20 - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith
WHY I PICKED IT: Bought it in a bookstore in NYC
ELAPSED TIME: 2 weeks
RATING: REQUIRED READING
Mary Francis Nolan is a first generation American at the turn of the century, and this is the story of her childhood. The strong women who keep her family together, the love of her father, the camaraderie with her brother. Francie listens a lot, and reads a lot... all the while trying to understand her world. She dreams of a better life - and works for it.
This story is a bit slow, but that is part of its charm... you slowly grow to love Francie and her family, and share their path for a few days.
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, September 21, 2014
Thursday, September 4, 2014
2014-19 - Your Fathers, where are they? And the Prophets, do they live forever?, by Dave Eggers
19 - Your Fathers, where are they? And the Prophets, do they live forever?, by Dave Eggers
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it in a bookstore, and it's Dave Eggers
ELAPSED TIME: 4 days
RATING: Good
This book is bizarre. Thomas kidnaps a NASA Astronaut to ask him some questions. As the answers leave holes, Thomas continues down a troublesome path in order to gain an understanding of the world around him... but goes deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole.
Not sure if the book is supposed to be funny, but some of the conversations in the book are really well defined. This book is written to be a play.
But this book is also not earth shattering. Eggers' writing is inconsistent with fantastic books: Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius and Zeitoun... and terrible ones: You Shall Know Our Velocity and A Hologram for the King. This book falls somewhere in the middle... high enough up that I'll keep reading his work.
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it in a bookstore, and it's Dave Eggers
ELAPSED TIME: 4 days
RATING: Good
This book is bizarre. Thomas kidnaps a NASA Astronaut to ask him some questions. As the answers leave holes, Thomas continues down a troublesome path in order to gain an understanding of the world around him... but goes deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole.
Not sure if the book is supposed to be funny, but some of the conversations in the book are really well defined. This book is written to be a play.
But this book is also not earth shattering. Eggers' writing is inconsistent with fantastic books: Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius and Zeitoun... and terrible ones: You Shall Know Our Velocity and A Hologram for the King. This book falls somewhere in the middle... high enough up that I'll keep reading his work.
Monday, September 1, 2014
2014-18 - Confessions, by Kanae Minato
18 - Confessions, by Kanae Minato
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it in a bookstore, and it looked good
ELAPSED TIME: 1 week
RATING: Good
The book starts out fantastic. A teacher on the verge of retirement tells a story to her class about why she's retiring so young. This story reveals two of their peers' sociopathic behaviour, and her revenge against them for a heinous act.
The remainder of the book, sadly, does not live up to this beginning. Twists and turns and too much action take the story from gripping to a poor man's Hemingway: this happened, and then this happened, and then this happened... without richness of language or depth of character.
Disappointing, if not for the first 50 pages.
WHY I PICKED IT: Saw it in a bookstore, and it looked good
ELAPSED TIME: 1 week
RATING: Good
The book starts out fantastic. A teacher on the verge of retirement tells a story to her class about why she's retiring so young. This story reveals two of their peers' sociopathic behaviour, and her revenge against them for a heinous act.
The remainder of the book, sadly, does not live up to this beginning. Twists and turns and too much action take the story from gripping to a poor man's Hemingway: this happened, and then this happened, and then this happened... without richness of language or depth of character.
Disappointing, if not for the first 50 pages.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)