Phyllis

Yet another book I simply cannot get into that is critically acclaimed. The story is certainly compelling, and yet I found the dialogue tiresome and couldn't get further along.

Really cute send-up of the hygge and lagom books of recent years.

This book was recommended by a podcaster on YouTuber I happened across during a sleepless night (will try to find the link later).

What a pleasant find! This book is a coming-of-age story mixed with late-60s small town life with a dash of civil rights and a smidge of Southern Gothic plus a little supernatural/voodoo magic. And maybe a few other things I'm not including. It reminds me a bit of Stephen King's best books and stories, but set in Alabama instead of Maine.

Occasionally, during the intro and outro chapters, the author got a little too folksy and wistful about the good old days. Otherwise, the characters were really well-done and the story interesting. Some reviewers felt there was no plot, but I think there's a lot here about learning to face up to fears, relying on friends and family in tough situations, and figuring out right from wrong. That may sound nanny-pamby, but it had a lot more depth than some folks think.

“Sweet bean paste“ is a wonderful, short book. Don't be misled by the number of pages; this book has so much to offer and is still on my mind weeks after finishing it.

I consider the novel a coming-of-age story; our main character is not young, but the events of this novel create a sea change akin to someone awakening to adulthood. The book also sheds light on the treatment of those who suffered from leprosy in Japan in the mid-1900s. The characters are so well drawn that you feel you really know them within a few pages; this is the mark of a very good author.

I don't want to say too much more other than to recommend that you pick up a copy of this book.

A charming little book about the way to refer to groups of certain types of animals. The illustrations alone are delightful.

Kevin Powers' “A Shout in the Ruins” is a beautifully-written, poetic novel that jumps back and forth between the 1860s and 1950s.

The common thread is George Seldom, who begins a journey near the end of his life to revisit his childhood home. The author uses multiple characters related by circumstance or blood to George to weave the puzzle pieces together; the descendants of slaves often knew almost nothing about their ancestors because not even history was allowed to them. George is only able to go a step back to a home he grew up in, but could not find anything about his biological parents.

This is a very American novel in that slavery, and later, racism, drive some insane and free or kill others. Yet, there are beautiful moments, such as the conversations Bob Reid has with the Yankee soldier after both were grievously wounded at Chancellorsville.

Each character experiences both great joy and great loss in a society in which they have little control. From the cruel Levallois, a greedy plantation owner, to Nurse and Rawls, his slaves, life can change in the blink of an eye even when you think the coast is clear. Yet, happiness comes for each character and is savored, even if that happiness is short.

My review truly cannot do justice to Mr Powers' beautiful writing.

As someone who occasionally enjoys Chelsea Handler's show, and as someone who received glowing recommendations from friends, I was expecting a rip-roaring read. It's sort of meh. Frankly, the stories feel forced and several of them have nothing to do with her sexcapades. I'm not usually the type to be offended, but this book got into that rarified category. Frankly, Chelsea comes off as a jerk and didn't find the self-deprecation sweet spot. I'm considering not checking out her other books or watching anything but the round table portion of her show after reading this book. Oh, and Chelsea oddly doesn't read her own book on the audio version, which is a strange choice.

This book, despite being relatively slim at 240 pages, took me several weeks to read because the first-hand or second-hand accounts were punches to the gut. I'm glad I got them. Chernobyl's reactor explosion was only months after the Challenger explosion in 1986. Somehow, my then 12-year old self was more affected by the Challenger explosion. Perhaps, some of that is to do with the Soviet cover-up and some was to do with what seemed like less coverage in the US. Or, I was off in some dreamland. While I didn't grow up in the era of duck and cover, as my parents did, the threat of nuclear war was real. “War Games” was out just a few years before, for crying out loud!

This is not a step-by-step explanation about exactly what caused the explosion and scientific steps about how it must be contained properly. Instead, it's about people. Real people. People who are a lot like you and me, but who can certainly drink a lot more vodka.

The author, Svetlana Alexievich, weaves together a chorus telling horrific tales about how a nuclear disaster has affected hundreds of thousands; the area surrounding Chernobyl is uninhabitable and will be for thousands of years. Half lives and the length of time this once-beautiful countryside will be dangerous are unimaginable by many residents, no matter how many privations they experienced in the past, as one interview subject explains. How can radiation be dangerous if you can't see it? There are gardens to tend and floors to sweep.

I did not feel a strong editorial hand in this history, certainly less than the great Studs Terkel; the author, who is also a journalist, went to great lengths to present different points of views from different members of the community. Each monologue has a unique voice, regardless of whether you hear from more than one wife of a liquidator. The interviewees were very open with the author, even when it was clear they wanted the after affects to reverse. I suspect that the translation is excellent and some credit for the book must go to Keith Gessen.

Certain monologues really stuck with me. The photographer, who is sent to show officials insuring the area to prove its safe (only after a road is freshly paved so they won't be contaminated by dust). Who notices that he can't smell anything and who wishes he had taken pictures of what really happened. The tales of wives of liquidators, some who died quickly, some who took years to die in agonizing pain. Precepts that having children was not for you! The patchwork shows you the impact on humans and how they were not served by a labyrinthine government.

“Voices from Chernobyl” should be studied in history class, not just because it represents true history, but because it's important to understand what can happen when mankind is callous with technology and the subsequent “cleanup” is mishandled.

In the 7th installment of M.L. Longworth's Verlaque and Bennet mystery series, we find our hero and heroine considering the purchase of a home while a new Aixois finds a less-than-welcoming situation in his new home.

This book weaves together two points of view: an interview between a young editor and Valere (new resident and famous author whose fictional early works I'd love to read) and Judge Verlaque and Marine Bonnet.

If I remember correctly, Ms. Longworth has not used this technique before and it's very effective in this novel; my favorite sections were from Valere's point of view and really captured the voice of an author caught up in weaving a suspenseful tale. The descriptions of the Bastide Blanche were very well done, as were depictions of the countryside. I certainly felt like I was in France, despite actually actually being in the flatlands of Illinois.

Verlaque and Bonnet were nearly after-thoughts in this go-round, although their culinary choices are always a joy to read and inspire me to do a little more cooking.

The plot started off well, but then got rather silly about 2/3 of the way through and had a ridiculous ending, whereas prior installments in the series were more consistent.

As a side note, the publisher has decided to use a different cover style than the first 6 books, which is s not disappointing as that is what first caught my eye!

Nice reference for a recent trip to New Mexico including Carlsbad, Roswell, Santa Fe, and Albequerque.

The writing in “All Quiet on the Western Front” is both beautiful and searing. This is certainly one of the best war, or antiwar, books I've ever read.

Longer review to come.

Review including recap of 12/16/17 Great Books book club discussion and PBS TV show.

Discussion Questions for “The Power of Myth” by Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers (written by another book club member):
1. Campbell defines myth in various ways in the book, including:
a. A way to experience life
b. A clue to the spiritual potential of human beings
c. The song of the imagination
d. The reconciliation of the conditions of life, that is, that life is about the killing of other organisms
e. The one grand story of humankind
f. Myth affirms that there is an invisible plane which supports the visible plane
g. Myth teaches us when to let go
h. A fairy tale is a child's myth
Do you agree with Campbell's various definitions of myth? Do you have a different definition of myth? Is there one definition that seems more apt than others?

2. Campbell claims that there are two different kinds of myths:
a. A portion that relates to nature and man's place in nature
b. A portion that is sociological, that is, how men fit into their society
Do you agree with Campbell that there are two types of myth? Are there other types of myths? Are there myths which do not fit into one of these two categories; if so, which ones?

3. The hero, according to Campbell is a:
a. Person who faces trial and tribulations as a result of bringing new possibilities into the field of interpreted experience
b. Lives in the field of time and must make decisions about good and evil
c. An artist who helps develop and communicate myths today (he cites James Joyce as an artist who develops modern myths)
d. Someone who has given his/her life to something that is bigger than his/her self
e. A person who embarks on a quest to find, discover, or begin something new
f. A person who sacrifices him/her self for the greater good
Do you agree with these various definitions of hero? Are there other kinds of heroes? Is the modern definition of a hero more akin to that of a celebrity, which Campbell derides?

4. Myth serves four functions according to Campbell:
a. Mystical
b. Cosmological
c. Sociological
d. Pedagogical
How do these four functions fit in with Campbell's various definitions of myth? Do myths have to have a purpose?

5. Campbell claims that myths and dreams originate in the unconscious; myth from the collective unconscious and dreams from the individual unconscious.
Why do myths have to derive from the unconscious? Does this imply that all men have certain unconscious beliefs which form the basis of mythology? How can all men share the same unconscious mythology?

6. Campbell claims that all religions have a resurrection and/or messiah myth, and that the resurrection myth depends on the type of culture that the myth is grounded-in.
a. In vegetative/matrilineal societies, the resurrection myth is grounded in the death and resurrection of plant life
b. In hunting culture, the resurrection myth is grounded in the sacred animal which gives up its life so that the “people: can thrive
Does Campbell's assertion that all religions have resurrection myths somehow diminish the claims of the Christian and Jewish religions which assert that Christ has risen in the case of the Christian faith and that there is a messiah who will come in the case of the Jewish faith?

7. Campbell believes that there is a different emphasis in Eastern versus Western religions.
a. Eastern religions emphasize the renewal of paradise on earth, that is, paradise can be achieved by inward-directed actions, and the Earth is inherently holy.
b. Western religions believe that man is fallen and therefore corrupt, along with the Earth. Paradise can only be achieved in the afterlife after purification.
c. He believes that religion should not be understood literally, but metaphorically
Why does Campbell say that religions should be understood metaphorically? What does he mean by this? How do the different perspectives of the Earth lead to a different understanding of the nature of sin, as well as the idea that the Earth has somehow become polluted by man's fall?

8. Campbell believes that all civilizations are founded on myth, and that in the West, mythology has lost its meaning, causing people to lose their way. He credits such things as gangs as a form of initiation that was formerly held by the rituals which were an important element of mythology. He says that people have become isolated from the world and that, as a result, they have a feeling of ennui.
Do you agree with Campbell that the loss of myth has created a sense of isolation and despair in society? How can the loss of mythology account for a loss of direction in the modern world? Why does Campbell believe that ritual is so important, and why does he think that ritual has lost its significance in the modern world?

9. Campbell's advice to his student is for each of them to follow his/her bliss. What does he mean by this? What happens if everyone follows his/her bliss' how does the world continue to function?

For whatever reason, the first time I opened up this first installment of the Auntie Poldi series, I couldn't get into it. I don't know if it was just me or if it took me a minute to get into the translators rhythm.

I am so glad I pick the book back up a few days later! The characters live and breathe and the author does a fantastic job of making you feel like you are in Sicily enjoying a drink or seven with Auntie Poldi.

The author, like Auntie Poldi, is German with Italian relatives. I read that he based Poldi's character in a real aunt, who may remind many people of Auntie Mame.

Whether you like the mystery or not, you'll probably get as much of a kick out of Auntie Poldi as I did.

“Education” is a memoir in the truest sense of the word; it is her version of her life so far, at times raw, at times uplifing, but at all times beautifully written.

This book came to my attention as the May 2018 pick for the Now Read This Book Club, a partnership between NPR and the New York Times (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/features/now-read-this/#educated). The page includes a long-form interview, a sample of Tara's singing, and a list of discussion questions. The Facebook page publishes discussion questions in whole and then individually, in which participants can interact and discuss the book. I was a little late to the party because I had to wait for several weeks for the holds to clear, but going back to the Facebook discussion and interview was helpful after reading the book mostly in two sittings.

At several points in the book, the author mentions that there are differing accounts of major events at which several family members were present. No one seems to have the same account of her brother Luke's severe leg burn. She also mentions that many of her journals use vague, shadowy language and later attributes writing this way to as a tactic to cope and avoid the truth about some of the troublesome things happening to and around her. In fact, many of her family members disagree entirely with her version of the truth. Her brother, Tyler, who at one point backed some of Tara's view of family events, has now taken down his blog (http://www.piecesofthepuzzlecalledtruth.org/).

Who hasn't experienced a faulty memory? Even if we are writing journals on a daily basis, are we really writing down everything?

Gene Westover reminds me of a family member in many ways. While not Mormon, this family member often drove without seatbelts, chainsmoked after multiple heart attacks, and often required others to follow his rough-and-tumble and unsafe practices when doing home improvement/destruction projects around the house. In recent years, he's forced his wife to stop wearing makeup (except for fancy occasions). It's always his way or the highway. And I see much of that in Gene Westover. We also see someone who may have bipolar disorder, or, at the very least, a persecution complex. Yet it was his wife who was always talking about the end times, although neither of them subscribed to survivalist behavior.

In a major turn, this same family member and his wife recently argued that I didn't know an older member of the family at all, whereas I was very close to her. At a point when someone you once looked up to and we're close to makes a claim that is the opposite of reality, you do question yourself. So, I understand Ms. Westover's cognitive dissonance that applying to her family with reason and a hope of stopping abuse might have some success. Ultimately, I think she makes the right decision; your life should not be valued less than others in the family simply because you are a female.

I also wonder if the Westover parents, particularly Gene, didn't feel some unstated guilt behind Shawn's behavior. Gene Westover is clearly an intelligent, if controlling and unstable, man. Did he know that the multiple TBIs Shawn experienced might have increased his violent tendencies? It's not clear to me when Shawn began bullying and being violent, although there are suggestions that Tara's older sister, Audrey, and older brother, Tyler, experienced abuse at Shawn's hands. Were those experiences before or after one of the serious brain injuries Shawn experienced? I'm not suggesting that Shawn's behavior should be excused, but it is helpful to know what might be causing some of his actions. I know three family members who have had serious brain injuries and there are different outcomes for each of them, although nothing like the behavior Shawn exhibits.

I highly recommend this book to everyone; if I were to distill the book simply into the gritty events, many folks would be attracted because it's hard to look away from a trainwreck (very few of us grow up not going to school avoiding injuries at the father's junkyard one minute and mixing herbs and oils for her mother another). However, there is much more to this book, much more to this Ms. Westover's account and writing style than I can do justice here.

Julia Fine is a talent to watch! Her lyricism and imagination alone are worth reading this feminist fairy tale. The first page sucked me right into the story and I read the entire book in one day. Ms. Fine weaves in old wives' tales with the stories of some of Maisie's female ancestors, all of whom disappears mysteriously. The backstories of each child or woman are excellent and I wouldn't have minded a little more expansion of each character.

Until Maisie embarks on a search for her father with two strangers, the book had me in its palms. While there is no question Maisie might make foolish decisions without her father's guidance, especially when a handsome and charming man appears on the scene, the book didn't capture a sense of wonder and surprise I would have expected from a 16-year old girl who has only interacted with a handful of people due to her magical and terrifying abilities. I also found it odd that Maisie so quickly abandoned her dog, Marlowe, the only creature she'd been able to touch and not kill, to go on a hunt for her father.

The final quarter of the book went downhill for me. The ending seemed to come too quickly and the ending was rather anticlimactic. I am curious where the surviving ancestors went once the alternate forest closed after Maisie absorbed her alter ego. Did they disappear? It isn't the lack of tied up plot points that bothered me-it's that I think more time could have been taken with the ending to arrive at the level of craft in the first half.

All in all, an interesting book!

Michelle McNamara's posthumously-published “I'll Be Gone in the Dark” has been on a hold list at the library for months. Argh, the wait! The excellent introduction by Gillian Flynn of “Gone Girl” fame ratcheted up my anticipation of a roller coaster ride.

Here we have a woman a few years older than me from the Chicago area who ended up in California, whereas I'm from California and live outside Chicago. Tenuous, but a connection that drew me in even more.

And the first few chapters delivered. Ms. McNamara did an excellent job deceiving her interest in solving crimes at a young age and how she became enmeshed in unraveling the identity of the East Area Rapist, Visalia Ransacker, and Original Night Stalker, later dubbed the much-snappier Golden State Killer by the author.

There are many moments the author's attention to detail combined with the ability to describe people and events that brings you right into the houses of the taped and murdered Californians. Yet, what brought the book's quality down was the uneven pacing and major holes and reporting of certain portions that likely would have been evened out had Ms. McNamara not died unexpectedly while working on this book. I applaud her husband, Patton Oswalt, for bringing his wife's partially-finished work to the reading public. Had the author had a chance to complete the book, it certainly would have been a 4- or 5- star book.

What is most satisfying is that the target may have been found through DNA research and the author's investigative work, along with other co-investigators like Paul Haynes, who helped to fill in a few sections. While the authorities may not be able to prosecute the suspect for around 100 burglaries and 45 rapes, they may be able to punish him for 13 murders. If DeAngelo is ultimately proven to have committed all of the crimes, will we find out why he started the Visalia ransacking shortly after he was married in 1973 and will we find out what made him stop in 1986? Or, did he take on a different approach? Perhaps, we won't get the answer to those questions, but Ms. McNamara would be pleased that she played a role in bringing him in.

Mehhhh. Mehhhh and 3 stars, you ask? Well, it's really more of a 2.6 stars book. And, as a good little accountant, round up I must.

“A Woman in the Window” is totally fine as far as popcorn mystery/thriller goes. Sure, this is the umpteenth girl/woman/drunken-pill-popping-agoraphobic-friendless-unreliable-narrator-rear-window-based hot-fiction book in the last few years. Sure, some of the plot points and the ultimate reveal are kinda ham-fisted and/or totally silly.

BUT. I read this book in a few hours and barely put it down because the pacing is extremely well-done. The book wasn't so silly that I threw it across the room (and never would with a library book!!). The writing style was totally fine for popcorn mystery/thriller. It's also great after reading 3 Cormac McCarthy novels in a row. In case that should happen to you and you're in need of a follow-up.

Isabel Allende is a talented writer, but this new book is disappointing.

Multiple narrators can make a story more interesting by presenting multiple viewpoints and insight into character motivations, but the multiple narrators in “In the Midst of Winter” simply created a disjointed story line. Three different voice actors are used on the audiobook, which also doesn't help (and is often a really nice way to present the audio version).

Also, I never found myself connecting with the characters. It is not because I have a different background, but because the book is rather ham-fisted. The dramatic backgrounds of the main characters should have been compelling, but it seemed as though the characters were made to carry historical context without really “living” it (and fictional characters can live!).

Is “Radio Free Vermont” a fable? I'll say no. It was far too referential to very specific events right now and won't age well. A true fable would like be quite relevant in a few years.

The chase scenes were downright silly, which may have been intentional. Overall, while it was easy to finish the book, I didn't find it all that enjoyable, despite being a bleeding heart liberal that this book is likely aimed towards.

John Hodgman hosts one of my favorite podcasts, “Judge John Hodgman,” in which he adjudicates nerd fights with great hilarity. I also enjoyed the false-fact-purveying John Hodgman of his three earlier books, as well as the deranged millionaire John Hodgman on “The Daily Show.”

And now comes a set of humorous essays from a middle-aged John Hodgman. At each stage in his career, I've felt a kinship to Mr. Hodgman, who is only slightly older, but glories in nerddom with fake superiority in a more creative way than I do/have. Like Mr. Hodgman, I enter pensive periods, reflecting on the sheer ridiculousness or luck or sadness that has lighted upon me.

As we age, vacations become a precious commodity and offer more opportunities to reflect, especially as our parents age or pass away and our children grow up. There are poignant moments encased in Hodgman's hilarious style. Whether imagining the horrors of Dump Jail or neighboring vampires or presenting the realization that you're no longer young and semi-hip, Hodgman delights.

From time to time, Hodgman drifts off of his story and doesn't quite take you where he likely intended to take you (it at least where it seemed like he was heading), and that brought the book down a little. However, this is a very different style from his previous writings, so I expect he'll improve on his next foray into memoirland.

I wasn't able to complete “Friends Divided,” which I checked out as an audiobook through Libby as a supplant to last month's Great Books pick, “John Adams” by David McCullough.

There were some interesting anecdotes in the 1/2 I listened to, but I found much of the content partially covered in McCullough's book. At some point, it would be fun to read this book as a stand-alone.

As many of Tana French's characters say, Jaysus! That was a helluva ride that crackled from start to
finish. There was never a point in which the pacing was off or I found myself wondering how there were still another 200 pages to go.

The characters were stellar and real-life; it was interesting to be in DI Antoinette Conway's head, even when she had run unto obstacles or approached things in a way not everyone does. It's been awhile since I read #5 in the series, in which DI Conway's partner, Stephen Moran, is the driver. It would be interesting to go back and hear his POV now that we've heard hers.

As always, Tana French has an amazing here for dialogue and sneaks in poetic flights when you least expect it. She really is a gifted writer and seems to be improving her game as she goes along. I've now read all of the Dublin Murder Squad books, as well as the standalones and am itching for another book from her.

“The Wild Robot Escapes” continues the story of Roz, but this time she has been retooled and sent to work on a farm. Luckily, her ability to understand animal language, learned on her island home, remains despite significant repairs between “The Wild Robot” and the sequel.

Peter Brown continues delighting us with his wonderful illustrations and charming characters. Here again is an appreciation of observing the world around you and understanding how you can best interact with it through the eyes of Roz. There's also some great vocabulary in this book, so it's great to read to young children or for middle grades.

The. Worst. I swear I'm going to avoid Man-Booker Prize selections, then I get tricked into checking one out, then I wish to chuck it across the room (or good Heavens, into the yard into wet grass!), but can't because it's from the library.

This is self-indulgent garbage. Another reviewer pointed out that the first sentence of each chapter is similar to represent the sameness of small-town life and each chapter contains 12 paragraphs, one for each month if the year.

DON'T CARE. Boring. Sad, poor writing. Forcing dialogue into the midst of multi-page workouts is nonsense. And this is after reading 3 Cormac McCarthy books in a row (and two, far superior Kent Haruf novels), so I'm not bothered by unusual dialogue and structures.

Barf! Is Kate Morton 12? Because the entire book is a poorly conceived story about several generations of brainless, but beautiful (because that's more important), women. Characters have names like “The Authoress” or “the little girl” or “Swindle” or Cassandra. Speaking of, Cassandra has to be one of the most dim-witted characters around. How she didn't crack the “secret” of her Ancestress a lot earlier makes one numb by the time the huge “twist” is revealed.

There are red-headed orphans! Sadly, they aren't of remote interest like good old Anne of Green Gables. And twins! And the mention of things being twinned!

Wretched similes abound, such as the comparison of winding garden paths to the laces of an Irish dancer's shoe. Seriously? And the “allegorical” fairy tales beat one over the head until one wishes it would just end already. The pace just drags, drags, drags.

The only reason I got through the entire thing is because I have a long commute. The audiobook is decent, from a production perspective and from the narrator's perspective, but the content is drivel. If you really like this, go check out “Her Fearful Symmetry” by Audrey Niffenegger, which is awful in some similar ways.