Book Reviews

A Long Way Down By Nick Hornby

I should hesitate to recommend a book.  Even a book I think is engaging, thought provoking and uplifting.  I should hesitate because reading “taste” is like food taste…some like sushi (I do) some become physically ill at the thought of raw fish (I do—my kind of sushi is cooked).  But even with that understanding, I still want to suggest A Long Way Down By Nick Hornby as a good story to read over the 4th of July weekend celebrating free choice.  It is a humorous look at suicide.  Not an easy task but the author accomplishes it.  Four very diverse people meet at the top of a building on New Years Eve, all with the intent of jumping.  They form a pact to delay their suicides until Valentine’s Day and the story tells of their lives and friendships after that chance meeting.  For starters, I was intrigued by the book’s cover…feet only, showing sensible bunion-stretched shoes, new black and white tennis shoes, polished men’s dress shoes, and scuffed black boots.  The shoes hint at the personalities of the four main characters.  Do our shoes suggest who we are?  A question raised.  Why do people consider suicide? A question studied.  Should people commit suicide?  A question answered.  All from reading this insightful page-turner.  If you read it, let me know if you like it. 

 Hardcover—352 pages

 

Two books to consider reading if you like well-written stories with first person accounts of unusual lives (unusual in my world anyway).

 

Geek Love by: Katherine Dunn

 

Geek Love is the story of a married couple who own a carnival.  They try to give birth to offspring with physical abnormalities to exhibit in the carnival sideshows. The story is told in the voice of one of their children.  “And I am there also, ‘Albino Olympia,’ viewed from the side to display my hump, bald nobbly head tilted charmingly, curtsying with one arm pointing at the glorious Chick and his miraculous burden.  The arched banner across the top in joyous glitter, ‘The Fabulous Binewskis.’”  I found this novel a fascinating look into carnival life and the mind of a disfigured person.  This novel also taught me a few lessons about judging others.   First written in 1983 when it was a National Book Award Finalist, the novel was republished in June, 2002.  (recommended in the autobiography So Many Books, So Little Time—A Year of Passionate Reading)

348 pages.  Paperback.

 

Twelve by: Nick McDonell

 

Twelve was written by a seventeen-year-old first time author who is being raised in the opulence of Manhattan.  It is the story of high-schooler’s falling into addiction with illegal drugs.  “It is very late when Chris goes to the bathroom and finds Jessica passed out on the floor by the toilet.  He looks at her for a long time.  Jessica is his friend, but he never gets to stare at a live girl like this.  He likes it.”  The novel helped me get an insider’s look into the world of overindulged teens with no role model, no guidance, no limitations.  It is somewhat cliché in its characterization of over-indulged teenagers and ruthless drug dealers and I would like to believe that the novel exaggerates the power of addiction.  However, every morning when I read the newspaper, I realize it does not.  (also recommended in So Many Books, So Little Time—A Year of Passionate Reading)   

244 pages. Paperback.

OTHER REVIEWS

 

*****Year of Wonders—a Novel of the Plague by: Geraldine Brooks

 

Year of Wonders is beautifully written, tightly plotted, suspenseful, and compelling from first paragraph to last sentence.  It is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time (and I’ve read a lot of books).  This novel, told through the eyes of Anna Frith, a widow, is based on the plague epidemic in 17th century England.  It tells the story of the towns-people living in a small village who isolate themselves from the rest of England to prevent the spread of the plague.  “It was as if there were two of me, walking down those stairs.   One of them was the timid girl who had worked for the Bradfords in a state of dread, fearing their hard looks and harsh words.  The other was Anna Frith, a woman who had faced more terrors than many warriors.  Elizabeth Bradford was a coward.  She was the daughter of cowards. As I entered the parlor and faced her thunderous countenance, I knew I had nothing to fear from her.”  As evidenced from this quote, the story is told with not a wasted word.

(Recommended by a friend) 353pages—paperback

 

***The Piano Tuner By: Daniel Mason

 

The Piano Tuner is a moderately paced story which builds on the sense of adventure felt by Edgar Drake as he travels from London to Upper Burma in 1886.  Edgar Drake, a piano tuner, is sent from England to Burma to tune the piano of a British officer.   There may be a bit too much information about pianos but the story picks up momentum when the tuner sets sail for Burma.  Burma lies between India and China on the Bay of Bengal and the book gives the reader a good understanding of the country and its people.

(Recommended by The Book Worm Bookstore in Beaver Creek) 317 pages—paperback

 

****The Big Year By: Mark Obmascik

 

For a bird-watcher, “A big year ultimately is a numbers game.  There are 675 birds that commonly live in North America.  And there are 365 days to see all of them.  Find two new birds a day and you’re the new champ.”  The book tells the true story of three men who compete to identify the most birds in the same year.  These men are of different incomes, home states, and ages and of course the year ends with three different outcomes.  My only disappointment is that a woman birder wasn’t among the participants.  That said the author is able to convey the excitement, challenge, and mystery of bird-watching.  “At 69 mph he saw that the clod had a head.  He slammed his brakes and raised his binocs.  Ten powers magnification showed that the clod was actually a wild chicken of the north, a ruffed grouse, with crested head, black-banded tail, and absolutely no fear of a fast-approaching Hertz rental sedan.”

(Recommended by a book reviewer in the Denver Post) 288 pages—hardback

P.S. If you enjoy this book, be sure to read Kingbird Highway by Ken Kaufman.  

 

****Honor Lost—Love and Death in Modern-Day Jordan by: Norma Khouri

 

This true story of “honor killing” is told by the victim’s best friend, Norma Khouri.  The story takes the two young women from the naiveté of ignoring the danger inherent in defying the “laws” of country and culture to the terror of realizing the consequences of their deception.  “We knew that all this scheming was dangerous, but we never discussed it.  It was as if we would give life to the risks if we spoke them aloud.  So they remained thoughts and fears that we could successfully blot out while we hatched our plot.”  From the beginning of the book, the reader knows that an honor killing is possible and yet, the shock of the incident, the ruthlessness of the family, the strength of the religious tradition is startling.  This book educates the reader to Muslim law and interpretation.  It helps the reader learn about the Jordanian culture and with knowledge may come understanding although I don’t think I will ever understand how “honor killing” continues in the 21st century.

(Recommended in the book So Many Books, So little Time by Sara Nelson) 218 pages—paperback

 

 

 

CLASSICS

To Kill a Mockingbird-by Harper Lee-I read this Southern coming-of-age, the end-of –innocence novel for the first time about two years ago (had relied on the movie before that—shame on me).  As I read the story, I kept thinking, I want to write like that!  Then I realized that all writers want to write like that.  The book is still 48th on the USA Today’s best seller’s list.

Gone With the Wind-by Margaret Mitchell-(If you have relied on the movie—shame on you.)  The book offers so much more of the Civil War story and its aftermath than the movie.  The power of Margaret Mitchell’s words is a treat that shouldn’t be left to a movie.

 

MODERN DAY

Where the Heart Is-by Billie Letts-I discovered this novel long before Oprah.   Billie Letts’ story takes the reader on a roller coaster ride…after every valley there comes a peak. The photographer met the first day of abandonment becomes a good friend and teacher, the woman who seems confused, becomes a savior, etc.

 ThePatron Saint of Liars, Taft, The Magician’s Assistant, Bel Canto, Truth & Beauty-by Ann Patchett-Ann Patchett has become my new favorite author.  All her novels are written about totally different subjects, interesting angles, thought-provoking endings.

The Patron Saint of Liars-novel about unwed mothers, Taft-novel about fatherless children, The Magician’s Assistant-novel about family secrets, Bel Canto-novel about rebel capture and the physical and psychological impact, Truth & Beauty-autobiography about  the author’s relationship with a self-destructive best friend.

 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Personal History-by Katharine Graham-Written several years before her death, Mrs. Graham, a journalist, explains her exciting, privileged, tragic life.  I was especially intrigued by the fact that she decided to manage her father’s publishing business after her husband’s death…she didn’t want her four children to lose their inheritance.  If that isn’t a mother’s dedication, I don’t know what is.

Kitchen Privileges-by Mary Higgins Clark-While I have only read one Mary Higgins Clark mystery (and listened to one in the car driving Beth cross-country to Pepperdine—that’s another story!) I bought this autobiography because I was curious about how Mary Higgins Clark became a writer with a house full of children and discovered that her life was no more “charmed” than Katharine Graham’s life. 

 

 NON-FICTION

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster-by Jon Krakauer-The title explains the book.  Jon Krakauer is an outdoor writer who happened to be with the Mount Everest climbing expedition overcome by a snow storm while descending from the mountain summit.  His account of who died, who lived and why is riveting.

The Greatest Generation-by Tom Brokaw-I did not expect to enjoy the stories about the men and women who fought in World War II. However, I couldn’t put the book down (a rarity for me).  Each story is unique, compelling and so personal the reader that gets a sense of the humanity of  people…soldiers and citizens.  

 

CHICK-LIT

The Devil Wears Prada-by Lauren Weisberger-WARNING: no one in my book club liked this book…but I did. The main point of this novel is not the currishness of the devil-boss, nor the independent life of the ingénue assistant.  The message of this novel is that compromise of self may mean losing one’s soul.  I have recommended this book to the mothers of several high school girls who “can’t find anything good to read.”

Bridget Jones’s Diary-by Helen Fielding-I mention this book because it seems to have started the entire class of books written to make women laugh, identify and examine their own lives as compared to a twenty-something career women.  I did enjoy reading this book, but identifying with Bridget Jones was a stretch, having never been a twenty-something career woman.