Haenyeo is the Japanese name for the sea women who, through careful husbandry, harvest the sea through various seasons of production and restoration.Haenyeo is the Japanese name for the sea women who, through careful husbandry, harvest the sea through various seasons of production and restoration. On Jeju Island, south of mainland Korea, they called themselves jamsu, jamnyeo, or jomnyeo, which are all Jeju words. The haenyeo culture is characterized as matrifocal; that is, focused on females. They did all the difficult and dangerous work in their families and had to be in top physical form to do so, beginning their training when young: to hold their breath, develop strong, supple muscles, and expand their instincts for danger and for spotting their underwater harvests.
I know from reading the author’s note how much research was involved in this story. Before I even read how this book came about, the feeling I had was of Lisa See doing her always-exceptional historical and current research, and visiting the places she wrote about in person, but also listening to the stories of various people who remembered the period of time covered in this novel. Then, taking all of the history and the stories and stirring them with her imagination, Lisa See wove this fascinating, tragic, and utterly absorbing story.
And on the tides of trust in this author, and with a few deep breaths, I dove into this story, and I dove deep.
We are drawn into the story of Mi-ja and Young-sook who first met when they were seven years old and grew to be heart friends, sharing their deepest held secrets, their love of diving, and many adventures, including going to Russia as teenagers to dive in freezing cold waters for extra money to bring home for their families. When they are 21, a rift occurs and although they continue to be buoyed by their loving bond, the seeds of suspicion and distrust are planted.
Through the eyes, hearts, and experiences of two young girls who mature and grow into women with their own families, we are transported seamlessly between the past when they were younger, through and into a time 70 years onward. The culture and history of Jeju Island is both tragic and triumphant.
Tragic, because there was always some government somewhere wanting to take control of the Island due to its strategic military location. Decades of living in fear, of poverty, restrictions, and wars would surely wear down any group of people. Triumphant because, like the inspiring haenyeo with their amazing abilities, again and again these Island people propelled themselves from the depths and to the surface.
I loved everything about this novel: the story, the characters, the setting, and the many, many things I learned. There are heart-rending and catastrophic events in this story, and there were several times when I had to pause in my reading to absorb the shock of what these characters that I grew to love went through. At the same time, it is a testament and tribute to the resilience of the human spirit that will stay within my heart for always.
With gratitude to Simon and Schuster Canada, Scribner and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this novel, and to the author, Lisa See: the only author who could have written this story. Its publication date is March 05, 2019....more
Words have power. We readers know that as we find ourselves moved to tears, beside ourselves with outrage, or smiling at the foibles of our fellow humWords have power. We readers know that as we find ourselves moved to tears, beside ourselves with outrage, or smiling at the foibles of our fellow humans – and ourselves.
Spoken words have power, too. Charismatic leaders and fanatic leaders know this, and know exactly how to put their words across to increase their own power. Generating and maintaining fear is one way to do it; taking credit for improvements that are actually the result of a previous leader’s efforts is common; and so is scapegoating.
Scapegoating is probably the most insidious and destructive use of words ever. Take a problem that you know concerns the largest number of people, find a scapegoat group of people, and in speech after speech, in written words and spoken words, on film or any media available, and the weak and ignorant and fearful masses will follow this leader into the maw of hell.
Does any of this sound familiar? It should. History tells us these are the tactics Adolf Hitler used to justify mass genocide – “intentional action to destroy a people in whole or in part” according to Wikipedia. Destroying people either physically and/or in their souls.
This little book was published in the United States in 1938 and became a classic in the author’s own lifetime. Its popularity was instant and far-reaching for the time, yet it wasn’t until many decades later that it reached continental Europe. Since its initial publication it has surged into popularity again and again because of the truths it bears – and the warnings.
World War II has been over for more than 70 years. When the war ended, everyone everywhere said, “Never again.” Did we mean it or are they just more words?...more
Professor P. R. Chandrasekhar has been leading the kind of life he prescribed for himself 45 years earlier when he left India at the age of 24. With aProfessor P. R. Chandrasekhar has been leading the kind of life he prescribed for himself 45 years earlier when he left India at the age of 24. With a few alterations. He is 69 years old and although he is Professor Emeritus in Economics at a college in Oxford, the big prize, the one he has worked so hard for, has been elusive. His marriage fell apart a few years before when his wife left him for another man. They, and the Professor’s youngest daughter Jaz (Jasmine) live in Colorado which makes it difficult for regular physical contact.
His ex-wife calls him Charles, most people call him Chandra (or Professor Chandra), and sometimes Chandu. Chandra’s son, Sunny (Sunil) is in Hong Kong doing some kind of business seminars, and what’s worse, he is very successful at it and doesn’t hesitate to let his father know. Chandra is estranged from his eldest daughter, Rad (Radha), and with Jasmine so far away, Chandra assesses his life and finds it wanting. He works harder and believes that if he can reach his goal of ultimate success, the rest of his life will fall into place as well.
Then, he is in an accident. With a bicycle. He ends up in hospital because he also had a “silent” heart attack. His doctor is American and lets him know quite firmly that he is not to return to work for several months. He advises him to take a sabbatical, and cheerily suggests he “follow his bliss”.
This story has humour in it but it definitely isn’t comic. The humour is often dry – the kind where you blink and you might miss it, but you have a grin on your face anyway. It is also witty, and sometimes I could envision a winking emoji lurking somewhere in there.
For me, this novel is first and foremost about an older professional man who has an epiphany of sorts and begins to look at his life, and himself, with lenses that seem to be a stronger prescription than before.
His epiphany isn’t like a big light bulb going on over his head. It is more like a faulty set of Christmas lights with miniature bulbs that light up in a pattern – only the pattern seems to keep changing. The adventures that Chandra experiences in pursuit of the faulty little bulb (or bulbs) in the light string results in one of the most entertaining and engaging books I have read.
The author, Rajeev Balasubramanyam, is a hugely talented writer. To write about someone who is at a crossroad of crises in their life is not an easy undertaking. To do so with compassion, humour, deep insight, knowledge and wisdom is a glorious accomplishment.
With gratitude to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this novel. Its publication date is March 26, 2019....more
Becoming is a memoir of a famous person, Michelle Obama, the first black First Lady in the United States who lived with her husband, President BarackBecoming is a memoir of a famous person, Michelle Obama, the first black First Lady in the United States who lived with her husband, President Barack Obama, and their two daughters, Malia and Sacha in the White House for eight years. During that time, alongside taking care of her family, Michelle Obama managed to accomplish four major initiatives as First Lady to help improve people’s lives and well-being.
The first thing that struck me when I was partway into the book is how her background and her first years resonated so strongly. She is relatable, plain and simple. I could relate to her and her experiences as a woman, yet there is no doubt in my mind that a great deal of her story will also resonate with men. On a personal level, partway through the book I went online and discovered that Michelle Obama’s birthday is 3 days before my Dad’s, and Barack Obama’s birthday is the same day as my Mom’s.
Regardless of color, religion, sex, age, or any of the other ‘discriminators’ that still cling to our so-called advanced societies, each one of us makes our way into the world with a desire to accomplish something. Whether those accomplishments take place on a very small scale or a large scale matters not. Whether those accomplishments are on the dark side, the low road of stepping on top of others to gain lift matters a lot.
It is the attitude of optimism and gratitude for our lives and opportunities that drives us to make a positive impact. We also somehow magnetize the mentors we need to help us along the way. This is the story of a woman who came from very humble beginnings and spent the largest part of her life in the cause of elevating others into a better life because she, too, had positive mentors and people who showed her possible doors and helped her to open them. From my perspective, it was during this process of passing along the good she experienced in her life that her own life became more elevated, too.
I can’t even count the number of times that tears came to my eyes while reading Michelle Obama’s story. Tears of recognition and empathy, but also because her story touched my heart over and over again in incident after incident, and event after event.
At one point, I was reading along as Michelle Obama described their eldest daughter Malia’s 10th Birthday – a July 4th day in the midst of the high-tension campaign that Barak Obama was involved in. Near the end of their long day of campaigning, participating in the town’s July 4th celebrations, talking with people, shaking hands, and making connections with as many people as they could, all they had energy for was a thrown-together private party for their daughter at the end of the day. While reading this, I could feel a tightness in my diaphragm . . . I had a feeling I knew what was coming . . . and then she described the look she and Barak Obama exchanged, a tired and rueful “we really blew it, didn’t we” look. At that moment Malia came over, plopped herself in her daddy’s lap and said, “This is the best birthday ever”! I lost it.
There is so much in this memoir that is inspiring, interesting, fascinating even. I could write an entire short story on everything this book gifted me. Instead, if you haven’t already, I urge you to read it. It is a remarkable story that is uplifting and, despite all odds, all the hurdles, and all that has followed since the Obama family left the White House, it remains hopeful, and it re-kindled hope in my own heart. ...more
Update: Friends, as I had hoped, this novel did win the National Book Award for 2018. (See comments below where Wyndy first brought it to my attentioUpdate: Friends, as I had hoped, this novel did win the National Book Award for 2018. (See comments below where Wyndy first brought it to my attention that it was nominated.) This is such a well-deserved honour for this author and this novel - I hope the Award inspires all those who may have hesitated to read this.
Of the last four books I have read, three have been about loss and grief. It is another of those serendipities that I value as a reader and by itself gives cause for reflection.
This book does the same. Many times I paused to ponder the words, phrases, and sentences I was reading.
There are no names in this story save for one. Apollo is a harlequin Great Dane dog who comes to the woman when her friend and mentor of many years dies, and Wife Three cannot cope with the deep mourning of this left-behind pet.
This novel presented a puzzle to me as well as a beautiful, well-told story. Is she writing a letter to her friend and mentor who died? Is she writing a book? A biography of her friend, the writer, perhaps? Are these thoughts and ideas ones that come to her and she records them in her journal? It could be any one of those – or all of them. I never found out for certain, and ultimately, it does not matter.
The woman is mourning. That is for certain. The dog is in mourning – that is certain, too. Between the two of them, with the threat of eviction hanging over their heads (the woman’s apartment does not allow dogs), they immerse themselves in each other’s grief and seek healing. First for themselves, and then for each other. Or, maybe for each other with the by-product a healing for themselves.
The passages on writing are extraordinary, contradictory at times, and remind us exactly how subjective certain aspects of life and death are. I personally do not know of a family that has not been touched by suicide at one time or another. Through this woman’s literary quotes and musings of her own, I came to understand suicide at levels I had not even thought of before.
There are passages on the relationship between Apollo and the woman, and their many ups and downs in the process of building a relationship that would serve them both. The woman is reminded many times during this novel of small stories about people she knew, not just her friend and mentor, but others who sparked more recollections that connected with her present moments.
There are also many passages on writers and writing; on readers and reading. Here is one small piece that had an impact on me (as did so much of the writing). I hope that even removed from context, its meaning comes through. The woman, as is the case in most of this story, is addressing her friend:
But the truth was, you had become so dismayed by the ubiquity of careless reading that something had happened that you had thought never could happen: you had started not to care whether people read you or not. And though you knew your publisher would spit in your eye for saying so, you were inclined to agree with whoever it was who said that no truly good book would find more than three thousand readers.
I am not sure how so much managed to be housed in the pages of this book of less than 200 pages. It is almost like opening a box that has many smaller boxes inside it. The box isn’t big, but it can hold many, many more containers within. I highly recommend finding a copy of this as soon as you can, and I hope that your explorations reveal as many gold nuggets and gemstones as it did for me.
Edited to add: This novel is on the list (voting is tomorrow, I believe) for the National Book Award for fiction! Thank you so much to our friend Wyndy who posted this link: http://lithub.com/meet-national-book......more
Corrag is in a dark cell with shackles on her wrists, chained to the wall. It is winter, but as soon as the Spring thaw arrives, she will be burned atCorrag is in a dark cell with shackles on her wrists, chained to the wall. It is winter, but as soon as the Spring thaw arrives, she will be burned at the stake as a witch.
Reverend Charles Leslie, adopting his wife’s maiden name for a disguise, arrives in the town to find out information about the Glencoe massacre of the MacDonald clan in Scotland. He is hoping to utilize this information to help restore James Stuart to the throne. He has heard of the witch in her cell and that she knew what had happened in the Highlands, so as much as it appalled him as a man of God to speak with a witch, speak with her he must.
What follows is a story that is amazing, mesmerizing, filled with many burdens and hardships, yet also filled with incredible light and beauty. For Corrag wants to tell this man her own story and how it entwined with the story of the MacDonalds.
Each day, in prose that initially repulsed the Reverend, she told her tale. She could neither read nor write, but her words are filled with the splendor of nature and creatures of the earth, sky, and water. Each evening, the Reverend would write letters to his wife – about how much he missed her and their sons, but also small bits about the imprisoned witch. Those small bits began to take up more of his writing space as Corrag’s story progressed.
What an incredible journey this novel is. I was grateful for each new day of her story, both for the glorious prose and for her perceptions of her own care-worn life. Also, because it meant that her gruesome death had not yet come for her. I was conscious of the underlying darkness of her imminent death throughout the story, yet it only served to enhance further the magnificence and joys she came across.
Corrag’s life changed others’ lives - even that of the Reverend who heard her tale and jotted it down with his ink and quill. Her story touched my own life, resonated with me, and changed my life, too.
Thank you to Candi for recommending this book as we exchanged comments on another review she had written. You were so right: I loved this novel!!...more
Florence says, ”I have never done anything remarkable. I’ve never climbed a mountain or won a medal, and I have never stood on a stage and been listeFlorence says, ”I have never done anything remarkable. I’ve never climbed a mountain or won a medal, and I have never stood on a stage and been listened to, or crossed a finishing line before anyone else.
I have led a quite extraordinary life.”
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect while reading this novel. Some of my Goodreads Friends loved it, and others didn’t care for it as much. So, I just sent my fingers through the door to find the light switch, and oh my! This book stirred me to the depths of my being. From the very beginning through to the end, I was captivated.
”You never really know it’s the final page, do you, until you get there?”
Florence is admitted into a care home very much against her wishes. Her friend Elsie is with her and she meets Mrs. Honeyman, who is also connected to their past as well as Jack, who has assigned himself the task of helping Florence sort out her life’s biggest mystery. Although Florence’s mind can be very sharp, she has large memory gaps from her past that are endangering her present.
”I never thought I would lose the horizon along with everything else, but it’s only when you get old that you realise whichever direction you choose to face, you find yourself confronted with a landscape filled up with loss.”
Miss Bissell and Miss Ambrose threaten Florence with being sent to Greenbank (a stricter supervised home) from her current residence in Cherry Tree, even though there is not even one cherry tree on the property. Florence observes, ”It’s the kind of name you give to these places, though. Woodlands, Oak Court, Pine Lodge. They’re often named after trees for some reason. It’s the same with mental health units. Forests full of forgotten people, waiting to be found again.”
Gabriel Price, aka Ronnie Butler to Florence, moves in to Cherry Tree and adds to her confusion and inability to recall large periods of time. All Florence knows for sure is that she doesn’t like him, and more than that, she fears him, and the more her fears take hold, the further the past disappears into a dark place.
The writing and the characterizations are both simply outstanding. I have cut my notes and quotes in half from what they were originally, and yet I could go on for pages about this lovely, sad, joyful, tragic, and celebratory novel.
At one point, Elsie reminds Florence of ‘the long second’: ”It’s when you catch the clock holding on to a second so it lasts just a fraction longer than it should. When the world gives you just a little bit more time to make the right decision. There are long seconds all over the place. We just don’t always notice them.”
Elsie also reminds Florence of who she was, and therefore is within herself: ”There was a kindness about you, even then. As if someone took all the kindness other people discard and ignore, and leave lying about, and stuffed it into you for safekeeping.”
Elsie was always Florence’s best friend. More gregarious and outgoing, Elsie also protected Florence in so many ways.
”So I would leave it to [Elsie], and spend my time listening to the leftovers of other people’s conversations. The only problem is, I’ve spent so long standing at the edge that when I finally turn away, I doubt there is anyone in this world who will even notice.”
Florence, Elsie, and Jack visit a library to find out information about Gabriel Price. ”Who knew there were so many stories that needed telling? The shelves stretched as far as you could peer, and above our heads was a whole second floor of adventures. ‘Where do we even start?’ I said. ‘Local history,’ said Jack, and he disappeared through a gap between the Iron Age and Elizabethan England.”
Florence tells Jack she is a bad person - flawed and damaged. Jack says: ”Of course you are.” I looked at him. “We all are. Every one of us is damaged. We need the faults, the breaks, the fracture lines.” “We do?” I said. “Of course we do. However else would all the light get in?”
I could see Elsie smiling at us. “You can’t define yourself by a single moment.” Jack held my hand very tightly. I could feel him shaking. “That moment doesn’t make you who you are.” “Then what does?” I said. “Oh, Florence. Everything else,” he said. “Everything else.”
This brilliant, captivating novel is about the cracks and breaks in Florence and Elsie’s lives, but most of all it is about the ‘everything else’ that Jack spoke of. This wonderful novel is a must-read if you enjoy intricate and poignant novels about people who feel so real, you can touch them. More importantly, they can, and do, touch you....more
This is a novel about the after-shock of WWII in the lives of one family. I don’t know if the rest of the Allies experienced it the same way, but in EThis is a novel about the after-shock of WWII in the lives of one family. I don’t know if the rest of the Allies experienced it the same way, but in Europe, the adjustment period was in many ways as cruel and fierce and bloody as the war itself. And it went on for years.
Nathaniel (14) and his sister Rachel (16) inherited much of that chaotic time. As Nathaniel narrates his recollections of this period in their lives, I felt such a deep sadness for these two. The teen years can be challenging enough without the added confusions of a father supposedly pursuing business interests in Asia, and a mother who supposedly joined him, yet left her trunk behind buried under boxes and tarps in the basement of their home.
They were supposed to be in boarding school while their upstairs neighbour, nicknamed The Moth by the teenagers, held the home together. It didn’t last long as neither Nathaniel nor Rachel wanted to be in their respective boarding schools. Without fuss, The Moth withdrew them and entered them as day students - and thus began the strangest part of their teen years.
Is this a coming-of-age story? Yes, and no. After experiencing much of their teen years through Nathaniel’s recollections, there is a leap from the time Nathaniel is about 18 until about a decade later.
Is this a spy story? Yes, and no. There is definitely undercover work involved and many strange people and incidents that Nathaniel doesn’t put together until he is a young adult.
Is this a love story? Yes, and no. There is love involved – between family members, between young people and older people; yet again – many of the relationships are a puzzle to Nathaniel and he always feels too many of the pieces are missing to see what the finished product is supposed to look like.
Warlight. This refers to the way entire hamlets, villages, and cities were blanketed in darkness during the war. For me, Nathaniel’s efforts to understand and piece together his life in a way that makes sense was the same: blanketed by blackout curtains and coverings, blocking the light on the other side and preventing him from seeing what he seeks.
This story is sad, poignant and completely without drama. In the end, I had a feeling that I had just listened to someone’s story of their life – as accurately told as possible from their point of view. Simultaneously, I felt the pathos of knowing that all the other people involved in the story would have their own perspective on the events of that time – and that all of them would be as real and true to their lives as Nathaniel’s story was for him.
For me, this book solidified my impressions of Michael Ondaatje’s status as a genius of storytelling. His brilliant writing never gets in the way of the story and I feel that is why this book touched me so deeply. I am still reeling with the realities that these people experienced and their acceptance of their lives as ones they may not have chosen, but ones that chose them.
This book gave me much to ponder as I read, and I am sure that I will not forget it any time soon. I highly recommend this for readers who prefer depth and fresh perspectives in their reading. ...more
Note: This is the second of a two-part 'series' that began with Doc
As it says in this book, “Every Tombstone needs an Epitaph”. This is said about theNote: This is the second of a two-part 'series' that began with Doc
As it says in this book, “Every Tombstone needs an Epitaph”. This is said about the newspaper John Clum decided to establish in Tombstone, Arizona. The year was 1880 and the Earp brothers were already getting themselves set up in the town with their wives.
We learn more about the wives of the Earps (most of them through common law) and what their experiences were during this time of boom and bust that the American frontier was experiencing. We find out more about their backgrounds, where they came from, and their families.
We also learn more about the notoriously fascinating 30 seconds that is still talked about, analyzed, and argued: the shootout at the O. K. Corral. Although it actually took place closer to the back of the Photography shop, the shop’s name was too long and not euphonious, so the O. K. Corral it became and will likely always remain so.
Although the worst of the “Cow Boys” (which is what they called themselves and were referred to by others) were not the ones killed at the O. K. Corral, the instigators were decidedly drunk and refusing to give up their weapons in the town. Wyatt Earp was a Marshall and had deputized his brothers Morgan and Virgil as well as Doc Holliday to help disarm the men and send them on their way. The action was taken due to pleas and pressure by the mining magnate of the area whose pay strongboxes were targets. Wells Fargo was also requesting help to prevent the Cow Boys from stealing the strongboxes they transported. There were many local businesses and ordinary citizens who had also had enough of being terrorized by this outlaw element.
It is interesting that with so many people – even influential people - urging that the laws be upheld, and to do whatever it took to make that happen, there was not only an inquest but also a trial, with Wyatt Earp and his deputies the accused. The Judge could see clearly what was happening and found in favour of the lawmen. Unfortunately, that only added more fuel to the threats and altercations that made life in Tombstone so treacherous for those who were attempting to make it a safer place to live.
Then, a couple of severe attacks on the Earp brothers took place that changed Wyatt Earp completely. He was finished with being quiet, polite, and using his inner authority to persuade outlaws to move on. He was fueled by a rage he could no longer contain – even had he wanted to.
The research and writing of this book is Mary Doria Russell at her best. The saga unfolds with perfect pacing – times of intense action or suspense merge seamlessly with idyllic and sweet moments. The story continues on – past Tombstone and into other towns and cities-to-be that are experiencing booms, one after the other. Then comes the big bust – twenty years after the national economic disasters of 1873, the same thing happens in 1893.
Ms Russell carries us along with her momentum as we read the stories of some of America’s most famous – and infamous – outriders and would-be entrepreneurs of the late 1800's through to their own time of epitaphs. In the case of some of them, such as Doc Holliday, this came at a young age. In the case of Wyatt Earp and his wife, Josie (aka Sadie to those who loved her), much later in life.
I loved this book. The story and how it is told within these pages was completely engaging for me, and I would definitely recommend it to people who enjoy fact-based historical fiction that is beautifully written, and where we are invited to experience a time in history that continues to ignite the imagination over one hundred years later....more
Jack, age 11 and his sisters, Joy (9) and Merry (2) are told to stay in the broken down car while their mother went to find a call box and get help. SJack, age 11 and his sisters, Joy (9) and Merry (2) are told to stay in the broken down car while their mother went to find a call box and get help. She never returned. A couple of years later, their father left to get milk from the store. He didn’t return either.
Jack knew that with no adults in the house the siblings would be split up into foster care. His efforts to take on the responsibility of holding the family together led him to become a young burglar. Joy could not face being abandoned twice and became a hoarder: newspapers stacked everywhere throughout the house with only tiny pathways to maneuver, most of them with stories of her mother’s disappearance, but also any and every issue that the newsstand could produce, just in case something new appeared. Merry read a lot of books and, at Jack’s instruction and with his help, mowed the lawn and kept the windows shiny so no-one would suspect what was going on inside the house.
During the course of one of his burglaries, Jack almost gets caught – but he also discovers what he is convinced is evidence of his mother’s murder. He is wanted as a burglar, and despite efforts to direct the police toward the evidence he feels he has discovered, that doesn’t work out. So he comes up with a new plan.
The bulk of this story takes place in Taunton, Somerset (Zummerzet is how I recall locals pronouncing it when I visited many years ago) and Tiverton, Devon. Although they are in two different areas, the distance between them is only 21 miles or 34 kms.
This story is obviously very sad and has many tragic effects on the Bright family. At the same time, there are comic moments that are both chuckle-worthy and poignant. My feelings about the various characters in this book kept changing, too – with the majority of them, including the family, I continuously flipped back and forth between liking them and not liking them – all for different reasons. I also think that everyone who reads this will have at least one favourite character, and possibly more.
The emotional rollercoaster that Belinda Bauer sets us on is a large part of what makes this novel such a treasure. The mysteries (and yes, there are several), kept me tapping my screen to find out how one thread would unravel, only to find hidden threads within the mess of fabric. Onward. Ever onward, no matter how hopeless things might appear.
I adored this book and how it was written. There are no fancy frills or poetic moments here (except maybe for poetic justice, if that counts) – and yet my thoughts, feelings, and imagination were all held captive until the very end.
I highly recommend this novel to everyone who enjoys a solid, unique story peopled by fascinating characters, and written with heart....more
This novel is weird, wacky, and on the wild side of wonderful. The author, Anthony Horowitz, did not only write this book, he is in this book. In faThis novel is weird, wacky, and on the wild side of wonderful. The author, Anthony Horowitz, did not only write this book, he is in this book. In fact, he is writing the book more or less as it is happening. I think.
All those W’s in my first sentence aside, this is not a funny book – although there is humour in it at times. What it is: deviously clever and fiendishly brilliant. There are accidental deaths, murders, and a great deal of confusion because there are so many linked parts in the chain of events. Yet, just as we see another link up ahead, without warning, the link that initially looked so solid turns out to be fragile. Broken, in fact.
I was delighted to read about how the author came to follow an ex-detective all over London and other parts of England as a documentarian. Instead of on film, though, this documentary is written – the detective wants the book to be about his solving this particular case. There are also references to work Anthony Horowitz had previously done – like his children’s book series, his television script writing, and my favourite – references to The House of Silk which I had just read a couple of weeks ago.
As always, Anthony Horowitz kept the fast pace of this mystery story sprinting along. There are clues along the way, and even knowing the significance of some of them, it is still difficult to put everything together without one last piece of information that we find out when it is almost too late.
Is everything in this book true? Maybe yes, maybe no. In the end, each reader will have to decide that for him or herself, and frankly, it doesn’t even matter. It is simply a smashingly good read that knocked my socks off – in winter, no less. (Here, not in the book). I only have one querulous question: Mr. Horowitz, can you please write more books, only faster?? ...more
”My goal was not to write ‘about’ Alzheimer’s but to use Alzheimer’s disease as a way to explore the way we live our lives, how we love, create famil”My goal was not to write ‘about’ Alzheimer’s but to use Alzheimer’s disease as a way to explore the way we live our lives, how we love, create families, survive, and endure.” – Marita Golden
Mission accomplished.
Marita Golden tells a story that held me in thrall. It unfolds boldly, steadily, with a grounded prose that had me absorbing it like a sponge.
Diane and Gregory Tate faced challenges from the beginning. Diane was a lawyer when they met but for all her success, she was caged in by her past. More to the point, by how she felt about herself because of her past. Gregory was in the process of launching his architecture company with his friend Mercer, filled with hope and confidence despite the difficulty of breaking into the small, tight arena of black architects in Washington, D. C. Their relationship was almost over before it began, yet somehow they found their way together.
Eventually, their family expands with the addition of their two children: daughter Lauren decides to pursue a path that follows in her father’s footsteps. Sean struggles to find a place for himself until he determines that his dyslexia doesn’t have to define him. He, too, follows in his father’s footsteps – except he finds his direction in manifesting into reality the plans and dreams that families and companies have for their homes and businesses via his own construction company.
Then Alzheimer’s disease enters their lives – subtly and on stealthy feet at first, then gathering momentum and tightening its grip until the entire family is encompassed in the horror of its possession.
We are also taken back in time and learn the early stories of the younger Diane and Gregory. For me, it created a poignant and touching contrast to the maelstrom of their present lives and I was deeply moved.
This book is one of the most heartbreaking – and inspiring – books I have read this year. It is powerful with love and fear. It is immersive on every level. It is ferocious with inspiration and hope in the face of a monstrous, all-encompassing disease that doctors dread more than cancer.
This is a story that we can all benefit from, whether Alzheimer’s disease has invaded our families or not. I highly recommend it to everyone. ...more
These connected stories are about young men in their late teens and early twenties doing their best to carry the weight of a brutal war on their shoulThese connected stories are about young men in their late teens and early twenties doing their best to carry the weight of a brutal war on their shoulders, along with dozens of pounds of field kit and weaponry. They carry so much weight it is hard to even imagine how they could walk the miles they did, crossing rivers, muddy streams, up hills and down into valleys, somehow placing one foot in front of the other while their eyes and ears scan for danger.
The equipment is not all they carry. Some carry guilt, some carry cowardice, some carry aggression, some carry courage, some carry fear, some carry righteousness, some carry hatred, and some carry doubt. Of all the feelings they carry, the weight of futility has to be the hardest to bear. Maybe futility isn’t the right word. They carry with them the knowledge that where they are and what they are doing is all the choice they have. Short of doing damage to themselves to be airlifted out of there, they all carry the weight of being stuck.
These stories don’t stop with the horror and macabre humour of being part of a platoon of young men in war. There is also a story about what one of them experienced after the war. His need to talk about it and his inability to do so. His recognition that he needs purposeful work versus his doubt that any such thing exists any more.
Tim O’Brien’s writing is exceptional. With one sentence he can cut to the heart of an event. Occasionally he uses repetition of a scene or sequence that made me feel I was there, living it, then re-living the shock of it, trying to find the sense in it.
This book does not go into the politics of war and does not mention the hawks sitting behind huge desks with lovely scenery outside their windows, busy directing traffic regardless of what the cost in human lives may be. So, I won’t go into it, either.
This book is about being in the thick of the traffic – driving blind in a night so dark there is no difference between eyes-open and eyes-closed. It is about not knowing – if you have enough gas, if a tire will blow, if the vehicle will overheat, if it will be blown up into the trees or bogged down and sunk in a field of sewage. It is about being one of many little vehicles with two legs and heavy burdens to carry and not knowing if you will ever see home again.
This was a Traveling Sisters Group read with Brenda, Diane, JanB, Marialyce, and Nikki. This was a great choice for a Group read and discussion and I enjoyed it a lot. For more reviews of this book as well as many others, visit the Sisters blog at http://twogirlslostinacouleereading.......more
I have a difficult time reading some works of historical fiction that are based on real characters. My worst experiences are always when an author choI have a difficult time reading some works of historical fiction that are based on real characters. My worst experiences are always when an author chooses to use scandal, innuendo, rumours, and gossip as though they are fact. So, I was a bit worried about how this book and I would get along.
Much to my delight, this novel is a tender and loving tribute to Charles Dickens as Ms Silva tells her own story about how “A Christmas Carol” came to be. In her author’s note, she mentions that she appreciated the work of Charles Dickens’ biographers; yet to tell the story she was moved to tell, she played “fast and loose” with people and situations in the book.
I, for one, am very glad that she did so. I almost felt as though Ms Silva was channeling Mr. Dickens and/or his own spirit was at her elbow guiding the process along.
This is a beautiful story, even bearing in mind the times about which it was written. In true Dickens fashion, her descriptive prose had me right there in the thick of London at the time: walking the streets with Charles Dickens, seeing what he saw, hearing what he heard, and the scents and smells of both poverty and comfortable lifestyles as vividly painted as if by the master himself.
The story is not only inspiring and deeply moving, but it is also written with a gently robust energy to it and a subtle poetic flourish at times. I loved every word of this novel. As I mentioned before, at times, I truly felt as though Charles Dickens were dictating it. What an amazing experience to feel and sense all that he was experiencing – and with such authenticity.
There were parts where tears came to my eyes, and parts where I could no longer see for tears. I am grateful to both Charles Dickens and Samantha Silva for this unique and wonder-filled experience. What an amazing way to move into Christmas: with a heart filled to overflowing with well-being, love, and hope....more
“There are days when I come home from arid writing when all that can save me is ‘Honeysuckle Rose’ by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelly perform“There are days when I come home from arid writing when all that can save me is ‘Honeysuckle Rose’ by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelly performing with the Hot Club of France. 1935. 1936. 1937.”
Side Note: I can understand these sentiments precisely. Whether the river of creativity expresses for an individual through the medium of words, of music, of putting together plumbing pipes, of performing intricate surgery or dance steps; no matter the form of individual creativity, music can help a person to focus, to rejuvenate, to resuscitate.
Grappelly was the ‘anglicized’ version of the master violinist’s name but later, he changed it back to its original spelling: Grappelli. I was fortunate enough to attend a concert featuring Stephane Grappelli with my music agent. It was the early 1980’s and we were right in front of the barely elevated stage in a small, intimate venue in Vancouver. He played his famous style of “gypsy jazz” or “manouche jazz” and I was spellbound. /End of Side Note
“A man walks as fast as a camel. Two and a half miles an hour. If lucky he would come upon ostrich eggs. If unlucky, a sandstorm would erase everything. He walked for three days without any food . . . . . May God make safety your companion, Madox had said. Good-bye. A wave. There is God only in the desert, he wanted to acknowledge that now. Outside of this there was just trade and power, money and war. Financial and military despots shaped the world.”
It is interesting how timeless – and timely – this novel is. The characters in this novel face life-changing times during the middle to late 1930’s and early to middle 1940’s, the truest timing for the second World War. War does not begin when someone says, “We are at war.” It begins when the chess pieces are first taken out of the box and begin to be arrayed in their assigned places on the boards.
Real war also doesn’t end with “checkmate”. After that point, analysis takes place, chess pieces are sometimes taken through a re-run of a particular move. When all the cogitating is done, the pieces remaining on the board still need to go home.
This novel is romantic in two senses. It does have love stories within it. However, it also follows the romanticism sensibilities of individualism, strong emotion, and exploring the past with eyes that have one lens in idealism and one lens firmly grounded in bitter reality. Some of the characters in the book find the point of convergence between these two areas on the spectrum and that all of this takes place in under 300 pages astounds me.
The story in this novel is heart-rending and it is also laced with hope. The writing is sublime, with the poetic rhythms that Michael Ondaatje’s prose is noted for. The English Patient won the Man Booker prize in 1992 and the Governor General’s Award. It also won the Golden Man Booker prize this year. The prizes are well deserved and I hope this novel continues to be read and enjoyed for many years to come. I also hope that it is digested and that it will serve as a cautionary tale for future generations....more
This story tugged at many heartstrings many times over while reading it. Rusty (Russell) Harry is the narrator of the story and his perspective drew mThis story tugged at many heartstrings many times over while reading it. Rusty (Russell) Harry is the narrator of the story and his perspective drew me in, enraptured me, and held me captive to what would happen next.
When he was a baby, his father left him with his sister, brother-in-law, and two nephews in Phoenix, Arizona while he did his best to pull together his saloon, The Medicine Lodge, in Gros Ventre, Montana. Tom (Thomas) Harry made frequent trips to take his son on vacations together but Rusty remembers his time in Phoenix as torture – excepting those precious vacations with his father. His uncle was hardly ever at home, his aunt so busy and preoccupied she didn’t notice her sons’ gleeful mischief and mistreatment of the much smaller boy. Rusty did his best not to cave to the pressure of not knowing when he would be set upon next, but it was tough going.
Suddenly, when he is six years old, his father comes to take him home to Gros Ventre. His entire life takes on new dimensions and he and his father rub along very well as senior and junior bachelors together for years. Then the summer holidays when Rusty is twelve, his life and his father’s change radically. Everything was still in its place – the saloon that kept them fed, the home that offered them a place to rest – but people started appearing in their lives that changed them both.
Rusty met his best friend and soul mate, strangers from the past pop up in their lives and shift things around – some may or may not be related to them, which adds to the confusion for Rusty. He also finds out his father is famous, relatively speaking, and that is part of the disturbance in their lives. Suddenly other people want time with Tom and some even want to lay claim to him.
The storytelling in this novel is flawless and all I wanted to do was be in the story 24/7. Just like Rusty’s life, however, other things in my world pulled me away several times. Even so, each time I picked up this book again the story wrapped me up in its humour, its mysteries, its thoughts and feelings as experienced by 12 year old Rusty.
This novel cements it for me: Ivan Doig is a fabulous storyteller and the speech patterns, rhythms, and odd phrases (many double negatives) felt so real in the conversations between characters that the narrative flowed with exceptional authenticity.
I highly recommend this to everyone who loves great storytelling, endearing characters, and writing that keeps you immersed throughout. What a wonderful reading experience this is! ...more
This novel is so moving, so relatable, and so tragic that I can’t imagine any reader being left untouched by its six narrators and the fierce, loving,This novel is so moving, so relatable, and so tragic that I can’t imagine any reader being left untouched by its six narrators and the fierce, loving, and horrific story they share in the telling.
I found this story so gripping that I could barely stand to put it down; so filled with potential tragedy and disaster that I reluctantly picked it up again. Yet, I was compelled to do so. There is no way in the world that I could close my eyes and heart to this story without suffering in my ignorance. I had to know, I had to be there with these people, I had to find out how their stories would end.
Hillary Jordan spent seven years writing this book and I can only imagine the emotional turmoil she experienced while writing these people’s perspectives. During the time written about in Mississippi, World War II was also related with fresh voices. Narrated by Ronsel, we learn of the 10’s of thousands of black men who fought in the war for the U.S., who achieved military honours and status designations that are rarely heard about.
We learn of how they are treated as heroes and as equals by the people they met in Europe, and how they returned home – not heroes – but with demands that they lower their eyes, leave a store by the back door, sit in the back of a truck or a car or a bus; say, “Yassuh” when addressed by a white person.
From Henry, Laura, Florence and Hap we learn about the farming methods back then and how challenging it was for anyone to make a decent living in an area subject to extremes in weather and rivers flooding. We learn not just about people’s needs, such as food, shelter, health, and for love, but also their wants – and how basic wants can sometimes create havoc in obtaining basic needs.
From Jamie we learn about the dangers of taking on the status quo – when even doing the right thing (and things one wants to do for themselves) can have unbelievably shocking consequences for oneself, but even more so for others.
There is so much to learn about in this book – some that is familiar, and some set in a frame that is far less known and far less discussed.
This novel and the people who drive the story forward will remain in my heart and memory for a long time to come. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who has not yet read it. The only requirement is an open mind and an open heart – this story and the people in it will do all the rest....more
”In Shaker Heights there was a plan for everything. When the city had been laid out in 1912 [it was] one of the first planned communities in the nati”In Shaker Heights there was a plan for everything. When the city had been laid out in 1912 [it was] one of the first planned communities in the nation . . . in fact, [Cleveland’s] motto was ‘Most communities just happen; the best are planned’: the underlying philosophy being that everything could – and should – be planned out, and that by doing so you could avoid the unseemly, the unpleasant, and the disastrous.”
Bill and Elena Richardson made plans for their future almost as soon as they met in college. Good jobs, a house, children, and a successful, busy, and happy life. Their children arrived one year after the other: Lexie, Trip, Moody, and Izzy. They have a large home in a development called Shaker Heights on the outskirts of Cleveland, Ohio. Elena’s family moved there almost at the inception of the development. She had also inherited a duplex in the development that she rented out to people she felt were deserving of a break and hand-picked her tenants with care.
When Mia Warren and her daughter Pearl arrive to rent the upper floor of the duplex, Elena Richardson is sure they will be perfect: a struggling artist who is a single mother with a bright teenage daughter the same age as her (Mrs. Richardson’s) son Moody.
This novel is a story with multiple characters – individuals that we come to know intimately. I was drawn in by the first paragraph and this story kept me in thrall the entire time. As deeply as we come to know and care about these characters, Ms Ng cleverly refers to some of them by their last names, prefixed by Mr. and/or Mrs. The effect of this was of always keeping them at a slight distance even while we become totally wrapped up in their lives - both inner and outer.
”To a parent, your child wasn’t just a person: your child was a place, a kind of Narnia, a vast eternal place where the present you were living and the past you remembered and the future you longed for all existed at once.”
With the five main teenagers in this story, I felt the resistance I always feel. More times than I can count I have been disappointed reading about teenagers. They so often come across extremely angst-ridden and unbearably juvenile without much cohesion in their thoughts and feelings, let alone their growth and how they got there. In this story, their lives are drawn with such profundity and truth that I could relate to them from my own teenage years. Finally. An author who actually understands something of the hidden and overtly expressed inner worlds of teenagers and the complexity of their choices and decisions.
There are conflicts that occur in the adult world, too, and again – I felt tossed like a plastic duck in a toddler’s swimming pool. My support and heart went out to first one side then another side in the conflicts. I felt deep empathy for each and every character in this book and felt torn apart intellectually and emotionally by their struggles.
This novel is one of the most beautifully crafted that I have ever read. All the individual pieces that make up the whole are exquisitely fashioned and entirely engaging. There was not one moment that I wasn’t fully focused on the stories within the stories within this book. Like the box of chocolates with the cover where a woman is holding a box of chocolates with a cover of a woman holding a box of chocolates with a cover of a woman holding a box of chocolates . . . this novel took me deeply into the lives of the people in it and allowed me to experience with each one of them what it is like to be them.
If, like me, you have not read this book before, I can only urge you to do so. This is one of those rare and precious books that teach us valuable and important lessons even though we may not be fully aware of it until after the last page is closed....more
Oh, Annie – Annie Dunne. How my heart went out to you as you told me your stories – past and present – and how the future held such strong fears for yOh, Annie – Annie Dunne. How my heart went out to you as you told me your stories – past and present – and how the future held such strong fears for you.
”What is this growing old, when even the engine that holds our despair and hope in balance begins to fail us? .”
Annie Dunne was left with a lump high on her spine after a childhood bout with polio. Her mother died young and her father did his best to look after his daughters. He was in charge of all the police forces in Dublin and they lived in Dublin Castle, along with other members of the police force. Annie Dunne took great pride in this, even though her father’s mental health failed after 40 years of promotions at his work.
Annie’s sister Maud took ill and Annie went to help Maud’s husband Matt in raising their 3 sons and looking after their home. Two years after Maud died, Matt decided to re-marry and Annie was once more set adrift. She ended up living with her cousin Sara near the place where many of her relatives grew up, and when Matt’s young grandchildren came for a visit while their parents set up their new home in London, Annie was overjoyed.
”The wind goes on with its counting of the leaves in the sycamores, a hundred and one, a hundred and two.”
The lifestyle on Sara’s tiny farm was one the city-bred youngsters adored, and Annie felt the same way. They had adventures – a runaway horse, a band of ruffians trying to break in one night, and then there was Billy. With his smooth talk and charm toward Sara, Annie felt her security was threatened yet again.
”Billy Kerr would harass the deer if there was any profit to himself in doing so, as he is a man without qualities. There is probably a Billy Kerr, or someone like him, in all human affairs. Otherwise all would be well, continually.”
Despite her many flaws, Annie Dunne stole my heart and my empathy. Whether I agreed with her (most times) or not (sometimes), I couldn’t help but feel compassion for her in her struggles with herself – and a world that had moved on with her clinging to its shirt tails.
With his poetic and lyrical style, Sebastian Barry’s story of Annie Dunne, narrated by herself, kept me mesmerized by her perspective of everything around her - and my emotions ran up and down the scales of a celestial keyboard.
Sensitive and alive with beauty, fear, anxiety, and love – I would highly recommend this family saga to everyone who enjoys an in-depth character study that explores the heights and depths of a person living a simple life of great complexity.
With thanks and appreciate to Jamie for lending me the use of a computer to write and upload my review. May my computer’s current shop visit be the last one for a very long time!...more
Sebastian Barry is not a writer. He is an alchemist who turns what is base and depressing and disastrous into gold that sparkles with exuberance, a seSebastian Barry is not a writer. He is an alchemist who turns what is base and depressing and disastrous into gold that sparkles with exuberance, a sense of adventure, and hope. And a vein of optimistic and wide-eyed wonder runs through the gold like silver.
This novel tells the story of two young orphaned boys who happen to take shelter beneath the same shrub in a rainstorm and become fast friends. They experience hardship together where hunger and lack of decent clothing and no shelter is hard to bear, but they do survive and find ways to ensure their basic needs are taken care of. They follow what small opportunities knock - right into the army out west. They grow in love with each other and they adopt as their own a little orphaned Sioux girl to love and take care of.
There is far more in this story to discover as their adventures also include a ferocious stint in the Union army during the Civil War – until they are captured.
The time frame of this story has to have been one of the most brutal in the history of the United States. Persecution of different races was everywhere; immigrants of all kinds were at risk no matter where they found themselves. There was always someone meaner, more filled with hatred, and/or more desperate who was willing to put their own life on the line to take the life and possessions of another.
For the narrator Thomas McNulty and his partner John Cole, this was their way of life and they learned to take care of themselves – and each other – because that was part of their way of life as well. This was also a time when some people started questioning this life and lifestyle, and Thomas and John were two of those people. They didn’t put themselves in jeopardy if they could help it, but they also did what they could - whenever they could - to right the wrongs they encountered.
The writing. Oh my, the magic of it. There may have been five sentences in the entire book that weren’t quote-worthy. If so, I didn’t find them.
Then the rain began to fall in an extravagant tantrum. High up in mountain country though we were, every little river became a huge muscled snake, and the water wanted to find out everything, the meaning of our sad roofs for instance, the meaning of our bunk beds beginning to take on the character of little barks, the sure calculation that if it fell day and night no human man was going to get his uniform dry. We was wet to the ribs.
This story, the way it was presented, and the way it flows on the page are an ultimate gift. Despite the discomfort I felt reading of the brutality of the time, this is one of the best novels I have read this year. It is also the best writing I have ever encountered. This book is going straight onto my all-time Favorites bookshelf and I would give it 10 Stars if it were possible....more
First of all, thank you to GoodReads friend, Andrew, for the terrific review that he wrote of this book and for his encouragement to give it a try. AlFirst of all, thank you to GoodReads friend, Andrew, for the terrific review that he wrote of this book and for his encouragement to give it a try. Also, thank you to all the GoodReads friends who pressed the “like” button, and/or added reinforcement comments as I updated my reading status day by day. All the support helped so much to bolster my journey with this 880-page book. And, of course, thank you to Paul Auster for writing with the bravery and the talent to create something completely different in a way that is accessible and eminently readable for everyone.
4 3 2 1 is a very different book; I have never read anything remotely like it in my reading life. Four alternate lives, the longest sentences in the world (2 or 3 pages long in a few instances) and consequently, some of the longest paragraphs as well. Some or all of these factors may be intimidating or overwhelming for some people. They were for me at first, but the writing is so rich and flowing that these aspects are not detrimental at all and actually became part of the story's charm.
Archie Ferguson is endearing in all his parallel lives, from his babyhood to young boyhood and through each lifespan. When he is older, all of his parallel selves write - some of them from young adolescence on through college years and beyond. He is a journalism writer of immediate events – sports, movie and book reviews, and politics (and/or anti-politics); he is also a writer of poetry. He is a writer of books – memoir style in one book, and in another, juxtaposing the influence of movies on children, the impact of movies on child actors, and the dreams of young people (even Anne Frank) to be in movies themselves. In another parallel existence, he writes very strange books, but ones that made me think about the possibilities and how someone would go about writing such a book. There are many stories within this story and each one is fascinating, related, and relevant.
The story lines run parallel, yet with subtle differences. I did not find the different stories difficult to follow at all. The author kindly leaves tiny bread crumbs at the start of each chapter so it was easy to re-connect with which lifeline I was reading.
There are tragedies within these stories, and there are triumphs, too. Archie experiences some damaging (physically and/or mentally and/or emotionally) circumstances in his lives and with help, or sheer determination, manages to move through them using these experiences as a learning tool for growth. There are losses in Archie’s lives that are heartbreaking. There are family challenges to deal with, education choices to make, and plenty of teenage and young adult romantic and sexual frustrations and confusions.
There are books and authors and movies and music and more books and travel and politics and sports and more books and rebellions and striving to do the right thing. There are multiple charged situations and radical pursuits of change from the 1960’s and 1970’s included throughout the stories.
There is much to think about in this book; so many partially-recalled events that were courageously brought to life in these stories. Some of the events made me feel the situations so deeply I had tears in my eyes. All that was ghastly and horrific and monstrous from those decades was explored and brought to the fore. I thought of those times (the 1960’s and early 1970’s) as ones that were swept under the rug and/or buried under heaps of jasmine-scented manure. No-one who wasn’t there can even comprehend the full impact (because the reality and the facts were completely distorted and aborted by the press, government agencies, and university administrations), but it is all here, and it is undiluted.
But why do it in this particular way? Why not write four separate books instead of four parallel books in one? Maybe Auster could have been writing about himself when he wrote Archie’s thoughts: Why attempt to do such a thing? Why not simply invent another story and tell it as any other writer would? Because Ferguson wanted to do something different. Because Ferguson was no longer interested in telling mere stories. Because Ferguson wanted to test himself against the unknown and see if he could survive the struggle.
I think it is obvious that Mr. Auster did test himself against the unknown with this book, and he survived this particular struggle with wit, grace, humour, and exceptionally splendid writing. Now we, as readers, are invited to enjoy the fruits of those labours. And, to be honest, there was too much overlap, too many incidents, and too much information in this book for individual stories. This book simply had to be written the way it was, and I am impressed with the results and marvel at the talent and skill that brought this creation into being. At about the 90% mark I felt sad because I only had a few hours of reading left.
4 3 2 1 is on the longlist for the 2017 Booker prize. It deserves to win. I recommend this book to anyone who is open to the challenge of reading a book that is different, a book that is long, that challenges and expands our thoughts and feelings throughout, and to anyone who is willing to suspend judgement in favor of discernment. If you can do this, you will be rewarded with a fabulously good read....more
John Banville won the Man Booker Prize in 2005 for this novel, and what a well-deserved honour and tribute for this masterfully written, poignant andJohn Banville won the Man Booker Prize in 2005 for this novel, and what a well-deserved honour and tribute for this masterfully written, poignant and deeply moving story.
I read somewhere that John Banville is considered “a writer’s writer”. I can definitely see that. On the other hand, he is also “a reader’s writer” because I am a reader, and thousands of other readers have also enjoyed Mr. Banville’s writing.
This is Max Morden’s story and he narrates throughout. Seamlessly, we follow him along as he talks about boyhood summers somewhere on the South coast of Ireland. He refers to a nearby town as Ballymore and the summer spot as a nearby village, . . . let’s call it Ballyless. In the present, he is in mourning and having a difficult time dealing with his grief. He drinks too much, ignores his work, and is intent on seeking some answers, or something he can hang onto, from his past summers when he was young.
We meet the Grace family: Carlo, Connie, their children Chloe and Myles, and their minder or perhaps governess, Rose. This family is perceived by Max as his social superiors but he is drawn to them for many reasons – partly curiosity, partly out of loneliness, and somewhat out of boredom. The Graces fascinate him, especially noticeable while he relates his experiences with them as a boy. However, with all the time that has passed between then and now, their once large summer home has become a boarding house, and he seeks it out to stay in and perhaps looks to his past to help him heal.
As Max relates his story, moving back and forth between then and now, it is clear that his past influenced his future, and that his ‘now’ is also very much influencing how he views his past. He argues with himself, chastising himself at times for not being clear about a point. Sometimes he will make the point again – the same point using different words. Sometimes he corrects his course in the narrative with an addition that makes it clearer. Sometimes he says he is digressing too far or embellishing, so scratch that, and this is how it was. Of course, once it is stated, it’s not easy (nor is it prudent) to forget it and buy in completely to the new perspective.
This is not a long book, although it definitely is not one to attempt to rush through. The author sets the pace, takes control of this story, and doesn’t let it go for a moment. I was a very willing passenger on this journey with Max and there were times that something he said startled my own past memories into my reading experience. Countless times I had to set the book down and indulge in my own personal reveries. In most respects they weren’t connected to the story except by a small filament of invisible thread, yet once the thread was pulled into my sight, I had no choice but to follow it.
Oh! And the words. I wanted to mention the words – some of them I had to jot down because I might need them some day: for a game (like when you have a whole slew of vowels – etiolate could be most helpful), or maybe just because certain words add clarity to what might be a more watery picture without them. This novel is a masterpiece of words used exactly as they should be precisely when they need to be.
I had several quotes highlighted that I especially savoured, and then I changed my mind about adding them to my review. Please, please read this exceptional novel and discover them for yourself. Of one thing I am certain: each person will come away with their own reveries, their own captured words, and the phrases and sentences that moved them the most.
I recommend this to everyone who has ever danced with words and/or read a wonderful story composed of them, and a reminder that this is a slow waltz . . . one that you will always remember. ...more
This book is one of the most touching and heart wrenching I have ever read. It is also one of the most inspiring and uplifting books I have ever read.This book is one of the most touching and heart wrenching I have ever read. It is also one of the most inspiring and uplifting books I have ever read. I realize how ambiguous those sentences are next to each other, yet they also fully describe the life of Jacques Lusseyran. His life and how he lived it is nothing if not an enigma – a beautiful mystery that he says comes down to two truths. One is that joy isn’t outside ourselves, but is to be found within; and the other, that the light that is the essence of life is also within so it doesn’t need eyes to see it.
At the age of 8, Jacques Lusseyran lost his sight due to an accident in school. He states that after it happened, he realized that everything has light within it, that everything is flooded with different colors, and that sounds, touch, colors, and light are all interchangeable and can fill in for each other at will. The many experiences he describes as a young boy growing into adolescence without sight, but with all his other senses on hyper alert was a revelation to him. He also described the colors he could see as different musical instruments were played in a concert.
Professor Lusseyran was born at a time when his life’s course would inevitably collide with World War II. He lived in Paris when he was in his teens during the Nazi occupation, and at the age of 17 he became the primary leader of a Resistance movement of 600 young men and teenagers. They joined forces with a larger movement and together expanded their forces. In July 1943, they were betrayed by an informer within the group and arrested. After months in prison in Paris, they were deported to Bunchenwald concentration camp in Germany.
This is the framework upon which Jacques Lusseyran’s story is built. There is so much beauty in his story, so many amazing adventures juxtaposed with later deprivation and hardship. Yet through it all, over and over again, his childhood of wondrous discovery coupled with his outstanding intelligence and solid common sense pulled him through with grace and humanity intact. Not only did his inner strength and boundless joy pull him through, it helped him to help others find their way through as well.
Thank you to Goodreads friends Betsy and Ingrid whose reviews were ones that inspired me to read this book. I hope that in some small way this review will join with theirs and encourage you to read this book, too. “And There Was Light” holds all the colours of hope, the sounds of joy, and positively crackles with the light of life. ...more
This book is a journey – through time (1600’s, mid-1900’s and early 2000) and space (Amsterdam, Israel, and London) whose only requirement is that weThis book is a journey – through time (1600’s, mid-1900’s and early 2000) and space (Amsterdam, Israel, and London) whose only requirement is that we give ourselves over to the story being told and flow with it.
I loved this book. The writing is exceptional and although it deals with history and philosophy primarily, it is not in any way dull or boring. The characters are extraordinarily well developed and contain such a treasure trove of human thoughts and feelings on so many different levels, that their very integrity led me to a deeper understanding of each one’s inner nature. And my own.
”I care neither to defend nor attack him. Much as I detest the man, I’ll never know the full circumstances behind his choices. Life is muddy. Denying that – thinking there’s only one noble path above the fray – can be a poisonous approach to life.”
The story is told primarily from two points of view. Ester, a young Jewish woman in the 1600’s whose passion for thought and philosophy in a time when women were impossibly shackled to hearth and home, grabbed my heart and held it through the entire book. Helen, an historian who is 64 and in the grip of an aggressive and accelerated onset of Parkinson’s disease, touched a profound level of empathy within me. I deeply admired her courage and dedication to the one opportunity remaining for her to shed light on a little-known aspect of historical significance.
The relationships between the people in this book are so well written that I felt I was evolving along with them – or dissolving, as was sometimes the case.
This book is a long, satisfying, fulfilling read and I highly recommend it to those who are willing to invest their time in learning something new, seeing life and living through different lenses, and experiencing the different times, places, and cultures found within these pages.
Edited to add: Thank you to Goodreads friend Iona whose fabulous and enthusiastic review of this book caught my attention and caused me to put it on my priority reading list!...more
Eleanor Oliphant is one of the heroines of literature that I am sure I will remember always. She is brilliant, yet socially awkward. At the age of 10Eleanor Oliphant is one of the heroines of literature that I am sure I will remember always. She is brilliant, yet socially awkward. At the age of 10 she experienced a trauma that she never received any help with to sort through it. So, she repressed her memories and more importantly, she repressed her emotions. By the age of 30, she was so good at repression that it completely froze parts of her being and the underlying, unacknowledged fear of any of her repressions getting out were the root cause of her lack of social skills.
When dealing with intellectual matters, she is formidable; her vocabulary and the facts at her fingertips are beyond many people’s comprehension. Yet even as she grew and matured, some parts of her remained in the stunted, closed-in world of her 10-year-old self.
Despite everything she had experienced, with both physical scars and those on her psyche, not once does Eleanor feel self-pity or get caught up in, “I am a victim”. She simply does not see herself that way and it is one of the reasons I admire her as a character to be honoured and respected.
At her workplace, she meets the new IT guy Raymond, and her critique of him is definitely offhand and dismissive. Although they do eventually become friends, Eleanor has her sights set on someone else – far more glamourous, exciting, and sophisticated.
When her world takes a nose dive, she is wise enough to know it is because of her own poor decisions based on influences from her past, and she takes brave measures to turn her life around with help from her friend Raymond. Her long and slow recovery is a testament to the human soul’s willingness to strive and thrive against all odds.
I found this book to be a compelling read, funny in places, deadly serious in other places, but always, always buoyed by Eleanor’s determination and resilience. It was rewarding to watch her friendship with Raymond grow, and his support of her is inspiring.
I loved this book; it is yet another amazing debut novel by an author I hope to read more of in the future. This one is going straight to my Favourites shelf, and I know that if ever I need inspiration, all I need do is think about Eleanor Oliphant!...more
By turns witty and wise, filled with non-stop action flowing over an undercurrent of humour, this is a peach of a novel. Reading this novel was, for mBy turns witty and wise, filled with non-stop action flowing over an undercurrent of humour, this is a peach of a novel. Reading this novel was, for me, more entertaining than any movie film, its characters tugged at my heartstrings and I was completely invested in the story and its outcome. Ivan Doig is indeed an extraordinarily good storyteller – and the man can write!
Based on an actual copper mine company, the Anaconda Copper Mining Company in Butte, Montana, this story takes place in the early 1920’s. There are conflicts between Anaconda and the miners and their union. There are bottleggers, newspaper wars, political corruption and its counterpart, organized crime, and enough other conflicts of the time to dazzle any reader right back in time.
Morris Morgan and his new wife return to Butte from a long honeymoon trip to find her boarding house well looked after by the two elderly retired miners she left in charge. They are also greeted by the news of a windfall – a large mansion in one of the richest areas of the city has been signed over to them. The ‘catch’ is that they now have a boarder – Samuel Sundison – the previous owner of the house and Morris’ previous boss.
How Morris ends up in a journalistic writing war with a hired crackerjack journalist imported from Chicago is just one of the many coils in this magnificently engaging spiral of a story. Each time we were inched further up the spiral, when we looked across at the next coil we could see one thing – and when we arrived there, we saw another altogether.
This is a fascinating (and have I mentioned entertaining?) story that weaves historical facts throughout a strong plot with multiple sub-plots and characters I fell in love with. In fact, I grew fond of all of the characters I met in this story – good guys, bad guys, or neutral – each one had their role to play and they played me so well I felt I was right there in the middle of the action.
I highly recommend this novel to readers who love good, strong storylines placed in another era and peopled with characters that I, personally, will never forget. ...more
Only a few people can say they attended their grand-mother’s wedding. I am one of them. My Grannie was a widow for 15 years, met Gramps at a church ouOnly a few people can say they attended their grand-mother’s wedding. I am one of them. My Grannie was a widow for 15 years, met Gramps at a church outing and they married about 2 months after Grannie’s 70th birthday. Grannie was a joy in our lives – lots of stories, songs, and best of all for me, a wonderful correspondent. She was my most faithful pen pal for years. Gramps was about a year and half younger than Grannie and she would tease us about her marrying a ‘younger man’.
Gramps was a gentleman and a gentle man. I remember how he would tuck her arm in his and walk on the outside of the sidewalk; how he would always pull out her chair and seat her at meal times; how he was unfailingly polite, respectful, and loving toward her. Gramps didn’t drive, but Grannie drove until she was 90. Gramps would always open the driver’s door and ensure Grannie was settled before going around to the passenger’s seat. They had their 26th Wedding Anniversary in July and a couple of months later, Gramps died with Grannie following him in December. Our families loved them both and I still think of them and miss them at times.
Reading Kent Haruf’s last novel, “Our Souls at Night”, was different yet it recalled to mind many aspects of Grannie and Gramps’ lives together. Addie Moore, 70, is a widow and Louis Waters, a widower. They have lived in the same small town for several decades and knew each other, their spouses, and their children.
Addie and Louis are both lonely and they come together to talk, sharing their stories from the past, musing on the town’s people and events, and going on outings together. Their relationship is one that grows into something that is precious to both of them.
Several things happen in the course of the story that draw them together. There are also forces at work trying to pry them apart – divided loyalties and family discord.
The ending was poignant and sad in some respects, yet left room for hope. When in doubt, I reach for the hope every time – and a fistful of tissues.
Where I grew up, there was an old bachelor who lived about half a mile farther from town than we did. He lived in a tiny shack of a house and would ofWhere I grew up, there was an old bachelor who lived about half a mile farther from town than we did. He lived in a tiny shack of a house and would often drop in to our place on the way to or from town. I will call him Charlie, although everyone always said his first and last names together like they were one. He drove a buggy with a beautiful, older white horse pulling it. The buggy was black and had a cover mounted on risers to keep the sun and rain off. The horse wore ‘blinders’, maybe so it wouldn’t be upset by passing cars and trucks, and its harness was black with shiny silver decorations.
On his way into town Charlie would drop off a bag of crab apples or sometimes a bag of rhubarb and usually a couple of clean plastic containers. Those containers were Mom’s because Charlie never left empty-handed either – he would take home with him another couple of tubs – one with a stew or a casserole and one with maybe a rhubarb crunch dessert or Mom would give him a quart of her canned crab apple fruit or a jar of crab apple jelly. Charlie even drove to church in his horse and buggy and the horse always stood patiently outside waiting for church to be over and Charlie would ride the buggy home.
Eventide. The name of this book alone evokes memories of the senses and of the spirit of country living. Just as in Mr. Haruf’s book, our little community had many difficulties – some poverty, babies showing up from out of nowhere, bad accidents in both vehicles and with farm machinery or hazards, mourning times, and even a couple who never spoke to each other from about their 15 or 20 year Anniversary, except through one of their many children. Still, I don’t think it’s a faulty memory but a truth – the people where I grew up were essentially good and kind-hearted. They helped their neighbours through difficult times and oh, the celebrations. Sports days, fair days, dances, musical and variety concerts, picnics – there was always room in busy lives to set down the work for a few hours and have fun.
In this novel, there are a number of problems and griefs for the residents of Holt and its surrounding areas, too. Yet, they also took time out to socialize, to help each other in any way they could, and to try and resolve difficulties if they could. Kent Haruf has painted a broad landscape of characters in this novel which sets the tone of a small town atmosphere where many people live on farms and ranches outside of the town. We are not invited into this setting; it is set out for us like a beautifully appointed dinner table and we are magnetized to it with souls starved for its sustenance.
Through Kent Haruf’s magnificently simple prose and plain yet powerful dialogue, we fall into the story he offers, into the lives and concerns of the citizens of Holt, and we don’t want to leave. This book calls to an inner need to belong, to be part of someplace, and to do our part. Our hearts can’t help but to respond with a yes. ...more
The narrator of this novel, Larry Morgan, at one point says to his wife, “But if I’m going to set the literary world on fire, the only way to do it iThe narrator of this novel, Larry Morgan, at one point says to his wife, “But if I’m going to set the literary world on fire, the only way to do it is to rub one word against the other.”
Not only did Wallace Stegner likely set the literary world on fire with this book, he set me on fire! Can you imagine reading an entire book about the long friendship between two couples and being left gasping at the end, longing for more?
The characters in this book (primarily Larry and his wife Sally, and their friends Sid and Charity Lang) have personalities that are indelibly etched in my heart. I know these people – not just from the outside but because parts of each one are, or have been parts of me, too – at one point or another in my life. At the very least, I was definitely them and they were me during the course of reading this book.
The places I have never been that are described in this book are places as familiar to me now as they would be had I grown up there. The trees, the smells, the weather changes, the variants in the sky – I know them all intimately from reading this book.
Wallace Stegner does not need plot devices at all to draw his readers in close enough to live in the book. I don’t know how he does it, but he does – with wit, with compassion, with understanding and with care.
I definitely want to read more of Mr. Stegner’s writing this year. This book was a lovely gift to myself and I plan to repeat the action over the coming months. I also highly recommend that everyone gift themselves with at least a couple of Wallace Stegner’s novels this year if at all possible....more
There are a few facts that astound me about this novel. The first, is that this was Kent Haruf’s debut novel. The second, is that although it was “criThere are a few facts that astound me about this novel. The first, is that this was Kent Haruf’s debut novel. The second, is that although it was “critically acclaimed”, apparently it was not a large commercial success.
On the first point, this novel does not read like any debut novel I have read. Granted, many debuts are smashingly good. However, Kent Haruf doesn’t “do” smashing. He does subtle. And clear. And he makes each word count. Each sentence matters and when threaded together, they give his novels an authenticity that gives me chills when I read them. This, his first novel, did exactly that many times over.
On the second point, I can’t help feeling sad that not only was Kent Haruf’s book writing cut short at the end of his sixth novel, but that his greatness wasn’t recognized until after he was gone. It also makes me wonder how his books completely passed me by until last year. On the other hand, better late than never and I hope that his writing continues to attract the readers and acclaim that have surged over the past several years.
This book covers more than 80 years, and yet it is written so well that each character introduced takes on dimension. Each of the years written about allows us to be part of the struggles, the births, the growing, the deaths, the mourning, the fun – and funny incidents – and the daily lives of the characters. For me, Haruf’s writing framed all of it in a series of mental photographs that began to move together in one continuum, like heat waves shimmering over the pavement of a Colorado highway on the hottest day of summer.
This story is about a woman born in 1897 and how she bent to the needs of her family time and again with an unshakable sense of responsibility, and without one iota of martyrdom attached. When she is 80 years old, she faces a murder charge, and the chasm between who she is and the life she led versus the viewpoint of the law is wider than the Grand Canyon. The narrator is her plain-spoken yet brilliantly eloquent closest neighbour and friend.
If you have not yet read this book, I strongly recommend that you do, and that you listen carefully to what this man has to say. It is powerful and sensitive and genuine. ...more
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