18 - A Walk Across the Sun, by Corban Addison
WHY I PICKED IT: Book Club selection
ELAPSED TIME: 1 Week
RATING: Very Good
This is a fictional tale of two Indian sisters who are sold into sexual slavery, and an American lawyer who fights to save them. The story is well written, and very well researched. Taking us from the slums of Mumbai, to Paris and through the United States, we see the international aspect to sexual slavery, the brutal horrors of the different experiences of women around the world.
I started dreaming about this story; which is usually an indication of a story that would be required reading. However, although the characters are well thought out, and Addison (who is a lawyer himself) writes the American lawyer very well... but the depth of the Indian sisters feels a bit forced... and so I will lower the rating to Very Good.
This blog is a simple review of every book that I read... For all books I’ll tell you why I picked it, how long it took me to read it, and give it a rating (burn it, not good, meh, good, very good, and required reading). I ask (encourage?) all readers of my blog to post their thoughts of any of the books in my comments :). Thanks!
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
2013-17 - Hardboiled and Hard Luck, by Banana Yoshimoto
17 - Hardboiled and Hard Luck, by Banana Yoshimoto
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it at People's Co op Bookstore, in Vancouver
ELAPSED TIME: 1 Week
RATING: Meh
Two stories. One of a woman hiking and remembering a dead ex. The other of a sister waiting for her sister to succumb to her brain aneurism (sister's in a coma). Both stories are really ... well meh.
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it at People's Co op Bookstore, in Vancouver
ELAPSED TIME: 1 Week
RATING: Meh
Two stories. One of a woman hiking and remembering a dead ex. The other of a sister waiting for her sister to succumb to her brain aneurism (sister's in a coma). Both stories are really ... well meh.
2013-16 - Penny Red, by Laurie Penny
16 - Penny Red, by Laurie Penny
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it at People's Co op Bookstore, in Vancouver
ELAPSED TIME: 1 Week
RATING: Very Good
This is a collection of posts from her blog... Wow! What a writer. Broken up into 5 sections...
1) Essays on student protests in London - Fantastic section. Makes the great point that society and the media seem to equate violence against people (specifically against protestors) in the same way as we do violence and damage to private property. Reminds me of the G20 "riots" in Toronto and how our rights were trampled in order to maintain the status quo.
2) Essays on Women and Sexism in Society - Fantastic section. A variety of different thoughts in different arenas. Love to see that the movement is not dead.
3) Essays on Conservatives - Very Good. How is it that the children of the wealthy stay in that position. The multitude of ways doesn't end with their first class education, it starts there. Interesting to read the critique from the perspective of an "insider" (Laurie admits that she went to an exclusive school and worked in an unpaid internship). Also interesting to realize that an internship provides access to leadership as a "representative" of the youth... which is not at all representative!
4) Essays on Culture - Good and Less Good. Sad to learn that Laurie is an Israel supporter (and doesn't seem to couch it with a balanced view). But enjoyed her support of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, and her frustration with how it is advertised and promoted in English. Also loved her anger at defining feminism in "modern terms" as hetero-normal, white, wealthy women who want equal opportunity... versus EVERYBODY ELSE!
5) Essays on Politics of the Left - Decent. She exposes how corporations get away without paying taxes, while the people at the bottom lose their benefits as part of "austerity measures" that are required as part of our economic struggles. Section is a weak ending to a strong book.
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it at People's Co op Bookstore, in Vancouver
ELAPSED TIME: 1 Week
RATING: Very Good
This is a collection of posts from her blog... Wow! What a writer. Broken up into 5 sections...
1) Essays on student protests in London - Fantastic section. Makes the great point that society and the media seem to equate violence against people (specifically against protestors) in the same way as we do violence and damage to private property. Reminds me of the G20 "riots" in Toronto and how our rights were trampled in order to maintain the status quo.
2) Essays on Women and Sexism in Society - Fantastic section. A variety of different thoughts in different arenas. Love to see that the movement is not dead.
3) Essays on Conservatives - Very Good. How is it that the children of the wealthy stay in that position. The multitude of ways doesn't end with their first class education, it starts there. Interesting to read the critique from the perspective of an "insider" (Laurie admits that she went to an exclusive school and worked in an unpaid internship). Also interesting to realize that an internship provides access to leadership as a "representative" of the youth... which is not at all representative!
4) Essays on Culture - Good and Less Good. Sad to learn that Laurie is an Israel supporter (and doesn't seem to couch it with a balanced view). But enjoyed her support of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, and her frustration with how it is advertised and promoted in English. Also loved her anger at defining feminism in "modern terms" as hetero-normal, white, wealthy women who want equal opportunity... versus EVERYBODY ELSE!
5) Essays on Politics of the Left - Decent. She exposes how corporations get away without paying taxes, while the people at the bottom lose their benefits as part of "austerity measures" that are required as part of our economic struggles. Section is a weak ending to a strong book.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
2013-15 - A Credit to Your Race, by Truman Green
15 - A Credit to Your Race, by Truman Green
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it at People's Co op Bookstore, in Vancouver
ELAPSED TIME: 1 Week
RATING: Good
This is the story of a 15-year old black kid in Surrey, BC in the 1960s. Being black and in Canada was better than being black and in the USA at that time... but that's hardly the standard by which we should measure ourselves. At best, Bill faces passive racism: teachers who think he should be good at sports and should become a teacher and go teach black kids in Alabama (to be a role model). At worst, he faces active racism: from the fairly benign jokes about sitting at the back of a bus, to his neighbor (Mr. Baker) who won't let him date 14-year old Mary Baker.
This story shows the challenge with being a clear minority, of being an outsider in a community. Interesting story, but ultimately will be quite forgettable.
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it at People's Co op Bookstore, in Vancouver
ELAPSED TIME: 1 Week
RATING: Good
This is the story of a 15-year old black kid in Surrey, BC in the 1960s. Being black and in Canada was better than being black and in the USA at that time... but that's hardly the standard by which we should measure ourselves. At best, Bill faces passive racism: teachers who think he should be good at sports and should become a teacher and go teach black kids in Alabama (to be a role model). At worst, he faces active racism: from the fairly benign jokes about sitting at the back of a bus, to his neighbor (Mr. Baker) who won't let him date 14-year old Mary Baker.
This story shows the challenge with being a clear minority, of being an outsider in a community. Interesting story, but ultimately will be quite forgettable.
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