tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89312510496701013622024-03-13T13:24:50.400-07:00Bibliophile BethBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-85973433728414261102021-11-22T13:11:00.000-08:002021-11-22T13:11:00.445-08:00****Look at Us, by T.L. Toma<p> <b><i><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Look at Us</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">is about
a couple who are well-educated, have good jobs, and live in NYC with their two
children and au pair. The parents live life on the surface and lack depth. They
are in a crisis, albeit a quiet, unassuming one that goes unrecognized by
friends and colleagues. Toma uses his
characters to illustrate the darkly held secrets hidden behind closed doors. From
racial and culturally charged thoughts to predatory sexual behavior, Toma brings
to light a chilling reality that is unsettling.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This book is not for the light-hearted. While it is not filled
with physical violence, there is an underlying sense of psychological violence
that keeps the reader engaged and horrified by the actions of its protagonists.
The protagonists’ lives are experienced from a distance by both their peers and
the reader, which creates a palpable tension. Toma’s writing style is fluid and,
despite the subject matter, often beautiful. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<!--EndFragment-->Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-14772099696457534752021-10-03T13:44:00.001-07:002021-10-03T13:57:13.228-07:00<p><b>Curl </b><i>by T.O. Bobe</i></p><!--StartFragment-->
<p class="MsoNormal"><!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A brilliant novel, Curl evokes universal feelings of love and loneliness
through the world of Mr. Gica, the greatest and fastest barber in the world. A
quick and thought-provoking novella filled with prose, poetry and humor through
the author’s imaginative storytelling.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<!--EndFragment-->Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-3613300009258066052021-07-26T15:52:00.001-07:002021-07-26T15:52:12.355-07:00****The Widow by Georges Simenon<p> </p><!--StartFragment-->
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This was my first novel, of memory, from Georges Simenon’s
vast collection. It did not disappoint. Think of Zola’s, <i>Therese Raquin,</i>
or Camus’, <i>The Stranger</i>, and you will find apt comparisons. </span></span><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Simenon’s narrative is tense. It builds gradually
and feels like it will fracture at any moment but does not until the last
pages. His technique is concise. He uses words sparingly, but eloquently and
the reader is effectively mesmerized. I truly enjoyed, <i>The</i> <i>Widow</i>
and look forward to exploring many more novels by this prolific writer. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<!--EndFragment-->Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-82946993498785914602021-07-18T10:46:00.002-07:002021-07-18T10:46:42.931-07:00****Eleven Sooty Dreams by Manuela Draeger <p> </p><!--StartFragment-->
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I am not a fan of dystopian novels (the author defines his
work as post - exotic literature, which I'm not disputing; I am merely
indicating how my brain processed this novel). Despite all the horrific novels
I've read, this genre makes me feel an indefinable interior darkness that is
difficult to comprehend. Nonetheless, I am intrigued by Draeger's (pseudonym for
Antoine Volodine) novel. It is interspersed with beautiful prose, creative
folktales, horrific scenes and, dare I say, some very dark humor. His command
of the written word is exquisitely complex and tormented. Volodine states that
the meaning of post - exotic literature is found, “<i>not in the book’s pages
but in the dreams people will have after reading it”</i>. I have little doubt Volodine
will infiltrate my dreams for days to come.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The novel's hunting idée fixe: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">"You are burning. I go to you. In this moment, we
are with you. We are all moving toward you. We are exchanging our last breath.
Your memory trickles from your eyes. My memories are yours."</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<!--EndFragment-->Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-21152865443333718312021-07-11T10:31:00.005-07:002021-07-11T10:34:44.863-07:00****Ere the Cock Crows by Jens Bjørneboe<p>LibraryThing.com Early Review Norwegian Literature</p><p><!--StartFragment-->
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Three childhood friends. One
is a doctor performing “medical” experiments in a Nazi prison camp, the second
is the commandant of the camp and the third is a Jewish prisoner in the camp. The
prisoner has been fattened up, literally, and the time to begin “medical” experiments
on him has arrived. What will the men do? “Ere the cock crows.” (Reference: Jesus
says to Paul, “Before the cock crows you will deny me three times.”) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A shocking and melancholy narrative unravels
as we meet those involved directly and indirectly. Bjørnbee focuses on the
issue of morality, how each character<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>handles
his conscience, or lack thereof, during this very complex and abhorrent time in
history. A powerful novel by a talented author.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">A side note regarding this
publication. This book needs a good edit. There are numerous misspelled words and
words that are missing or do not belong whatsoever. It is truly distracting and
unfortunate.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<!--EndFragment--><br /><p></p>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-63305928298354285582021-07-09T16:16:00.000-07:002021-07-09T16:16:04.292-07:00****Seven by Farzana Doctor<p> LibraryThing Early Review</p><p><!--StartFragment-->
</p><p class="m4315350035907905047msonospacing" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">A well written
novel that covers contemporary Khatna (female genital cutting) among the Indian
Bohras. The author handles her subject matter with sensitivity while
developing a story with depth and an understanding of the complex issues related
to this archaic practice.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<!--EndFragment--><br /><p></p>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-83559436818738766102021-07-09T14:51:00.002-07:002021-07-09T14:51:58.363-07:00*****Love Like Water, Love Like Fire by Mikhail Iossel<p> LibraryThing Early Review</p><p><!--StartFragment-->
</p><p align="center" class="m4256672569764049423msonospacing" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Memory either confirms or refutes the very fact of our own
existence.</span></i><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="m4256672569764049423msonospacing" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="m4256672569764049423msonospacing" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Iossel
portrays an often absurd and haunting life under Stalin’s rule. Having grown up
as a Russian Jew in the Soviet Union, he pulls from his own life experience in
this fictionalized autobiography. Ioseel uses the short story form to offer
glimpses into various aspects of his life, but altogether it works as a novel.</span><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="m4256672569764049423msonospacing" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="m4256672569764049423msonospacing" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14pt;">I grew up
during the United States<i> Duck and Cover</i> program when we
greatly feared the Soviets. I had to laugh as an author of similar age was
taught to fear and look down on what he believed would become Soviet America.
Iossel seems to do this purposefully as a form of laugh-out-loud irony. Similarly,
he illustrates the absurdities and fear of being a Soviet Jew. He does so
magnificently with irony and sadness.</span><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="m4256672569764049423msonospacing" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="m4256672569764049423msonospacing" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Iossel’s
perspective is unique, somewhat funny and horrifying. If you liked
Pamuk’s <i>Museum of Innocence </i>and the tension in Ravel’s <i>Bolero </i>(referring
to Iossel’s short story, <i>Moscow Windows</i>), you will enjoy this
novel as it is superbly written.</span><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<!--EndFragment--><br /><p></p>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-49328837932253983342021-07-07T14:36:00.534-07:002021-12-31T08:21:35.692-08:002021 Books Read 01/01/2021-12/31/2021<p><b>*****The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World, </b><i>by Laura Messina</i><i style="font-weight: bold;">, </i>2020, Italian Literature </p><p><b>*****In the Shawdow of Young Girls in Flower, by Marcel Proust, 1920, French Literature</b></p><p><b>****The Sentence, </b><i>by Louise Erdich, </i>2021, American Indian Literature </p><p><b>*****Mrs. Palfrey at the </b><b>Claremont,</b> <i>by Elizabeth Taylor</i>, 1971, British Literature</p><p><b>****The Lincoln Highway, </b><i>by Amor Towles</i>, 2021, American Literature </p><p><b>***The Impudent Ones</b>, <i>by Marguerite Duras, </i>1943, French Literature </p><p><b>****This Tender Land, </b><i>by William Kent Krueger, </i>2019, American Literature </p><p><b>*****To Be a Man,</b><i><b> </b>by Nicole Krauss,</i> 2021 American Literature<b style="font-style: italic;"> </b></p><p><b>***Things We Lost to the Water, </b><i>by Eric Nguyen</i>, 2021, American Literature </p><p><b>****Look at Us,</b><i> by T.L. Toma, </i>2021, American Literature </p><p><b>****The Days of Abandonment, </b><i>by</i> <i>Elena Ferrante</i>, 2005, Italian Literature</p><p><b>*****The Makioka Sisters, </b><i>by Junichiro Tanizaki</i>, 1957, Japanese Literature </p><p><b>***Bewilderment</b>, <i>by Richard Powers</i>, 2021 American Literature </p><p><b>****This Mournable Body, </b><i>by Tsitsi Dangarembga</i>, 2018, ZimbabweanLiterature</p><p><b>****Department of Speculation, </b> <i>by Jenny Offill</i>, 2014, American Literature </p><p><b>*****Curl, </b><i>by T.O. Bobe</i>, 2019, Romanian Literature </p><p><b>***Madonna in a Fur Coat, </b><i>by Sabahattin Ali, </i>1943, Turkish Literature<i> </i></p><p><b>*****Sugar Street, </b><i>by Naguib Mahfouz, </i>1957, Arabic Literature </p><p><b>****Intimacies, </b><i>by Katie Kitamura, </i>2021, American Literature<i> </i></p><p><b>*****The Great Believers,</b><i> by Rebecca Makkai,</i> 2018, American Literature</p><p><b>*****Palace of Desire, </b><i>by Naguib Mahfouz, </i>1957, Arabic<b> </b>Literature</p><p><b>****Brooklyn</b>, <i>by Colm Toíbín</i>, 2009, Irish Literature </p><p><b>*****The Death of Vivek Oji</b>, <i>by Akwaeke Emeze</i>, 2020, Nigerian Literature </p><p><b>****The Arrangements</b><i> by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, </i> 2016, Nigerian Literature </p><p><b>**** The House on Mango</b> <b>Street</b>, <i>by</i> <i>Sandra Cisneros</i>, 1984, Mexican - American literature</p><p><b>****The Four Winds, </b><i>by Kristin Hannah</i><i>, </i>2021, American Fiction</p><p><b>***Diary of a Rapist, </b> <i>by Evan S. Connell</i>, 1966, American Literature </p><p><b>*****The Engagement, </b><i>by Georges Simenon, </i>1933, French Literature<i> </i></p><p><b>*****Notes on Grief</b>, <i>by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie</i>, 2021, Nigerian Literature</p><p><b>*****Palace Walk, </b><i>by Naguib Mahfouz, </i>1956, Arabic Literature </p><p><b>****Whereabouts</b>, <i>by Jhumpa Lahari,</i> 2021, American Literature</p><p><b>****Small Country: A Novel, </b><i>by Gaël Faye, </i>2016, French-Rwandan Literature </p><p><b>*****Some New Ambush</b>, <i>by Cary Davies</i>, 2007, Welsh Literature </p><p><b>****Great Grandma Webster, </b><i>by Caroline Blackwood</i>, 1977, Anglo-Irish Literature </p><p><b>*****The Invention of Morel, </b><span face="sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;"><i>by Adolfo Bioy Cesares</i>, 1940, Argentinian Literature</span></p><p><b>***In Watermelon Sugar, </b><i>by Richard Brautigan, </i>1968, American Literature </p><p><b>****Artemisia, </b><i>by Alexandra Lapierre</i><b>, </b>1998, French Literature</p><p><b>*****Girl, Woman, Other, </b><i>by</i> <i>Bernardino Evaristo</i><b>, </b>2019, British Literature</p><p>*****<b>Variations on the body, </b><i>by Maria Ospina, </i>2021, Columbian Literature </p><p><b>***Heaven, A Novel, </b><i>by Mieko Kawakami, </i>2⁰9, Japanese Literature<i> </i></p><p><b>*****Like a Sword Wound, Ottomon Quartet, Book 1,</b><i> by Ahmet Altan,</i> 1997, Turkish Literature</p><p><b>****The Widow,</b><i> by Georges Simenon</i>, 1942, Belgian Literature</p><p><b>**Miao Dao, </b><i>by Joyce Carol Oates, </i>2018, American Fiction </p><p><b>****Of Women and Salt, </b><i>by Gabriela Garcia, </i>2021, American Literature </p><p><b>****The Night Watchman, </b><i>by Louise Erdich, </i>2020, American Indian Literature </p><p><b>****Offshore, </b><i>by Penelope Fitzgerald, </i>1979, British Literature </p><p><b>****Eleven Sooty Dreams, </b><i>by Manuela Draeger, </i>2019, French Literature<i> </i></p><p><b>****Three Women, </b><i>by Lisa Taddeo, </i>2019, American Biography </p><p><b>*****Narcisse on a Tightrope, </b><i>by</i><b> </b><i>Olivier</i><b> </b><i>Targowla</i><b>, </b>1989, French Literature</p><p><b>****Ere the Cock Crows, </b><i>by Jens Bjørneboe, </i>1952, Norwegian Literature<i> </i></p><p><b>****Seven, </b><i>by</i><b> </b><i>Farzana Doctor</i><b>, </b>2020<b>, </b>Canadian<b> </b>Fiction</p><p><b>*****Love Like Water, Love Like Fire</b><i>, by Mikhail Iossel</i>, 2021, Russian Literature </p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****The Sonderberg Case,</b> <i>by Elie Wiesel,</i> 2008, Romanian-American Literature</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>*****A Dance to the Music of Time: 3rd Movement, </b><i>by Anthony Powell</i><b>, </b>1960's, British Literature </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>***The Silent Patient, </b><i>by Alex Michaelides</i>, 2019, American Mystery </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">***<b>The Consequences of Love</b>, <i>by Sulaiman S.M.Y. Addonia,</i> 2008, African Literature </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>***I Remember You, </b><i>by Yrsa Sigurdardottir,</i> 2012, Icelandic Fiction</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****The Perfect Nanny</b><i>, by Leela Shimano, </i>2016, French Literature </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>*****Garden by the Sea</b><i>, by Mercè Rodorea, </i>1967, Catalanian Literature </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">****<b>A Burning,</b> <i>by Megha Majumdar</i>, 2020, Indian Literature </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>***Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall, </b><i>by Ishiguro Kazuo,</i> 2009, British Literature </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****Dinner at the Center of the Earth,</b> <i>by Nathan Englander,</i> 2017, Jewish American Literature </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>*****Such Small Hands</b><i>, by Andres Barbs,</i> 2017, Spanish Literature<i> </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****Hunger, A Novella and Stories</b>, <i>by, Lan </i></span><i style="font-family: georgia;">Samantha</i><i style="font-family: georgia;"> Chang, </i><span style="font-family: georgia;"> 2000, Chinese-American Literature</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>***Libertie,</b> <i>by Kaitlyn Greenidge,</i> 2020, American Fiction</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">*<b>***Lie With Me</b>, <i>by Philippe Besson</i>, 2017, French Literature</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****Autumn, </b><i> by Karl Ove Knausgård,</i> 2015, Norwegian Literature </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>*****Die, My Love</b>, <i>by Arianna Harwicz</i>, 2017, Argentinean Literature </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****Codex 1962: A Trilogy, </b><i>by Sjón,</i> 2018, Icelandic Literature</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****Burnt Sugar,</b> <i>by Avni Doshi,</i> 2021 Indian American Literature </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****Straight From the Horses Mouth</b>, <i>by Maryse Alaoui</i>, 2020, Moroccan Literature </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****Infinite Country</b><i>, by Patricia Engel, </i>2021, American-Columbian Literature </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>*****Wild Swans, Three Daughters of China, </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">by Jung Chang, </i>1991, Chinese Memoir </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>***Creatures of Passage,</b><i> by Morowa Yejide,</i> 2021, American Literature</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">****<b>Deacon King Kong, </b> <i>by James McBride<b>, </b>2020, American Literature </i></span></p><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>*****The Agony and the Ecstasy, A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo</b>, <i>by Irving Stone</i>, 1961, Biography</span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****Tokyo Ueno Station</b>, <i>by Miri Yú</i>, 2020, Japanese Literature</span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>*****Pew</b>, <i>by Catherine Lacey</i>, 2020, American Literature</span></font></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-34986322279343641682020-12-31T12:46:00.003-08:002020-12-31T12:46:37.491-08:00Books Read 8/1/2020-12/31/2020<div><b style="font-family: georgia;">****Breasts and Eggs</b><span style="font-family: georgia;">, </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">by Mieko Kawakami</i><span style="font-family: georgia;">, 2020 Japanese Literature </span></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****Follow Me to Ground, </b><i>by Sue Rainsford, </i>2020, Irish</span></font><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Literature </span></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>*****Flowers of Mold,</b> <i>by Seong-na Ha,</i> 2019, Korean Literature </span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>***Better Luck Next Time</b>, <i>by Julia Claiborne Johnson</i>, 2021, American Fiction </span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****Hamlet,</b><i> by Maggie O'Farrell, </i>2020, Irish-British Literature </span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>*****Rag: Stories, </b><i>by Maryse Meijer, </i>2019, American Literature<i> </i></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>***The Exiles</b><i>, by Kristina Baker Kline,</i> 2020, American Fiction</span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></font></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****Lust for Life,</b><i><b> by </b>Irving<b> </b>Stone<b>, </b></i>1934, Biography</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>*****Young Adam,</b><i> by Alexander Trocchi,</i> 1954 Scottish Literature </span></div><div><br /></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>**Mexican Gothic, </b><i>by Silvia Moreno-Garcia</i>, 2020, Mexican Canadian Fiction</span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****Shuggie Bain</b>, <i>by Douglas Stuart,</i> Scottish Literature, 2020</span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****The North Water</b>, <i>by Ian McGuire</i>, 2016, English Literature </span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****Strange Weather in Tokyo: A Novel,</b> <i>by Hiromi Kawakami</i>, 2012, Japanese Literature</span></span></font></div><div><br /></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">****<b>Bless Me, Ultimate</b>, by <i>Rudolfo Anaya</i>, 1972, Chicano Literature</span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>*****Nervous Conditions</b>, <i>by Tsitsi Dangarembga</i>, 1988, Zimbabwean Literature</span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>*****The Lying Life of Adults</b>, <i>by Elena Ferrante</i>, 2020, Italian Literature </span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****Convenience Store Woman, </b><i>by Sayaka Murata, </i>2016<i>, </i>Japanese Literature </span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>***Bass Rock</b>, <i>by Evie Wyld</i>, 2020, English Fiction</span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">****<b>Eileen</b>, <i>by Ottessa Moshfegh</i>, 2015, American Literature</span></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****Fruit Rot</b>, <i>by James R. Gapinski</i>, 2020, American Literature </span></font></div><div><font><b style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></b></font></div><div><font><b style="font-family: georgia;">*****Death in Her Hands, </b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>by Ottessa Moshfegh,</i> 2020, American Literature </span></font></div><div><font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></font></div><div><font><b style="font-family: georgia;">***The Giver of Stars,</b><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i> by Jojo Moyes,</i> 2019, Historical Fiction </span></font></div><div><font><b style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></b></font></div><div><font><b style="font-family: georgia;">***The Book of Rosy</b><span style="font-family: georgia;">, <b>A Mother's Story of Separation at the Border, </b><i>by Rosayra Pablo Cruz,</i> 2020, Guatemalan Memoir </span></font></div><div><br /></div><div><font><b style="font-family: georgia;">****Actress: A Novel, </b><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, Trebuchet, Arial, sans serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">by</span></span><b style="font-family: georgia;"> </b></i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Anne Enright</i>, 2020, Irish Literature</span><b style="font-family: georgia;"> </b></font></div><div><font face="georgia"><b><br /></b></font></div><div><font face="georgia"><b>***Kintu, </b><i>by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi</i><b>, </b>2014, Ugandan<b> </b>Literature<b> </b></font></div><div><font face="georgia"><b><br /></b></font></div><div><font face="georgia"><b>****The Theory of Flight, </b><i>by </i></font><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Siphiwe Ndlovu, 2019</i>, African Literature </span></div><div><font face="georgia"><b><br /></b></font></div><div><font face="georgia"><b>*****The Vagrants,</b> <i>by Yiyun Li,</i> 2009, Chinese Literature </font></div><font face="georgia"><b><div><font face="georgia"><b><br /></b></font></div>****His Only Wife, </b><i>by </i></font><i style="font-family: georgia;">Peace Adzo Medie,</i><span style="font-family: georgia;"> 2020, African Literature </span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>****Necessary Lies</b>, <i>by Diane Chamberlain, </i>2013, American Fiction</span></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-83975989951982803872020-08-22T08:00:00.002-07:002020-08-22T08:00:40.534-07:00****The Theory of Flight by Siphiwe Ndlovu<p> LibraryThing.com Early Review </p><p><br /></p><p>Ndlovu combines her skills as a Zimbabwean filmmaker and writer to tell a generational story depicting extreme loss and love. She incorporates her childhood experiences, general history and the HIV epidemic to illustrate how seemingly disparate events are interrelated. Ndlovu reveals how our choices determine not only the course of our own personal history, but the histories of those around us and beyond – the domino effect. This is a complex and unique work of literature filled with engaging characters, depth and creative use of visual language. I suspect we will see much more from this talented artist.</p><p><br /></p>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-45170399247986613532020-08-12T09:29:00.000-07:002020-08-12T09:29:11.302-07:00****His Only Wife by Peace Adzo MedieLibraryThing.com Early Review<div><br /></div><div>Medie adeptly portrays Ghana’s contemporary patriarchal polygamous culture in her debut novel, <i>His Only Wife</i>. In this slowly changing rigid society, she illustrates the difficulties women face as they choose between traditional expectations and personal ambitions. Medie's writing style is subtle yet effective. Her characters are rich and engaging. I enjoyed this novel and look forward to future work by this talented author.</div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-67451998789016501482020-06-01T15:20:00.003-07:002020-06-01T15:23:43.174-07:00****Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16pt;">LibraryThing.com Early Review</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16pt;">Indigenous Canadian Literature</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 16pt;">A
social commentary on the exploitation and oppression of indigenous people through
religion. Developers use the work of Christian Missionaries to purposefully attract
and distract aborigines in order to buy up their land for industrial and
domestic expansion. The author adopts the legends from her native Metis culture
to tell this contemporary story of colonial racism. A captivating, insightful
read.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<br />Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-39829568878602371172020-05-27T12:56:00.064-07:002020-08-04T02:28:58.189-07:00Books Read 1/1/2020-7/31/2020<div><b>*****The Family, </b><i>by Ishmael Beah</i><b>, </b>2020, West African Literature of Sierra Leone</div><div><br /></div><div><b>*****Bluebeard's First Wife</b>, <i>by Seong-nan Ha</i>, 2020, South Korean Literature </div><div><div><br /></div><div><b>****Four by Four</b>, <i>by Sara Mesa</i>, 2020 Spanish Literature <br /><div><br /></div><div>***<b>Dear Edward,</b> <i>by Ann Napolitano, </i>2020, American Fiction <br /><div><br /></div><div><b>****My Dark Vanessa </b><i>, by Kate Elizabeth Russell</i>, 2020, American Literature <br /><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>***<span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;">The Triumph of the Spider Monkey, </span></b><i style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><span class="by smallText" style="box-sizing: border-box;">by</span> </i><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: georgia;"><span itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: #00635d; text-decoration-line: none;"><a class="authorName" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3524.Joyce_Carol_Oates" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: #00635d; text-decoration-line: none;"><i>Joyce Carol Oates</i></a>, 1976, American Literature </span></span></span><div><div><br /></div><div><b>*****Plexus, The Rosy Crucifixion, II, </b><i>by Henry Miller</i>, 1953, American Literature </div><div><br /></div><div><b>***The Book of Longings,</b><i> by Sue Monk Kidd</i>, 2019, American Fiction </div><div><br /></div><div><b>****Frankissstein, A Love Story, </b><i>by Jeannette Winterson </i>, 2019, English Literature <br /><div><br /></div><div><b>*****The Endless Summer</b>, <i>by Madame Nielson</i>, 2014, Danish Literature <br /><div><br /></div><div><b>*****The Jump Artist </b><i>, by Austin Ratner</i>, 2009, American Literature </div><div><br /></div><div><b>****Radiance of Tomorrow </b>, <i>by Ishmael Beah,</i> 2007, West African Literature of Sierra Leone <br /><div><br /><div><b>****The Front Seat Passenger, </b><i>by Pascal Garnier </i>, 1997, French Literature <br /><div><br /></div><div><b>*****Waiting for Eden</b>, <i>by Elliot Ackerman</i>, 2018, American Literature <br /><div><br /></div><div><b>***The Oysterville Sewing Circle</b>, by <i>Susan Wiggs</i>, 2019, American Fiction <br />
<br />
<b>****Empire of the Wild</b>, <i>by Cherie Dimaline,</i> 2020, Indigenous Canadian Literature<br />
<br />
****<b>American Dirt</b>, <i>by Jeanine Cummins,</i> 2020, American Literature<br />
<br />
<b>****Redhead by the Side of the Road</b>, <i>by</i> <i>Anne Tyler</i>, 2020, American Literature<br />
<br />
<b>*****The Golden Lotus, Volume I,</b> <i>by Lanling Xiaoxiao Cheng, </i>1596, Chinese Literature<br />
<br />
<b>*****A Long Way Off,</b><i><b> </b>by Pascal Garnier,</i> 2010, French Literature<br />
<br />
<b>*****Apeirogon</b>, <i>by Colum McCann</i>, 2020, Irish Literature<br />
<br />
<b>****Sexus, The Rosy Crucifixion I, </b><i>by Henry Miller, </i>1949<i>, </i>American Literature<br />
<br />
<b>*****What Belongs to You, </b><i>by Garth Greenwell, </i> 2016, American Literature<br />
<br />
<b>*****Break Shot, My first 21 Years, </b><i> by James Taylor,</i> 2019, American Autobiography<br />
<br />
<b>*****Ragged Company, </b><i>by Richard Wagamese, </i>2008,<br />
Canadian Literature<br />
<br />
<b>*****Kitchen</b><i>, by Banana Yoshimoto, </i>1993, Japanese Literature<i> </i><br />
<b><br /></b><b>*****The House of the Sleeping Beauties and Other Stories, </b><i>by Yasunari Kawabata, </i>1961, Japanese Literature<br />
<b><br /></b><b>****Everybody's Fool,</b> <i>By Richard Russo, </i>2016, American Literature<i> </i><br />
<i><br /></i><b>****A Woman Is No Man, </b><i>by Etaf Rum,</i> 2019, American Literature<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>*****</i><b>Virgil Wander</b><i> by Leif Enger, </i>2018, American Literature<i> </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>***Chances Are, </b><i>by Richard Russo</i>, 2019, American Literature<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-4213056446440091332020-05-17T13:24:00.002-07:002020-05-18T17:18:05.222-07:00*****The Golden Lotus, Vol I, by Lanling Xiaoxiao Cheng<br />
<table border="0" cellspacing="1" class="myActivity" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Lato, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="readable reviewText" style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; line-height: 21px;"><span id="freeTextreview3278576338">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.</span> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-38559848958105342472020-04-14T07:17:00.000-07:002020-04-14T07:17:10.810-07:00*****Apeirogon by Column McCannMcCann is a beautiful storyteller. In Apeirogon, he retells the story of the Israeli – Palestinian conflict through two contemporary real-life fathers and activists. He brings together seemingly incongruous elements to show how, like the butterfly effect, all things are interconnected. The message in his book: to make a difference, to really reach people, it is necessary to tell a story, a history, over and over until we really do hear it, learn from it and take positive action accordingly.<br />
<br />
“Ignorance is a terrible acquaintance.”<br />
<br />
Researched in detail, woven together like a powerfully poetic piece of tapestry, this book is a literary work of art.<br />
<br />Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-8630117982303431042020-04-14T07:15:00.005-07:002020-04-14T07:15:52.715-07:00*****A Long Way Off, by Pascal GarnierLibraryThing.com Early Review<br />
French Literature<br />
<br />
A page turner, <i>A Long Way Off</i> is a quirky novella of the noir genre. Pascal takes his reader on a dark, yet funny, unusual ride. One disappears for a short time with an odd, aging father and his mentally unique adult daughter, only to experience a sudden turn of events which transforms the comic into sinister. This is my first book by Pascal and I am hooked.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-90207409180036065882020-03-29T08:22:00.004-07:002020-03-29T08:33:23.126-07:00****Sexus: The Rosy Crucifixion I, by Henry Miller<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Henry
Miller is a skilled, intelligent and creative writer. His philosophy of art and
social criticism are relevant for the 30 year old struggling artist he depicts
and is beautifully written, as is his self-analysis and criticism. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His alleged sexual exploits are
unfortunate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Usually sexual literature
does not bother me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, this time,
I took exception.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe Miller’s self-doubt
caused him to feel an obsessive need to relate his imagined, or real, sexual
escapades and abuse ad nauseam. He had something to prove to himself and his
readers. It was not art he was sharing, it was his immaturity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is my hope that, over time, Miller
self-actualized and wrote Nexus and Plexus with more self-respect and full use
of his illustrious, imaginative writing faculties. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Outside of this mild rebuke (humor), I do enjoy his
writing and will continue to explore his work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-36390872277520431412020-01-01T07:02:00.003-08:002020-01-06T11:37:09.901-08:002019 Books Read<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">****Us Against You</b><span style="font-size: large;">,</span><i style="font-size: x-large;"> by Fredrik Backman,</i><span style="font-size: large;"> 2017, Swedish Literature </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>****Hill Women: Finding Family and a Way Forward in the Appalachian Mountains</b>, <i>by Cassie Chambers, </i>2020, American Memoir<i> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>*****The Sudden Travelor, </b><i>by Sarah Hall, </i>2019, English Literature </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>***Ordinary Girls: a Memoir, </b><i>by Jaquira Díaz, </i>2019. American Memoir</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">***<b>Florida,</b><i> by Lauren Groff,</i> 2018, American Fiction </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>*****The Translators Bride,</b><i> by João Reis,</i> Portuguese Literature, 2019</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>****The Nickel Boys</b>, <i>by Colson Whitehead</i>, 2019, American Literature </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b style="font-size: x-large;">****The Sparsholt Affair, </b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>by Alan </i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Hollinghurst, </i>2017 English Literature </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>*****Daring to Drive</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>, A Saudi Woman's Awakening</b><i>, by Manal Al-Sharif</i>, 2017, Saudi Arabian Literature </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">****<b>The Interestings, </b><i>by Meg Wolitzer,</i> 2013, American Fiction</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>***The Secrets We Kept</b>, <i>by Lara Prescott</i>, 2019, Historical Fiction </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">****<b>Another Brooklyn, </b><i>by Jacqueline Woodson,</i> 2016, American Literature </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">*****<b>To Keep the Sun Alive,</b> <i>by</i> <i>Rabeah Ghaffari, </i>2018, Iranian </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>*****The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, </b><i>by </i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Bauby, Jean-Dominique, </i>1997, French Memoir</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>*****In Life We are Briefly Gorgeous, </b> <i>by Ocean Vuong, </i>2019, Vietnamese-American Literature </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">*****</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Special Topics in Calamity Physics, </b><i style="font-size: x-large;">by Marisha Pessl,</i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">American Literature, 2006</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>****Lost Children Archive,</b><i> by </i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Valeria Luiselli, </i>2019, Mexican Literature </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>***The Sisters Brothers,</b> <i>by Patrick DeWitt</i>, 2012, Canadian Literature</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>*****A Dance to the Music of Time, 2nd Movement </b><i> by Anthony Powell, </i> 1957, English Literature</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">****<b>The Quiet American, </b><i>by Graham Greene, </i>1955, British Literature </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>*****From the Shadows,</b> <i>by Juan José Millás, </i>2019, Spanish Literature </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">**<b>In Pieces</b>, <i>by Sally Fields, </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2018, American Memoir</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">****</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Americanah</b><span style="font-size: large;"> by </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, </i><span style="font-size: large;">2013, Nigerian Literature </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">****</span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Fly Girls</b><span style="font-size: large;">, </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">by Keith O'Brien</i><span style="font-size: large;">, 2018, American History </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">****<b>Where the Crawdads Sing</b>, <i>by Delia Owen's</i>, 2018, American Literature </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>***Pachinko</b>, <i>by Min Jin Lee</i>, 2017, Korean Literature </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>****The Fisherman, </b><i> by </i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Chigozie Obioma,</i> 2015, Nigerian Literature </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>***Bogota 39: New Voices From Latin America, </b><i>Various</i><b> </b><i>Authors</i><b>, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2018, Latin American Literature</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">****<b>Born a Crime,</b><i> by Trevor Noah,</i> 2016, South African Memoir</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>***Mohawk, </b><i>by Richard Russo,</i> 1986, American Literature </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>***Maid, Hard Work, Low Pay and a Mother's Will to Survive,</b><i> </i>by Stephanie Land, 2019, Memoir </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>*****Things That Fall From the Sky,</b><i> Selja Ahava,</i> 2019, Finnish Literature</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b>****City of Jasmine, </b><i>by Olga Grjasnowa</i><b>, </b>2019 German Literature</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b>****There There,</b><i> by Tommy Orange, </i>2018, Native American Literature</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b>
<b>**Clock Dance</b>, <i>by Anne Tyler</i>, 2018, American Literature</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>*****The White Book, </b><i>by Han King,</i> 2018, Korean Literature</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>****My Sister, a Serial Killer, a Novel, </b><i>by Oyinkan Braithwaite,</i> 2018, African/Nigerian Literature </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">***<b>Camino Island</b>, by <i>John Grisham</i>, 2017, American Fiction</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>*****The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, </b><i>by Yukio Mishima,</i> 1956, Japanese Literature </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">****A Ladder to the Sky, </b><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">by John Boyne, </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">2018, Irish Literature </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>****My Life on the Road,</b><i> by Gloria Steinem, </i>2015, Autobiography</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>****Becoming,</b><i> by Michelle Obama, </i>2018, American Autobiography </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>****L</b></span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">earning to See: A Novel of Dorothea Lange, the Woman Who Revealed the Real America,</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> by Elise Hooper, 2019, Biography </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>*****Friday Black, </b><i>by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyan,</i> African-American Literature, 2018</span><br />
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<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*****<b>Hunger, </b><i>by Knut Hamsun,</i> 1890, Norwegian Literature</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">****Washington Black, </b><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">by Esi Edugyan, </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2018, Canadian Literature</span></span></div>
Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-74791273401691391552019-12-14T14:08:00.001-08:002019-12-14T14:08:54.011-08:00*****Sudden Traveler by Sarah HallLibraryThing.com Early Review<br />
<br />
I am not a big fan of short stories. I often feel they are incomplete, that they end too soon. (Full disclosure, I love a good tome.) Sarah Hall's work is different. Whatever the length of her story, or subject matter, each piece - each phrase - is complete. Her words work together like an exquisite piece of art. Line by line, story by story, one feels ultra satisfied and powerfully moved, such is the quality of her writing. Hall is truly a master of the written word.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-14987856314170411342019-12-12T07:18:00.000-08:002019-12-12T07:18:12.645-08:00***Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz<br />
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<tr><td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="readable reviewText" style="font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; line-height: 21px;"><span id="freeTextreview3055115051">LibraryThing.com Early Review<br /><br />Ordinary Girls is a memoir that illustrates what defines ordinary in a poor community where dysfunctional families are the norm and drug use runs rampant; where the only hope of escaping this life is through an early death or education. With minimal, if any, family support education is not an obtainable goal for many. The author, Ms. Díaz, is one if the fortunate ones. She made it out. How she gets there is not the subject of her story. Living and growing up under these extreme, yet all to common, circumstances defines her book.<br /><br />Ms. Díaz has a deeply compelling story to share. Unfortunately, it suffers from a lack of editing. The last half of the book is redundant and the structure weak. Despite this problem, the first half of her memoir confrms that she is a talented writer. Revision would have greatly improved the overall quality of her book.</span></span></td></tr>
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Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-46289540548268497562019-09-07T18:11:00.003-07:002019-09-07T18:11:35.025-07:00*****Special Topics in Calamity Physics “One should never dribble speculation like a leaky garbage bag.”<br />
<br />
I love Pessl’s writing! It is witty, intelligent and imaginative. Despite dark themes of murder, suicide and deception, Pessl humors her reader with her astute narrative and finely crafted plot. This is a brilliantly conceived novel that will make you laugh… and shudder.<br />
<br />Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-11130182513314123002019-07-26T13:35:00.000-07:002019-07-26T13:35:02.889-07:00*****A Dance to the Music of Time, 2nd Movement by Anthony PowellPowell’s comic magnum opus is beautifully illustrated with reflective passages that weave back and forth through time effortlessly. In short, Dance is a meditative social history which depicts the rhythm of life. It is an understated work that sometimes feels tedious, yet is often hilarious and quietly infectious. Patience is required when reading Powell, but his literary prowess is an apt reward.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-40369261227803109222019-07-19T11:11:00.003-07:002019-07-19T11:11:40.920-07:00*****From the Shadows by Juan José Millás<br />
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<tr class="visible"><td class="bookeditfield" id="bookedit_review" style="font-size: inherit; padding-bottom: 16px; padding-right: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Darkly humorous and surreal, this novel delivers! It is psychological and allegorical fiction rolled into one as is revealed through these alluring themes: family secrets, jealousy, love, voyeurism, madness and murder. I thoroughly enjoyed and savored the skill, pure imagination and creativity of this talented author. From the Shadows is the first of Millás' novels to be published in North America. I look forward to future translations of his other work. A true treat!</td></tr>
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Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-63144237343162065202019-04-18T15:40:00.002-07:002019-04-18T15:44:04.086-07:00*****Things That Fall From the Sky by Selja Ahava<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><b>Finnish Literature</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Ahava’s novel centers around two main
interconnecting themes:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">grief</b> – our need to make sense of, and
clearly define, life and death; and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the
randomness of life</b> – its haphazardness, whether good or bad. These themes overlap
and converge and are affected by the weight of time. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The author explores our human desire to fully
comprehend the incomprehensible; to define what cannot be fully defined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt;">Ahava’s skill at normalizing the very
randomness of life is both intuitive and sensitive. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has created a highly relatable novel with
nuance and subtlety. I enjoyed this work and look forward to future
translations by this talented author.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8931251049670101362.post-23504454942873682272019-04-04T10:37:00.004-07:002019-04-04T10:37:47.637-07:00****City of Jasmine by Olga GrjasnowaAn intensely moving novel that shares the fictionalized experiences of individuals who live and lived under Assad in wore-torn Syria. The violence, despair, ruined dreams, escape experiences, and then their lives as refugees is nothing less than horrifying. Ms. Grjasnowa’s writing style is unpretentious and direct, yet not overbearing. She writes with fluidity and care. This is a relevant read considering today’s national and international political climate. City of Jasmine is an interesting, well thought out novel, that tells a story and informs.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484623270858286049noreply@blogger.com0