Friday, Sept. 16, 2016--Kastraki (Meteora), Greece
This book is a bit unusual for me. It's not a novel, but it reads
like a novel. It is a true story of people living in a slum in Mumbai
written by an American woman who went there to live among them and write
about their lives. Like so many other books about India I have read,
it is quite depressing because of the circumstances of their lives with
things often getting worse rather than better. The book is Behind the Beautiful Forevers
by Katherine Boo, and it won the National Book Award for non-fiction.
Even though I didn't like what was happening in the book, it was well
written and well documented. It's an extraordinary achievement. I gave
it 4 out of 4 stars.
Friday, September 16, 2016
Sunday, September 4, 2016
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt
Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016--Cetinje, Montenegro
I finished reading my novel, The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt, today. It's a western about two brothers who are hired killers--one rough with little conscience and the other somewhat sensitive. It was named to best-of-the-year lists by a number of reviewers and was short-listed for the Man Booker Prize. It's a unique western that incorporates some science fiction as well as some superstition. I enjoyed the book and gave it 3 1/2 stars out of 4.
I finished reading my novel, The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt, today. It's a western about two brothers who are hired killers--one rough with little conscience and the other somewhat sensitive. It was named to best-of-the-year lists by a number of reviewers and was short-listed for the Man Booker Prize. It's a unique western that incorporates some science fiction as well as some superstition. I enjoyed the book and gave it 3 1/2 stars out of 4.
Saturday, September 3, 2016
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
August 5, 2015--Ptuj, Slovenia
I finished reading my 800+ page novel, The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton, that won the 2013 Man Booker Prize. It is a wonderful book. At the beginning, there were so many characters and there was so much happening that I wondered if I would ever be able to keep up with it all. But slowly each character became distinguishable from the other and the pieces of the puzzle of what the book is about started coming together. By the end, the whole story becomes known. The reviews reference it as a nineteenth century novel updated for today’s readers. What is amazing is that the author was only 28 years old when she finished it and it was published. I give the book 3 ½ stars out of 4.
I finished reading my 800+ page novel, The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton, that won the 2013 Man Booker Prize. It is a wonderful book. At the beginning, there were so many characters and there was so much happening that I wondered if I would ever be able to keep up with it all. But slowly each character became distinguishable from the other and the pieces of the puzzle of what the book is about started coming together. By the end, the whole story becomes known. The reviews reference it as a nineteenth century novel updated for today’s readers. What is amazing is that the author was only 28 years old when she finished it and it was published. I give the book 3 ½ stars out of 4.
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Tiger Moon by Penelope Lively
July 10, 2016--Copenhagen, Denmark
I finished reading Tiger Moon by Penelope Lively. It was a bit uninteresting at first, but the last 2/3 of the book turned things around. Although the main character was difficult to like, she leads an interesting life and the reader gradually understands why she is the way she is. After thinking it would deserve a rating of 2 1/2 out of 4 at the beginning, I finally decided it was worth 3 out of 4 (or 3 1/2 out of 5).
I finished reading Tiger Moon by Penelope Lively. It was a bit uninteresting at first, but the last 2/3 of the book turned things around. Although the main character was difficult to like, she leads an interesting life and the reader gradually understands why she is the way she is. After thinking it would deserve a rating of 2 1/2 out of 4 at the beginning, I finally decided it was worth 3 out of 4 (or 3 1/2 out of 5).
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
Mar. 2, 2016--San Antonio, TX
During the last four days, I read The Postmistress by Sarah Blake. It is a fascinating story that made me not want to put it down, but that is somewhat offset by the writing being of less quality. The story covers what is happening just before the U.S. entered World War II in both a small town at the end of Cape Cod and in London while the Blitz was occurring. The main characters are the postmistress and her boyfriend, the town doctor and his wife, and an American reporter broadcasting by radio from London with Edward R. Murrow. The whole novel deals with what is happening in London, what may be happening in German-occupied Europe, and what is and may be happening in the Cape Cod town. I recommend it as a very interesting story and give it 3 stars out of 4.
During the last four days, I read The Postmistress by Sarah Blake. It is a fascinating story that made me not want to put it down, but that is somewhat offset by the writing being of less quality. The story covers what is happening just before the U.S. entered World War II in both a small town at the end of Cape Cod and in London while the Blitz was occurring. The main characters are the postmistress and her boyfriend, the town doctor and his wife, and an American reporter broadcasting by radio from London with Edward R. Murrow. The whole novel deals with what is happening in London, what may be happening in German-occupied Europe, and what is and may be happening in the Cape Cod town. I recommend it as a very interesting story and give it 3 stars out of 4.
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016--San Antonio, TX
I finished reading Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri today. She is one of my favorite writers. I seldom read more than one book by an author. One reason is that many are not good enough to avoid having a "style" which becomes boring over time. This is at least the third book I have read by Lahiri, however, and every book has been worth reading. (Almost every book she writes is good enough to be shortlisted for major writing prizes, so I'm not the only one who appreciates them.) Unaccustomed Earth is considered a collection of short stories, but it is really a hybrid with the first part being a series of short stories and the latter part, although also short stories, being much like a novel since they involve the same characters at various points in time. As I began reading, I remember thinking, "I'm enjoying this; it's well written, but I'm going to have to give it just 3 1/2 stars out of 4." But as I got closer to the end of the book, my opinion started trending higher. Then the last two pages convinced me. One sentence caused me to realize, without telling me so, what had happened and what it meant for the future of all the characters and sent me into an emotional tailspin that convinced me that is book is worth 4 stars out of 4 like so many of her other books!!! (Please do not read the ending of this book before reading the rest.)
I finished reading Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri today. She is one of my favorite writers. I seldom read more than one book by an author. One reason is that many are not good enough to avoid having a "style" which becomes boring over time. This is at least the third book I have read by Lahiri, however, and every book has been worth reading. (Almost every book she writes is good enough to be shortlisted for major writing prizes, so I'm not the only one who appreciates them.) Unaccustomed Earth is considered a collection of short stories, but it is really a hybrid with the first part being a series of short stories and the latter part, although also short stories, being much like a novel since they involve the same characters at various points in time. As I began reading, I remember thinking, "I'm enjoying this; it's well written, but I'm going to have to give it just 3 1/2 stars out of 4." But as I got closer to the end of the book, my opinion started trending higher. Then the last two pages convinced me. One sentence caused me to realize, without telling me so, what had happened and what it meant for the future of all the characters and sent me into an emotional tailspin that convinced me that is book is worth 4 stars out of 4 like so many of her other books!!! (Please do not read the ending of this book before reading the rest.)
Monday, January 4, 2016
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
Monday, Jan. 4, 2016--San Antonio, TX
I finished reading Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto. It's a "different" kind of novel. To me it seems to be two short stories sold as a novel. Both stories deal with overcoming the loss of loved ones at an early age. The artist has a nice way of describing feelings. The book was super-popular in Japan with the term Bananamania being used to describe how people were reacting to it. I gave it 3 stars out of 4.
I finished reading Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto. It's a "different" kind of novel. To me it seems to be two short stories sold as a novel. Both stories deal with overcoming the loss of loved ones at an early age. The artist has a nice way of describing feelings. The book was super-popular in Japan with the term Bananamania being used to describe how people were reacting to it. I gave it 3 stars out of 4.
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