Nicole
Her essays on feminism in particular are striking and moving, reading this as I do in the age of DJT, when women's choices and voices are at risk, and indeed we have a president who views us as his sexual toys no brags about it.
Good historical thriller that makes you feel like you are in Paris at the time of the building of the canal, and which weaves in how society, art and politics were changing in response to technological developments. If you like this, I recommend frank Tallis's thrillers set in fin de siècle Venice. I like them a bit more.
Virtuoso piece. The story of how a company making soap and candles in boston became a multinational in everything from pesticides to big pharmacy .... And the impact of the Chemical Revolution on our way of life .... And the result of the creation of “the corporation” as a person in our keg so system .... All of it is fascinating. Poor thus alone the book is a must read and should be taught. Balancing it with the story go a woman dying of cancer from the very chemicals that company saturates her tenon with keeps our hearts engaged as well as our heads. Wonderful book.
Mesmerizing and totally absorbing, unlike anything I've read before, and kind of horrible all at the same time. The reader is in the head of an alcoholic, self absorbed, hustling, horny, insecure, restless, and ultimately pathetic businessman in upstate NY for a long and tumultuous weekend. Feels like a dream when you are reading it, it just keeps going and going and dragging you along even when you feel like “i want this to stop”. One of those books that I'm glad I read, and I won't read again... I don't know how Oates wrote this ... powerful.
I read this around the mid 80s and found it and the whole Canopus in Argos series an extraordinary piece work ... provocative, meditative, poetic, practical, how all this in the same book? I jam rereading the books now, 2017, following the US election, brexit, & etc. this book in particular is chick full of observations and hypotheses and statements that could be take from contemporary thinkers ... about greed, power struggles, inclusion vs control of others, the danger of unfettered capitalism ... read it!
The passages discussing the Adirondacks are lovely, and at times this book reminded me a bit of Wallace Stegner. There is a wonderful, accurate, and troubling brief discussion of the undermining of the independent “yeomen and yeowomen” as the wealth gap grew in the 20s and 30s ... surely it could be written today. But the characters are too one dimensional; they almost seem like cartoons. Leftist self-indulgent & self-absorbed artist. Beautiful high strung troubled heiress. Noble Adirondack guide. Loyal and rather perfect wife. I wish they had been more nuanced so that the people part of the story would be more believable and engaging.
The first section — when he describes working in restaurants early in his career— is delightful and absorbing. The last third of the book ... meh
Riveting. Beautifully explores what violence, separation, loss, loyalty, compassion, and freedom can mean to us. True and fine. The description fails to mention that the book is really two stories, one of the soldier, Robin, and second is of Agate, an enslaved woman. Both stories are compelling and crucial.
A beautiful written, thoughtful, and deeply moving novel which deals with the most profound questions ... who are we, and how will we live our lives, as individuals and as societies?
Incidentally, I listened to this novel on Audible and the reader was superb. Recommended.
My second book by this multi award winning SF fantasy author. And my last. The last moment of the book, wonderful and satisfying as it was, doesn't make up for the repetitive action, dialogue, people, everything.
Vivid historical whodunnit set in the winter wilds of northern Canada in the late 1800s. An absorbing page turner, with interesting characters and sub plots. It made the cold and desolate north very real to me, sitting in my snow covered house under a blanket. Sometimes the language is anachronistic, but just plow past it and enjoy the story, and the generally good prose. A great vacation book.
This author reminds me of Iris Murdoch. Lovely writing. Wry and insightful. Gets to the dark sides of her characters in an interesting way.
Compulsively readable, and I am ashamed of how ignorant I was of what was going on down there. Important to read, to understand our country and the damage done by the sound and fury of our media. We need more quiet voices telling the whole truth.
Beautifully written. Sensitive, honest and rich characters, and thoughtful about the foibles we all carry with us. Reads a bit like a paean to old New England. Wonderful read.