Last night I did something that I very seldom do. I decided to quit reading a book that I just wasn’t enjoying. One irritant was that the style of the writing was too much like another historical murder series story that I read which I found to be okay but not terribly exciting several years ago: The Devil in the White City by Erik Larsen. The book I quit last night is Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann. Even though it was a finalist for the National Book Award, I just found reading it to be tedious with its frequent quotes from newspapers and other writings, its repetitive information, its pleasure in showing how racist everyone was back then, the choppy pace of the writing, etc. By 25% of the way in, I decided not to waste any more time on it and to give it a rating of 2 out of 5.
Monday, April 15, 2019
Friday, April 12, 2019
Elmet by Fiona Mozley
Friday, Apr. 12, 2019--Tel Aviv
Elmet by Fiona Mozley was a finalist for the Man Booker Prize in 2017. It is beautifully written and a fascinating story of a family trying to live off the grid in a world where it is hard to escape authority, whether legitimate or self-declared. It takes place in modern Yorkshire in England, but it “feels” as if it is taking place in the 1800s. The author seems to be trying to show that even though the days of the manor houses and the lords' control over their tenants has officially passed, a similar situation still exists with the rich still “lording” it over the poor by charging high rents, paying less than required by the law for labor, taking authority on their own while ignoring proper channels, etc. I gave the book 4 ½ stars out of 5
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
History of Wolves by Emily Fridland
Apr. 8, 2019--Jerasulum
History of Wolves by Emily Fridland. It is built around the life of an awkward 14-year-old girl who was originally raise in a commune and is mostly ostracized by others her age. But it also touches on religious beliefs and practices of members of the Church of Christ Scientist and child molestation. It is a truly different coming-of-age novel that is well written. I gave it 4 stars out of 5.
History of Wolves by Emily Fridland. It is built around the life of an awkward 14-year-old girl who was originally raise in a commune and is mostly ostracized by others her age. But it also touches on religious beliefs and practices of members of the Church of Christ Scientist and child molestation. It is a truly different coming-of-age novel that is well written. I gave it 4 stars out of 5.
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
A Horse Walks Into a Bar by David Grossman
Monday, Apr. 1, 2019--Amman, Jordan
I read the entire book A Horse Walks Into a Bar by David Grossman which won the Man Booker International Prize in 2017 today since the weather was cold and bad and since I had seen everything I had planned to see in Amman in the previous few days. It’s a wonderful book, but it is one that is difficult to keep reading. As you follow the act of a stand-up comedian who is dwelling on the miseries of his life and the story you learn of it not only through the act but through the memories of one of the only friends he has ever had--a boy he went to math tutoring with for just a few months and spent time visiting with afterward before they had to head to their homes. The link to the NPR review is more detailed. I gave the book 4 out of 5 stars because it’s a good story, but it just goes on so long that I almost decided to walk out on it like the members of his audience were walking out on his act.
I read the entire book A Horse Walks Into a Bar by David Grossman which won the Man Booker International Prize in 2017 today since the weather was cold and bad and since I had seen everything I had planned to see in Amman in the previous few days. It’s a wonderful book, but it is one that is difficult to keep reading. As you follow the act of a stand-up comedian who is dwelling on the miseries of his life and the story you learn of it not only through the act but through the memories of one of the only friends he has ever had--a boy he went to math tutoring with for just a few months and spent time visiting with afterward before they had to head to their homes. The link to the NPR review is more detailed. I gave the book 4 out of 5 stars because it’s a good story, but it just goes on so long that I almost decided to walk out on it like the members of his audience were walking out on his act.
Sunday, March 31, 2019
The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson
Sunday, Mar. 31, 2019--Amman, Jordan
The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson won the Man Booker Prize in 2010. I found the novel interesting, but there were times when I questioned whether to continue. It is full of angst, guild, fear, betrayal, etc., and is about friends whom it is easy to question why they remain friends after their school days. I enjoyed the book enough to finally finish it, but my rating is only 3 stars out of 5.
The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson won the Man Booker Prize in 2010. I found the novel interesting, but there were times when I questioned whether to continue. It is full of angst, guild, fear, betrayal, etc., and is about friends whom it is easy to question why they remain friends after their school days. I enjoyed the book enough to finally finish it, but my rating is only 3 stars out of 5.
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
Tuesday, Mar. 26, 2019--Bidiyah, Oman
I finished reading Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh this evening. It was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2016. It is an unusual book in that it is the story of a depressed young woman (24 years old) who has never had sex, lives at home taking care of her alcoholic father, wears only clothes that belonged to her deceased mother, and takes pleasure in doing bad things (especially since everyone either just ignores her or sees her as being a quiet mousy figure). Enough happens in her life to keep the reader involved even though I wondered at times why I didn't just quit reading. The last few pages are a real surprise (but please don't jump to the end first if you plan to read the whole book). I gave it 3 1/2 stars out of 5.
I finished reading Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh this evening. It was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2016. It is an unusual book in that it is the story of a depressed young woman (24 years old) who has never had sex, lives at home taking care of her alcoholic father, wears only clothes that belonged to her deceased mother, and takes pleasure in doing bad things (especially since everyone either just ignores her or sees her as being a quiet mousy figure). Enough happens in her life to keep the reader involved even though I wondered at times why I didn't just quit reading. The last few pages are a real surprise (but please don't jump to the end first if you plan to read the whole book). I gave it 3 1/2 stars out of 5.
Friday, March 22, 2019
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
Thursday, Mar. 21, 2019--On Flights from Cairo to Bahrain to Muscat
Last night as I waited for my flight from Bahrain to Muscat, I finished reading Exit West by Mohsin Hamid--a science fiction story built around a couple of young people from an Islamic area where extremists in a future maybe 30 to 50 years from now are battling the government and slowly taking over the city grid-by-grid. Although concentrating on this one couple, it becomes clear that the whole world is in chaos with refugees fleeing the danger zones with hopes of a better life. The book was named one of the ten best books of 2017 by the New York Times Book Review. I gave it 4 stars out of 5.
Last night as I waited for my flight from Bahrain to Muscat, I finished reading Exit West by Mohsin Hamid--a science fiction story built around a couple of young people from an Islamic area where extremists in a future maybe 30 to 50 years from now are battling the government and slowly taking over the city grid-by-grid. Although concentrating on this one couple, it becomes clear that the whole world is in chaos with refugees fleeing the danger zones with hopes of a better life. The book was named one of the ten best books of 2017 by the New York Times Book Review. I gave it 4 stars out of 5.
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