Room by Emma Donoghue

I just finished Room (listed as one of the Top 10 Fiction works of 2010 by the New York Times)--same author as Slammerkin (which I had intended to order a few months ago but got stacked up, so postponed). It is an astonishing work and I stayed up until 1:30 ON A SCHOOL NIGHT reading to it's conclusion. Anita Shreve wrote "I loved Room....It's unlike anything I've ever read before." Another author wrote "Room is one of the most profoundly affecting books I've read in a long time. Jack moved me greatly. His voice, his story, his innocence, his love for Ma, combine to create something very unusual and, I think something very important. I read the book over two days desperate to know how their story would end...Room deserves to reach the widest possible audience." Author of The Hours wrote "Room is that rarest of entities, an entirely original work of art. I mean it as the highest possible praise when I tell you that I can't compare it to any other book." Can't wait to hear what you think!!!! -BT

Too Close to the Falls by Catherine Gildiner

Thanks, Sister Tillie! This is a fun memoir about a girl growing up in a small town in upstate New York in the 50's. Perhaps I could have related to her school experience a tad more if I'd attended Catholic schools, but I still loved reading of her adventures. Her family is unique (never eating any meals at home) and her friends are unforgettable (especially Roy). Great book! - June

I recently read Too Close To The Falls (thank you, BT) and loved, loved, loved that little shit. She reminded me so much of my growing up during that time. Now I just finished After The Falls, and was disappointed. Once again, I enjoyed reminiscing about those years (which was while we were all meeting each other, and SOME of us were still growing up, as I recall :), but I hated to see that innocence and self confidence slip away. Ah well, that's the bumps of life, I guess. I hear Blackie in there giggling at Too Close To The Falls, as I type. Very fun book (except the end).-Carit

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

I LOVED Little Bee. I loved the story development, I loved the characters, and I was really impressed that a male writer nailed female emotions the way he did. I think that's one of the best in a long time. - Carla

Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard

Our book club recommended this book, and I'll admit it isn't one I'd probably seek out and read. It was slow at first and the author seemed a bit self-absorbed at times, but her experiences and her insight into the French culture made the book worthwhile. She draws many comparisons between the highly motivated Americans and the more laid-back citizens of France. Each chapter ends with several recipes, and they sound wonderful! -June

Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner

Such an oldie but a goodie! I remember reading this years ago and loving it. But its a book I've wanted to reread to see how I'd like it now. I think when I was younger, I focused on the early part of the book when the characters were my age. Now as I read it, I identify more with the characters in their "advanced" years. But what a great story of marriage and friendship. Such interesting character studies. Highly recommend this book. -June

The Mulberry Child by Jian Ping

I've been slacking off it seems. I can't believe it's been 6 weeks since I last posted anything here. Anyway, I did read The Mulberry Child for my book group, and I'll just say that it was reading an assigned book for a college class. I had to force myself to read it, and I confess I didn't quite complete it before the book club meeting. The author jumps around in time and from person to person. While the story of her childhood is interesting, she's just such a horrible writing that I found myself editing instead of reading. I don't recommend this book. - June

What BT is Reading...

Just read Amy Bloom's Where the God of Love Hangs Out and it is really good. 4 short stories -- and I typically do not go for a collection, but The Week featured it. Quick read. I'm kinda struggling with an 2009 Oprah's Collection Say You're One of Them.

Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson

This book has been around a while, and for some reason (maybe the horse thing), I just never picked it up. After some nudging from a friend, I did and I'm glad. The style of the writing is difficult to follow sometimes with long rambling sentences that beg for punctuation. But the story and the relationships are fascinating. I love the way the author moves into different times so easily. Great read. -June

This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

What a hoot! I loved this book! This is the perfect book to read after you've read something serious and intense because it will make you laugh out loud! It includes family dysfunction to the max, but it's cleverly written and somehow believable. -June

Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

A very interesting read about a slave woman who maintains a relationship with her owner. Every summer she travels with him (without his wife) to a resort in the north where they meet other slave owners and their female slaves. The book focuses on Lizzie, her relationship with the other slaves, and her relationship with her owner. The book takes place during the 1850's before the Civil War. The book is only somewhat well written, but it certainly is about an interesting subject. -June

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

This was a book club selection, and one that I would not have chosen on my own. And we actually read two books in the series, the first and the second. I'll admit they held my interest but there was just something predictable and almost romance-like about the writing. Now I admit I read most of the books while recuperating and under the influence of pain meds, but even the drugs didn't make me love these books. -June

The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent

Just finished "The Heretic's Daughter" by Kathleen Kent and highly recommend it. It is historical fiction about the Salem Witch Trials unlike any I've read because it is told from the perspective of the young daughter of one of the women hung for a wtich. Some of the passages were so moving and exquisitely written, I dog-eared the pages before remembering that the book wasn't mine (otherwise I would have brought it with me to Oregon). The author is descended from the protagonist. Anita Shreve (one of our favorites) says "The Heretic's Daughter is raw, honest, and completely captivating. Kent takes what would seem to be a familiar subject and gives it fresh, new perspective--moving us through a wrenching gamut of emotions as she does so. A searing look at one of the worst periods in our history." It's a winner! -BT

The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo by Steig Larrson

OK, I'm the last person on the planet to read this book so I hate to even write my review. But let's just say it is a wonderful book, and I immediately started on the sequel. I did make the mistake of seeing the movie before reading the book, and even though I knew the ending, there is just so much more wonderful detail in the book. Sometimes books that are translated into English seem confusing or unclear, but this one has no traces of that. - June

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah

Just finished “A long Way Gone”. True story of a twelve year old boy who was forced to become a soldier in Sierre Leone in the mid 2000’s (just a few years ago) after his family was slaughtered in their village. Heart wrenching. I guess we all need to be reminded of our blessings. - DS

The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman

I really like this author and (I think it's her latest) "The Story Sisters." Now I want to read "The Third Angel" which she wrote before this one. "Here on Earth" was an Oprah selection and we read "Turtle Moon" and "Practical Magic" (made a movie) and the last one I read was "The Probable Future." I think June turned us on to Alice Hoffman, but I've slept plenty since then, so... Anyhoo, this is a page turner, odd, disquieting, sad and Jodi Picoult says "Alice Hoffman has outdone herself" but they probably all say that about one another. I liked this snippet best: "A bewitching weave of psychologically astute fantasy and shattering realism...This is an entrancing and romantic drama shot through with radiant beauty and belief in human resilience and transformation." - BT

The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall

I completely loved reading this book. The author has a style I adore, and I found myself laughing out loud at some of the story lines that may or may not have been intentionally funny. I was happily sucked into the lives of this family of one husband, four wives, and over 25 children. Fortunately, the book focuses on just a few characters, and I found them to be fascinating. I'll admit that the ending caught me off guard. I found myself saying "He/She wouldn't do that! Why did the author throw that in there?" Maybe I missed something along the way, but I'd like to rewrite my own ending. - June

Book Update from BT

The Gathering was stunning with the critics comparing the narrative tone to Joan Didion's "furious, cool grief" and James Joyce's Dubliners. It won the Man Booker Prize in 2007. Another review said "Entrancing, unflinching and insightful....a haunting look at a broken family stifled by generations of hurt and disappointment, struggling to make peace with the irreparable." I liked this summary best: Anne Enright's fiction is jet dark--but how it glitters."

Am thoroughly enjoying Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls (The Glass Castle) and it seems like may a couple of you recommended that? As you recall, Glass Castles was autobiographical and Half Broke Horses is about her grandmother and is sprinkled with sepia-tone photos. I just love her style. -BT

The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg

There are books that make you think, and then there are books that are just light and fun to read. Elizabeth Berg's books fall into the second category. I like to read her books after I've read something that might be a tad dark or depressing. So this was the perfect thing to pick up after finishing Cutting for Stone. And it's a very quick read. This story is about a group of individuals preparing for their 40th high school reunion. Over half of the book is spent presenting the characters and their angst over this reunion. The rest of the book is the actual reunion itself and how it doesn't necessarily play out the way the characters had planned. But as always, Berg's characters end up wiser and happier than they were at the beginning. A fun, quick, easy, mindless read. -June

Cutting for Stone - Abraham Verghese

This book received many rave reviews. The characters are great, and the setting in Ethopia is fascinating. Although I really liked it, I felt there were times it could have been condensed somewhat... the book is over 600 pages! Surgeries are described in minute detail, and I found myself skimming right over those parts. Perhaps if I had a medical background, those sections would have more meaning. But read it to know the characters. I think they will stay with me. -June
P.S. This turned out to be a great book to read and then discuss. My book group spent the entire time talking about it. Very interesting!

Comments from BT

I just read the latest by Michael Chabon (autobiographical): Manhood for Amateurs, The Pleasures and Regrets of a Husband, Father and Son. (He also wrote, among others, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay--fabulous book for which he won the Pulitzer for fiction a few years back)
Sample paragraph:
"This is an essential element of the business of being a man: to flood everyone around you in a great radiant arc of bullshit; one whose source and object of greatest intensity is yourself. To behave as if you have everything firmly under control even when you have just sailed your boat over the falls. "To keep your head...when all about you are losing theirs." (Rudyard Kipling) but in reality, the trick of being a man is to give the appearance of keeping your head when, deep inside, the truest part of you is crying out, Oh shit!" It was good.

I LOVED Amazing Adventures but couldn't get into The Yiddish Policemen's Union -- story of a Jewish settlement (60 years after seeing refuge following WWII) in Sitka, Alaska. I read 1/4 and may return to it because the reviews were superb...

And I think I already wrote that House Rules is very, very good--although I may have had an extra interest because of the extraordinary insight into Asberger's Syndrome.

The Solitude of Prime Numbers by Paolo Giordano

I suppose it's only fitting that I would buy a book in the Rome airport that is written by an Italian author and, of course, takes place in Italy. But in truth, the book has nothing to do with Italy. It could take place anywhere. It's about two people, Alice and Mattia, who each have secrets and each have major hangups and problems. Yet they are drawn to each other based on what they have in common. Certainly not the best book I've read this year, but a quick, good read. It's headed your way, BT. -June

Welcome to the Great Mysterious by Lorna Landvick

Started out clever but.. About 2/3rds of the way through, I got bored with Welcome to the Great Mysterious. And then it was like she didn't know how to end it, so jumbled a whole bunch of stuff into 5 pages and decided "The End." And predictable, too. -BT

A Friend of the Family by Lauren Grodstein.

Could not put down A Friend of the Family by Lauren Grodstein. I checked it out because the last note on the back cover was by the author of Olive Kitteridge: "What a wonderful and compelling read....You will have a hard time putting it down." One of her quotes is also on the front: "These people will stay in our head and keep their hands on your heart. Grodstein's skills at storytelling are unwavering." -- When I typed heart, I left out the r so it read "their hands on your heat." and, being in a junior-high kind of mood, I almost left it that way. - BT

House at Riverton by Kate Morton

So this is the second book by Kate Morton that Sister Tillie has passed on to me (although I think the author wrote this one first). And again, it's about a wealthy English family around the time or World War I. This book is written from the point of view of one of the servants to this family which gives it an interesting slant. This character sees and hears much of what happens in the family - probably much more than a real servant would, but it was necessary for the plot that she knows all. I enjoyed it very much, although I think that I've read my fill about the upper crust of England for a while. - June

Brunelleschi's Dome by Ross King

I read this to prepare for our trip to Italy. It's the history of the beautiful dome you see in every picture of Florence, and it is known for it's architectural significance. I'm glad I read it (ok, I actually skimmed the second half) because it does give insight into that era (early 1400's). Truly, it seems like they were constantly at war, constantly dying from the plague, and feuding with each other about their accomplishments. If you are at all interested in architecture, this might be fascinating reading. Let me know... I'll send it to you. -June

Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson

Without any doubt, the work that Mortenson and his organization are doing is incredible. I'm horrified by some of the conditions he describes in the lives of the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan. And I believe that education is truly a way to remedy the situation. The stories of the students and how their lives changed as a result of the schools being built were inspirational. But I confess I found the book too long and the details too tedious to enjoy. It was a hard read for me. - June

The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

Warning... do not read this book when you're hungry. You'll feel like throwing the book down and running to the kitchen. This book is about a cooking class that meets weekly. There's a chapter about each student in the class giving you background information on that character and how they are changed by the class. It's a very quick read and perfect for a plane ride or a weekend vacation. The way the author describes food makes you smell and taste it. OK, I need to stop now and eat. -June

Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler

Remember that guy on TV who would throw a dart at the US map and then go to that city. Then he'd open a phone book and point to a name and track down that person and find out their story. His philosophy was that everyone has a story. Well, this book is Liam's story told to us by Anne Tyler. All of Tyler's books portray characters who are unexceptional. She writes about unattractive, average people leading normal mundane day-to-day lives. She's kind of an anti-Danielle Steele. In Noah's Compass, we learn about Liam, a 60-something man who has just lost his job. He's been married multiple times, and he doesn't really have a solid relationship with any of his daughters. There isn't much action in the book, yet there is something about the way Tyler creates her characters and the detailed descriptions she provides that always leave me wanting more. If you like Anne Tyler, this is one for you. - June

The Book Thief by Markus Zsak

"Deserves a place on the same shelf with The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank...poised to become a classic." "This is a virtuoso work. Zusak exhibits the kind of mastery and peak power Kurt Vonnegut showed in his wartime tale "Slaughterhouse-Five." "Both gripping and touching, a work that kept me up late into the night feverishly reading the last 300 pages. You can't ask for more than that." Well, I think you can and I wish the first 200 pages had griped me like the last 300...but I am so glad I persevered. This is 1939 Nazi Germany -- 9 year old girl picks up a book (The Gravedigger's Guide") left at her brother's graveside and so begins her life as a "book thief." Her foster father used that and a book she "rescued" from a Nazi book burning and a couple stolen from the mayor's library to teach her to read. Her love of words and the books they build is but one theme, but probably part of what attracts the avid reader. The style and format are completely unique and the story compelling. The book has won numerous awards in Children's Literature--teens, but I agree with one reviewer who said that it was rich enough to satisfy readers of any age. (or something like that) - BT

The Bright Forever by Lee Martin

This book proves that you can't judge a book by it's cover - or it's title. When I saw the paperback at a used book sale, I thought it screamed "chick lit". The cover is pastel blue with a picture of a lock of hair. I imaged it to be a romantic book designed for 16-year-old girls. But just as I was putting it down, I noticed a seal in the corner that said it was a Pulitzer Prize Finalist so I figured it was worth a dollar. This book is nothing like I thought it would be. In fact, it's quite dark. It's about a 9-year-old girl from a wealthy family who is missing. We also are introduced to some pretty creepy characters who live in her town and we hear their stories. It's easy to determine that one of these guys had something to do with her disappearance, but all the clues don't come together until the very end. Very well written and a good, quick read. -June

Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

What a great story! This is another book that jumps between two separate times - the 1940's and the 1980's. It's about Henry who grew up in Chinatown in Seattle. He befriended a Japanese girl when they attended the same school. He's devastated when her family is evacuated to an internment camp during the war. In the 1980's, we find Henry recently widowed and his thoughts return to his young friend. It's a great story and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. There are a couple of times I felt the book needed some editing when the author repeats things he's already told us, but overall, it's a wonderful book. - June

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

There are lots of books out there that focus on groups of women. The plots are all basically the same. A group of eclectic women gather together for a purpose (books, cooking, quilting, etc). We're introduced to each member and learn her story and what about her current situation. Over the course of the book, the members are there to support each other, overcome their differences, and learn from each other. And in the end, the group has bonded and all is well. This book follows the pattern. The main character, Georgia, owns a knitting shop in NYC. Her customers form a casual Friday night group where they sometimes knit and always talk and eat. They are all ages and all types, yet they form close relationships and we like them all. The ending was a shocker, but the group did pull together. This is a good beach book or ideal for a time when you're in the mood for something light. - June

Home to Italy by Peter Pezzelli

I wanted to love it. After all, it's about Italy and I love the place. But I couldn't get past page 50. The writing is so poor that I was shocked it ever pass the inspection of any editor. Maybe it stuck me more because the last few books I've read have been so well written that this one was an abrupt change. Anyway, it's going on my shelf of books to be donated. On to the next one. -June

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

I have a feeling this book will stay with me for a long time. Alice, a Harvard professor, is diagnosed with Altzheimer's Disease, and the book chronicles her decline. It's written through her eyes, and you feel the frustration, the sadness, and the confusion as she does. This is a book that everyone should read. I couldn't put it down. -June

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

After reading Olive, I figured the next book would fail in any comparison. But I enjoyed this book because it is so very different from Olive K. The narrator is Enzo, a dog who understands language and learns everything he needs to know on TV, but he can't communicate what he knows to people around him. He tells the story of his family... his owner Denny who marries Eve and they have a daughter named Zoe. Eve becomes sick and ultimately dies leaving Denny is a tangle of legal issues with his in-laws. Enzo tells the reader all the details from his point of view and also how he compares racing cars to life. A quick read for anyone who loves dogs. - June