letters between six sisters which you may find interesting as it will show you the real family behind Nancy's stories. Or at least it will show you the sisters as they viewed themselves and how they wanted to present the family to the public. The letters discussing the various Mitford biographies and whether they accurately reflect family members are fascinating.

Interesting ... thanks charbutton! I really know nothing of the Mitfords other than how they are portrayed in Pursuit of Love. I did a tiny bit of internet research but the letters sound interesting.

18. Roman Fever and Other Stories - review

From my review: I don't often read short fiction; however, when I do I usually don't regret it. Such is the case with Roman Fever and Other Stories. The 8 stories in this book all take place in the early 20th century, and primarily in locations the author called home: New York City and Paris. ... each is well-written, exposing societal issues and making Wharton's position on these issues crystal clear. Recommended reading. (3.5 / 5 stars)

>59 lauralkeet: I'm glad you enjoyed Roman Fever. Are you thinking of taking up any other of Wharton's works before the visit in May?

Probably not before the visit, Lois. But someday ...

19. The Brontes Went to Woolworths - review

From my review: When my husband and I were first married, we liked to imagine the lives of semi-strangers: fitness instructors, supermarket clerks, etc. Even today we are strangely fascinated by a family nearby who have a wonderful vegetable garden, visible from the street as we drive by. Sometimes we make up other details of their lives. I've always thought it was a bit silly and embarrassing ... until I read this book. (3.5 / 5 stars)

Top 5 books for 1Q09:

The Remains of the Day
A Mercy
A Fine Balance
The Road Home
A Room of One's Own

I've also decided to track my reading on just one thread. Please visit my 75 Book Challenge Thread !!

#62 saw your review of Brontes went to woolworths - that sound like exactly the kind of book I'd enjoy between 'heavy' reads. It's going onto the TBR pile. You always have such great suggestions.