51 - Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, by Dai Sijie, 184 pages, Random House, 2001
WHY I PICKED IT: Picked it up in Powell's Books in Portland
ELAPSED TIME: 2 days
RATING: Very Good
This story was both a learning experience and a joy to read. I didn't know of Mao Zedong's "re-education" efforts of sending the children of the bourgeois to remote villages to learn the value of real work... the lost intellectual opportunity for a generation of children through the rejection of literature and science is sad.
Despite this backdrop, the protagonist and his best friend Luo, survive and find joy in secreted books (including Balzak's Ursule Mirouet), and a friendship with the daughter of the region's tailor.
I enjoyed this story and would wholeheartedly recommend it.
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!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
2011-50 - The Descendents, by Kaui Hart Hemmings
50 - The Descendents, by Kaui Hart Hemmings, 283 pages, Random House, 2011
WHY I PICKED IT: Picked it up in Powell's Books in Portland
ELAPSED TIME: 2days
RATING: Very Good
This is a melancholic story of a man who is trying to connect with his daughters, while saying goodbye to his wife (who is being taken off the ventilators, as directed by her living will).
The drama of the story is poignant and quite real. The experience of their interaction is phenomenally well constructed:
- That someone would "forget" that their wife and mother is slowly dying in a hospital bed, and sharing a laugh for a moment is a completely believable (especially when you consider the book starts more than 2 weeks into the Joanie's coma).
- That the death of his wife is the awakening of Matthew... that he now understands that he is responsible for his family, and for their future.
I strongly recommend this book.
WHY I PICKED IT: Picked it up in Powell's Books in Portland
ELAPSED TIME: 2days
RATING: Very Good
This is a melancholic story of a man who is trying to connect with his daughters, while saying goodbye to his wife (who is being taken off the ventilators, as directed by her living will).
The drama of the story is poignant and quite real. The experience of their interaction is phenomenally well constructed:
- That someone would "forget" that their wife and mother is slowly dying in a hospital bed, and sharing a laugh for a moment is a completely believable (especially when you consider the book starts more than 2 weeks into the Joanie's coma).
- That the death of his wife is the awakening of Matthew... that he now understands that he is responsible for his family, and for their future.
I strongly recommend this book.
2011-49 - One Day, by David Nichols
49 - One Day, by David Nichols, 435 pages, Random House Vintage Books, 2009
WHY I PICKED IT: Ling Sian recommended it
ELAPSED TIME: 6 days
RATING: Required Reading
This is the second time I've read this book, and I'm rating it higher than the initial read... The story is of Dexter and Emma's friendship... on July 15th of each year for 20-years from graduating from University, through to building careers, and figuring their way in the world.
Dex and Em are people to me now, and I will miss having them in my life.
Friday, October 21, 2011
2011-48 - The Life You Can Save, by Peter Singer
48 - The Life You Can Save, by Peter Singer, 176 pages, Random House, 2009
WHY I PICKED IT: Read an article of his on Al Jazeera, and wanted to read more.
ELAPSED TIME: 2 weeks
RATING: Good
Singer takes us through the moral reasons for giving to humanitarian relief - to save a life. He systematically breaks down the reasons why people don't give, and implores people to give more.
Interesting notes:
a) People give more when they think others have given more... so unlike what is taught in the Abrahamic faiths and modern culture where we are encouraged not to not talk about charity, he says the opposite.
b) He says that we shouldn't give because we're worried about wastage - there are organizations that track how much money is spent and how effectively... and they can be used as a guidepost.
c) He dismisses the "fair share" argument pretty compellingly - with a hypothetical situation of 10 kids drowning in a pond, and 10 adults able to help... but if only 5 step up to help, should they only save 1 life each ("it's only fair") or should they save two each because it's the right thing to do? If that's the case, shouldn't we give as much as we reasonably can afford?
d) He proposes an formula that is remarkably like progressive taxation, to determine how much he thinks each person should give - and what that would yield if only the top 10% of income earners in the USA followed it (more than $140 billion).
Overall, it was a bit preachy, and he recommends some NGOs that I don't personally love... but his fundamental premise is worthwhile, and he raises some good points (even for people who currently give money to other causes).
WHY I PICKED IT: Read an article of his on Al Jazeera, and wanted to read more.
ELAPSED TIME: 2 weeks
RATING: Good
Singer takes us through the moral reasons for giving to humanitarian relief - to save a life. He systematically breaks down the reasons why people don't give, and implores people to give more.
Interesting notes:
a) People give more when they think others have given more... so unlike what is taught in the Abrahamic faiths and modern culture where we are encouraged not to not talk about charity, he says the opposite.
b) He says that we shouldn't give because we're worried about wastage - there are organizations that track how much money is spent and how effectively... and they can be used as a guidepost.
c) He dismisses the "fair share" argument pretty compellingly - with a hypothetical situation of 10 kids drowning in a pond, and 10 adults able to help... but if only 5 step up to help, should they only save 1 life each ("it's only fair") or should they save two each because it's the right thing to do? If that's the case, shouldn't we give as much as we reasonably can afford?
d) He proposes an formula that is remarkably like progressive taxation, to determine how much he thinks each person should give - and what that would yield if only the top 10% of income earners in the USA followed it (more than $140 billion).
Overall, it was a bit preachy, and he recommends some NGOs that I don't personally love... but his fundamental premise is worthwhile, and he raises some good points (even for people who currently give money to other causes).
Sunday, October 9, 2011
2011-XX - Extreme Rambling, by Mark Thomas
XX - Extreme Rambling, by Mark Thomas, 336 pages, Ebury Press, 2011
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by my friend Chris H.
ELAPSED TIME: 7 days to read 49 pages
RATING: Meh
So I have been in a reading funk for a while... Nothing started much less finished in a month-and-a-half. With a series of flights ahead of me, I thought it would be a good opportunity to get back into it, and this book has been on my shelf for over a month waiting for me.
Sadly, despite my interest in travel writing, and my interest in world issues. This book, by an English comedian who walked the length of the barrier that Israel has erected on stolen Palestinian land just did not succeed in pulling me in.
It's not a knock against Thomas, who I'm sure shared some interesting insights... I just think I may not have been the target audience of the book (perhaps under-informed people who need the humour of his style would be better suited), or it may just be where my head is at this point.
WHY I PICKED IT: Recommended by my friend Chris H.
ELAPSED TIME: 7 days to read 49 pages
RATING: Meh
So I have been in a reading funk for a while... Nothing started much less finished in a month-and-a-half. With a series of flights ahead of me, I thought it would be a good opportunity to get back into it, and this book has been on my shelf for over a month waiting for me.
Sadly, despite my interest in travel writing, and my interest in world issues. This book, by an English comedian who walked the length of the barrier that Israel has erected on stolen Palestinian land just did not succeed in pulling me in.
It's not a knock against Thomas, who I'm sure shared some interesting insights... I just think I may not have been the target audience of the book (perhaps under-informed people who need the humour of his style would be better suited), or it may just be where my head is at this point.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
2011-47 - Finnie Walsh, by Steven Galloway
47 - Finnie Walsh, by Steven Galloway, 165 pages, Raincoast Books, 2000
WHY I PICKED IT: Rereading one of my favourites
ELAPSED TIME: <1 day
RATING: Required Reading
As a re-read, it's not a contender for the Hassan Book of 2011... but it's still one of my favourite books. Telling the story of a young boy growing up in a mill town in rural Canada. Telling the tale of his family (including his Dad who lost an arm at the mill, his clairvoyant younger sister), his best friend (Finnie Walsh), and their experience learning to play hockey.
Hockey and friendship; what else is really important?
WHY I PICKED IT: Rereading one of my favourites
ELAPSED TIME: <1 day
RATING: Required Reading
As a re-read, it's not a contender for the Hassan Book of 2011... but it's still one of my favourite books. Telling the story of a young boy growing up in a mill town in rural Canada. Telling the tale of his family (including his Dad who lost an arm at the mill, his clairvoyant younger sister), his best friend (Finnie Walsh), and their experience learning to play hockey.
Hockey and friendship; what else is really important?
Thursday, August 11, 2011
2011-46 - Amsterdam, by Ian McEwan
46 - Amsterdam, by Ian McEwan, 178 pages, Random House Vintage Books, 1999
WHY I PICKED IT: Borrowed from my friend Katrin
ELAPSED TIME: <1 day
RATING: Meh.
Wow. The first half of this book is required reading. Telling the tale of two old friends, at the funeral of a mutual ex-lover of theirs... their stories woven with such beauty to make me think of my own old friends.
But the story takes a bizarre and hateful turn; and the second half of the book reads like a bad tragic drama. With a slow-developing plot that shows these men to be self involved and self aggrandizing.
I would not recommend this book.
WHY I PICKED IT: Borrowed from my friend Katrin
ELAPSED TIME: <1 day
RATING: Meh.
Wow. The first half of this book is required reading. Telling the tale of two old friends, at the funeral of a mutual ex-lover of theirs... their stories woven with such beauty to make me think of my own old friends.
But the story takes a bizarre and hateful turn; and the second half of the book reads like a bad tragic drama. With a slow-developing plot that shows these men to be self involved and self aggrandizing.
I would not recommend this book.
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