Books Read 1/1/2020-7/31/2020

*****The Family,  by Ishmael Beah, 2020, West African Literature of Sierra Leone

*****Bluebeard's First Wife, by Seong-nan Ha, 2020, South Korean Literature 

****Four by Four, by Sara Mesa, 2020 Spanish Literature 

***Dear Edward, by Ann Napolitano, 2020, American Fiction 

****My Dark Vanessa , by Kate Elizabeth Russell, 2020, American Literature 

***The Triumph of the Spider Monkey, by Joyce Carol Oates, 1976, American Literature 

*****Plexus,  The Rosy Crucifixion, II, by Henry Miller, 1953, American Literature 

***The Book of Longings, by Sue Monk Kidd, 2019, American Fiction 

****Frankissstein,  A Love Story, by Jeannette Winterson , 2019, English Literature 

*****The Endless Summer,  by Madame Nielson,  2014, Danish Literature 

*****The Jump Artist , by Austin Ratner, 2009, American Literature 

****Radiance of Tomorrow , by Ishmael  Beah, 2007, West African Literature of Sierra Leone 

****The Front Seat Passenger, by Pascal Garnier , 1997, French Literature 

*****Waiting for Eden, by Elliot Ackerman, 2018, American Literature 

***The Oysterville Sewing Circle, by Susan Wiggs, 2019,  American Fiction 

****Empire of the Wild, by Cherie Dimaline, 2020, Indigenous Canadian Literature

****American Dirt, by Jeanine Cummins, 2020, American Literature

****Redhead by the Side of the Road,  by Anne Tyler, 2020, American Literature

*****The Golden Lotus, Volume I, by Lanling Xiaoxiao Cheng, 1596, Chinese Literature

*****A Long Way Off, by Pascal Garnier, 2010, French Literature

*****Apeirogon, by Colum McCann, 2020, Irish Literature

****Sexus, The Rosy Crucifixion I,  by Henry Miller, 1949, American Literature

*****What Belongs to You, by Garth Greenwell,  2016,  American Literature

*****Break Shot, My first 21 Years,  by James Taylor, 2019, American Autobiography

*****Ragged Company, by Richard Wagamese,  2008,
Canadian Literature

*****Kitchen, by Banana Yoshimoto, 1993, Japanese Literature 

*****The House of the Sleeping Beauties and Other Stories, by Yasunari Kawabata, 1961, Japanese Literature

****Everybody's Fool, By Richard Russo, 2016, American Literature 

****A Woman Is No Man, by Etaf Rum, 2019, American Literature

*****Virgil  Wander by Leif Enger,  2018, American Literature 

***Chances Are, by Richard Russo, 2019, American Literature

*****The Golden Lotus, Vol I, by Lanling Xiaoxiao Cheng

There is a Ravel like rhythm and repetition that pervades this 16th-17th century Chinese novel. Eat lasciviously, have adulterated sex with any and everyone, use one’s corrupted wealth for bribery, intimidation and violence, now repeat. At times it feels like a little too much of the same thing. Yet, to fully understand and appreciate this novel it has to be read in context. The author is making a statement about society during his lifetime (cloaked as 12th-century China). He depicts a wealthy man who is lazy and foul and wastes his inheritance on excessive food, alcohol and women. He lives in a veritable house of cards. One sees chinks in his life-structure immediately. He manages to superficially and repeatedly mend these chinks through successful bribes and corruption, which only serve to further embolden him. He will stop at nothing to protect his life style, including violence. This story has a dramatic telling. It is a saga whose purpose is to depict corrupt individuals, especially those in government and other places of power. It does that and more. It illustrates how history truly does repeat itself while providing a glimpse of the social customs of the time. I am intrigued and look forward to reading the next installment of this early satiric social commentary.