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| 4.17
| 145
| unknown
| May 30, 2024
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really liked it
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[image] P.12 “If his Majesty is resolved to have my head, he may make a whistle of my arse if he pleases.” Algernon Sidney P.19 Some parts of the Consti [image] P.12 “If his Majesty is resolved to have my head, he may make a whistle of my arse if he pleases.” Algernon Sidney P.19 Some parts of the Constitution are, in fact, quite dreadful. And some parts are, unquestionably, extremely positive. America’s founding document should thus be condemned and celebrated – not one or the other. It is indeed a great irony of human history that the same document that contains numerous searing abominations – some of which still reverberate today – also sets forth an essential architecture of government that has dramatically increased human flourishing. P.106 While politicians and political operatives have incentives to distort the truth, the citizen’s goal should be straightforward: to strive to make sense of the world accurately. P.124 In sum, the two-party system creates a bitter rivalry between two mega-tribes; closed primaries sharpen the divide; gerrymandering disenfranchises millions of Americans; the Electoral College renders the votes of tens of millions more irrelevant; and the highest court in the land consistently defines the Constitution in strident opposition to the people’s majority preferences. Eminently quotable, this book in under 200 pages is able to explain how America works and why America isn’t working currently, in an easy to understand and succinct manner. Whether you are unfamiliar with the American system or are trying to brush up on the ideas you learned in the Civics course you took 2 or 3 decades hence, William Cooper has written a book for you. Written in two sections, the first detailing the founding of the country and the second describing the conundrum of current politics, this book presents the issues in a straightforward manner with neither side left unscathed (though MAGA types are excoriated more, justifiably). The first section details the founding of America and how its implementation for better and worse continues to affect the political landscape. Cooper demonstrates the Constitution is a living document full of pluses and minuses, flawed just like the men who crafted its articles. There is a fine line between damning all of the Constitution as an exercise in futility only working to benefit those in power e.g.: wealthy white men and in speaking of it in terms of reverence, which Cooper navigates. He goes after things such as the 3/5ths compromise and the overreach of the 2nd Amendment while touting the principles such as having a representative democracy chiefly having election integrity and separation of powers which has allowed the United States a modicum of stability for some 235 years. The second section details that while America has much to hold its hat on, all is not well. With an uptick in political tribalism, social-media platforms creating conditions which isolate and entrench its members and structural deficiencies, notably the two-party duopoly, the US political system is sick and in vital need of a cure. By demonstrating the biases and hypocrisies on both sides of topics, Cooper is able to show the incongruencies that has plagued America. While I agree with his general take on the issue, in some cases this leads to a problem in which politicians are not allowed to progress or change their opinions, such as gay marriage which went from being political dynamite to being accepted. He further illustrates how internal and external forces have led to a system that is bloated and dysfunctional, not serving the needs or wants of its constituents. This primer into understanding the US political system is a wonderful guide for either the novice or the expert. It is able to answer many questions in an accessible manner without too much jargon or partisanship. The book is suited for people of all ages and broaches numerous topics, so those who want a more thorough understanding of a particular topic or issue could easily use this as a jump-off for further exploration. William Cooper has provided an important resource in understanding the American mindset and done so in a concise manner. A complaint among many people is they have neither the time nor aptitude to understand or figure out American politics, but this book solves that concern and for that it is worthy of 4 stars. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 20, 2024
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Aug 25, 2024
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Sep 02, 2024
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Audiobook
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| 4.06
| 104,180
| Jan 31, 2023
| Jan 31, 2023
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it was amazing
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This coming-of-age story, told from the perspective of Madeleine “Maddie” “Maame” Wright, is about a young woman of Ghanian heritage who has become we
This coming-of-age story, told from the perspective of Madeleine “Maddie” “Maame” Wright, is about a young woman of Ghanian heritage who has become weighed down by life. She is burdened by obstacles physical, emotional, and cultural. Her life is centered on taken care of her father, who is in the throes of Parkinson’s Disease and working an unfulfilling job. Faced with an uncertain future, both near and distant, she is often overcome with crippling self-doubt and anxiety. Feeling lost, with not much to anchor her, her mother on sojourn in Ghana and her brother on tour with a musician working in some sort of nebulous position, she is left to fend for herself. After a mishap at work, which was not her fault, she is let go from her position as an assistant to a domineering “career” woman. This leads to a self-evaluation of her life. What she finds is someone who has let life happen to her, instead of embracing and enjoying her 20s, she has become set in her ways and needs a change desperately in her life. A key component in her transformation is to find a new place to live. In a precarious spot with finances and family, she must find a way to juggle her ailing father and her need for independence. Since taking on the role of main provider of her father’s wellbeing, the gap between how she wants to live and how she is living has widened. As has the resentment towards her mother and brother, who she feels has abandoned her and her father. While, she has seen her friends flourish in matters of economics and of the heart, she is stuck in a holding pattern, making meals for a man who has lost his ability to even communicate. It will break her heart to leave her father’s well being in the capable hands of Dauod, his carer, but for her own health it is essential. Searching for a suitable place, which is affordable and close by, proves challenging but she finds a location and best of all, she has two new roommates, Jo and Cam, she can see becoming fast friends with. Similar in age, Maddie hopes to experience new things with these ready-made friends. She dreams about sophisticated brunches and late-night outings with her new “besties.” While she is enjoying a night on the town, full of bacchanalia, she decides to follow her roommate Jo in continuing the clubbing. This decision ends up haunting her. While hung over from the previous day, Maddie receives news which turns her world upside down. Maddie is also on the prowl for a relationship. As a Black woman in London, she is very aware that she does not meet the typical standard for much of the population. She does not want to be seen as either a dalliance or a token. Being a person of faith and coming from a culture which preaches against pre-marital sex has also hindered her sexually. She is keenly aware of her own naïve understanding of the opposite sex and has even resorted to asking google questions which much more often than not returns contradictory responses. While, on assignment for work she is flirted with by Ben, a man of seemingly refined taste. She begins a whirlwind romance with this man of wealth, who seems too good to be true. Lacking experience, she sees her dates with Ben at his house or in the dark movie theatre as being intimate, instead of what they are in actuality. She soon finds out Ben’s true colors and Maddie is left with a new grievance, but on the positive side she has a new story to tell her friends. One part which I questioned was the inadequacies that Maddie felt with her peer group. Even though she has led a fairly quiet existence, she is gifted with two close friends. Shu, a spitfire of Chinese descent, is forthcoming and very protective of those she loves, which includes Maddie. She and Maddie have been friends since college and while it is understandable that Maddie does not want to burden her with too many personal questions, it is evident that she would answer any relationship inquiries with gusto if not tact. Another close friend is Nia, who though she has been traveling awhile, still is available for Maddie. They share a similar background and an intimacy, which only close friends can, reading each other’s thoughts and communicating even when they are not speaking. Having two bosom buddies should have given Maddie more confidence in her ability to branch out and not rely on the internet for relationship advice. How one feels about this work is dictated by Maddie. Not only she is the main character and fulcrum of the story, but her growth and transformation are what makes or breaks it. Thankfully, for me I absolutely adored Maddie. Even though we could not be much different demographically, I felt her struggle to overcome so much culturally and mentally. The pressure of being the glue which had so long bound her family together despite being its youngest member was touching. Trying to find her place in a world which on the one hand she has the tools for, yet on the other hand she feels inadequate. While there were plot points, especially towards the end which I did not agree with, I was pleased to have gone on the journey with Maddie and by the end of it, she felt like a living, breathing being instead of merely a character. Not a sure fire 5, but 4.5 stars for this work. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 10, 2024
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Feb 18, 2024
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Mar 24, 2024
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Hardcover
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| 0593468503
| 9780593468500
| 0593468503
| 4.13
| 63,310
| Apr 27, 2021
| Jan 01, 2022
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it was ok
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The early days of the pandemic were a wild time for many. A time which led to reflection for some and anarchy for others. A time of great uncertainty
The early days of the pandemic were a wild time for many. A time which led to reflection for some and anarchy for others. A time of great uncertainty and a call for “action” for many. A great many decided to get in touch with activities or hobbies, which they have largely abandoned as they have aged. John Grisham, an author most known for his thrilling court room dramas, decided to indulge his nostalgia by crafting this book, heavily focused on the sport of basketball, which he loved briefly in his youth. Grisham, a man of immense wealth, estimated at upwards of $400 million has the resources and means to write whatever he so chooses. That is the beauty of having ‘fuck you money.’ While I appreciate Grisham’s willingness to expand his repertoire and to tickle his childhood fancy, this effort was not a great showing of his literary efforts. On a personal level, I have ample respect for the man as he is very active and generous in providing legal aid to many indigent persons and causes. I recall seeing the verve and quiet intensity he demonstrated while being interviewed on C-SPAN – clearly the pandemic was not so wild for all of us. The main focus of the story is Samuel Sooleyman, a hidden gem found in the hinterlands of the South Sudan, a newly minted country that is basketball mad. Just a couple of days ago this country picked up their first win in Olympic competition and prior to that, gave the U.S Olympic team all they could handle in a narrow defeat. As someone who loves basketball and has had an odd compulsion to scout a hidden gem since at least the mid-90s after watching the mediocre Kevin Bacon film, “The Air Up There”, this was definitely in my wheelhouse. Through much luck and determination, Sooleyman is able to secure a spot on the youth national team, which will give him a potential shot at further opportunities. The national team through some generous donations is able to cobble enough money to go on a barnstorming trip to the United States. While there, the team plays with a ferocity, not to mention skill level which surprises many of their opponents. Though the team has hardly enough funds to acquire the requisite uniforms and footwear, they are still able to highlight their abilities. They even get a thrill of a lifetime meeting their national hero, Niollo (clearly based on Luol Deng). In yet another stroke of luck, despite being tethered on the bench, Samuel has an advocate with connections to college coaches. One of these coaches is Lonnie Britt the coach of the HBCU, North Carolina Central, who is known for his acute eye to spot untapped potential. Despite some trepidation on using a scholarship on such an unknown, Samuel is soon transported from rural South Sudan into suburban North Carolina. While here, he befriends another freshman, Murray Walker. Murray and his family led by his mother Ida and father Ernie function as a second family to Samuel, inviting him into their home and providing meals and love. The Walkers, especially Ida who is a well-regarded attorney filled with vigor, are the surrogate family that Samuel so desperately needs. As Samuel starts getting acclimated to his new environs, another metamorphosis occurs. Through an intense workout schedule and a growth spurt, which sees him sprout 6 or so inches Samuel has gone from a scrawny point guard to a well-built small forward. More suspect and a lot less realistically, he has transformed from at best a spotty shooter to a Steph Curry-level marksmen. Desperate for bodies after a rash of injuries, the less than astute coach Britt is compelled to finally play Samuel. Will Samuel be able to replicate what he has shown in practice to primetime? Well, if he could not, this book would have ended much sooner (not necessarily a bad thing). Samuel puts on a show for the ages electrifying the school as he bombs shot after shot and almost single-handedly saves the season for the Eagles. I thought Grisham did a wonderful job in displaying the balancing act that Samuel most navigate. However, the actual basketball action is filled with redundancies (how many times must he write “29-foot shot?”). Instead of ratcheting up the suspense, this part dragged on forever. This was my chief complaint, if you are writing a book focused on basketball, it is important to be able to capture the ebbs and flows of the game, something that Grisham failed at. Would “Sooleymania” go from a campus-wide phenomenon to a national craze? Would North Carolina Central prove to be a Cinderella and capture the nation’s heart? “March Madness,” the one thing the NCAA has not found a way to screw up, is an annual event that is as meritocratic as possible. An event in which a small school can “upset” a larger school. While I thought that Grisham did a fair to middling job capturing the hysteria of this event, he did an awful job with describing the seeding process. He also stated various inaccuracies, such as a #1 seed never being upset by a #16 seed, which ironically occurred to one of the coaches, Tony Bennett, who got an acknowledgement at the end of the book. He also had Florida, a school from a major conference (SEC) as a #16 seed, which due to a number of reasons would never happen. The number of inaccuracies left me annoyed and wondering why a man with that much wealth would not hire a fact-checker or do a cursory google search? On a brighter note, for the book not the characters were how Grisham dealt with tragedy. I thought he was at his best when describing the fear and angst which Samuel felt when dealing with events in his homeland. The powerlessness was heart-rending and while Grisham does not know ball, he certainly knows how to extract emotions from perilous situations. His knowledge of the legal system was on display towards the end and almost made up for the weak penultimate event, which soured much of the book. While I appreciated the breadth of this work, it is crystal clear that when dealing with things he has vast knowledge, such as the law and aide for refugees, John Grisham is a talented writer. Unfortunately, this book is basketball focused and this is not territory in which Grisham shines. Repetitive sequences, which felt like poor film montages hindered much of the middle and instead of creating suspense weighed down the succeeding pages. The number of inaccurate statements that are easily verifiable and that were unnecessary annoyed my anal-retentive sports mind. Even though there was good here, a hundred or so pages could have easily been sheared off to form a more cohesive and tightly wound work. As a basketball book it did not deliver and is only 2 stars. [image] ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 08, 2024
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Jan 29, 2024
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Jan 08, 2024
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Paperback
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| 1250781000
| 9781250781000
| 1250781000
| 4.28
| 247
| Jun 13, 2023
| Jun 13, 2023
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liked it
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P. 11: Dictators never die. They leave a lasting impact on the countries they traumatize-a useful legacy for aspiring autocrat successors. P. 53: Prop P. 11: Dictators never die. They leave a lasting impact on the countries they traumatize-a useful legacy for aspiring autocrat successors. P. 53: Propaganda doesn’t just destroy the truth. It makes the very idea of civic life inextricable from the desires of the dictator. Over time captive citizens come to believe it’s hopeless to challenge the rule of the state. P. 152: Whether it’s extremist Buddhist monks carrying out genocide in Myanmar or evangelicals supporting Bolsonaro’s regime in Brazil, religious extremism and hate speech go hand in hand. While, this book appears to be an easy breezy read from its graphic novel format to its tongue in cheek delivery style, there is much (too much?) information. Heavily researched and heavily cited this work explores dictatorships throughout the 20th century into the 21st century and how they come about. The authors have a “formula” in which leaders use to become dictators. Chapter by chapter they show how various dictators have enacted their policies and how they have attained their power. My favorite thing about this graphic novel is the minutiae, the little tidbits and facts that populate this work. Such as learning that famed playwright George Bernhard Shaw was bamboozled by Joseph Stalin into propping up the Soviet Union in the 1930s by plying him with visions of a Soviet paradise through depictions of a Potemkin village and of “honorary” dinners filled with food and drink. How even through mountains of evidence of Stalin’s barbarous activities especially in his treatment of Tartars and Ukrainians, he kept the “faith” even having a giant portrait of Stalin overlooking his deathbed. Or how, Uzbekistan dictator Islam Karimov went from being an anti-religious proto-Soviet leader to an Islamic Uzbek nationalist in a blink of an eye after the fall of the Soviet Union, replacing a statue of Lenin with one of Tamerlane. Of course he seemed normal compared to Saparmarat Niyazov the dictator of Turkmenistan. Niyazov, much like Mao’s Red book, wrote a manifesto known as Ruhnama, which detailed his philosophy and “history” which became mandatory reading as citizens were required to pass a test based on the text in order to perform most tasks, including driving a vehicle. Eccentric acts included: attempting to build an ice palace in a country known for its desert conditions, renaming the months after himself and his family, erecting golden statues of himself and creating his own alphabet. The largest issue I had with this work is that it does not have an understanding of what it wants to accomplish. Is it trying to be a serious work of history, full of facts and figures, a satire, mocking the absurdity of many of the dictators, who inspire terror in spite of their proclivities, or is it a warning to watch out for future tyrants who are exhibiting the “tools” of despotism? As such, it becomes muddled and even repetitive. I feel that the section on the World War II leaders of Stalin, Hitler and Mussolini could have been pared down drastically; forests of trees have already been written about these assholes. While, it is good to keep a balance politically, the extended section on Pinochet seemed just like a chance to dunk on Margaret Thatcher and Henry Kissinger, which is fine in general, but in this case, seemed contrived. The elephant in the room or in this case the orangutan flinging his feces is Donald Trump. Clearly, Donald Trump has an attachment to a certain type of politician-one who projects strength through fear and authority. There is little doubt that he would love to gain more power and adulation and exhibits next to no impulse control. In saying that, this work stretches the Donald Trump is a burgeoning dictator narrative to an extreme level. Maybe I am hopeful or just ignorant, but I feel like you could have a number of political figures that display similar characteristics that could be shoehorned just as easily as Trump. Therein, lays the biggest concern of a book that tries to predict the future based on criteria in which so many world leaders are guilty of. Even if you agree on the premise that Trump is a narcissist, whose repellant words and actions are bad for mankind, this does not make him unique. Overall, this work has redeeming qualities, which is more than can be said for its subject matter, and as such is worthy of 3 golden statues. [image] ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 13, 2023
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Jul 15, 2023
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Dec 26, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 059320123X
| 9780593201237
| 059320123X
| 3.51
| 154,752
| Jul 13, 2021
| Jul 13, 2021
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liked it
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[image] p. 137: What’s wrong with us? I saw my family killed before my own eyes and didn’t make a sound, but confronted with my friend’s wife shit I’m [image] p. 137: What’s wrong with us? I saw my family killed before my own eyes and didn’t make a sound, but confronted with my friend’s wife shit I’m squeamish? Why are we more comfortable with fast, dramatic deaths than the slow decay most people get? After all, isn’t this why we fought so hard? To have the right to do what Michelle is doing right this minute? p. 247: “Don’t you realize what purpose monsters serve?” She asks. “Monsters always guard treasure, but it doesn’t have to be literal. It can be knowledge, transcendence. In the center of the Minotaur’s labyrinth lies something precious: monstrous knowledge. Each of us has a monster we must confront, a monster designed to test our personal weaknesses. And in end, they bring about our deaths. Not literal death, but death as the conclusion of this phase and the beginning of another. Death is the harbinger of transformation, that which precedes a new life. No, dammit. I don’t want to upgrade to OS 10.6.” 6 slasher film “final” girls living in a house sounds like a wonderful idea for a show on VH1. In this universe, the final girls are non-fictional and instead of living together, they meet up in a support group monitored by the world renowned psychologist, Dr. Carol Elliott. While, their circumstances and recoveries have been as diverse as the colors of the rainbow, they all share the distinction of being the sole survivor in a gruesome string of murders. As such, the members of this group: Marilyn, Adrienne, Dani, Heather, Julia and Lynnette, share a unique bond. After two decades of meetings, the group is seemingly at an impasse. Every member appears to fulfill a role and progress has been halted. With future meetings in doubt, tragedy strikes one of their members. Adrienne, the OG final girl and leader of the group has been found dead in a grisly attack at the camp she owns. Not surprisingly, this news shocks the group and the worries of a killer are on the minds of everyone. Will the final girls put aside their bickering to work together or will they succumb to personality conflicts and a potential homicidal maniac? There is plenty to like about this incisive work from Grady Hendrix. Conceptually, the idea of exploring the traumas of final girls is clever. Imagining just how someone would cope after going through all the dementedly fucked up scenarios that make up slasher films lends itself to a host of fascinating results. Would they try to buy themselves protection with security and a fortress-like mansion like Marilyn? Would they live off the beaten path and embrace austerity like Danni? Become a scholar and advocate like Julia who stricken in a wheelchair has been forced to use her brain instead of brawn. Attempt to shut off her pain by engaging in alcohol and drugs like Heather? Take ownership of her circumstances like Adrienne who repurposed the camp she was attacked at. Or, be like the main character Lynnette who has lived a life of isolation, intent on never becoming a victim again, but in the process has become her own worst enemy. While, Hendrix shows empathy and is clearly a horror movie aficionado, besides Lynnette, most of the characters are not fleshed out. There are attempts at humor throughout, but more often than not they feel forced and not very organic. Tonally, it vacillates between absurdity and seriousness, much like a slasher film, but in book form it feels muddled. The villains seemed like an ode to “Scream”, which is fine, but their motives other than being obsessed with being on the top heap of monsters by getting rid of all the final girls, was not very persuasive. Overall, I read a few reviews that stated that this would work better as a movie and I agree with their assessments. Though, the concept was clever and Grady Hendrix’s love for the genre is evident, for me it is a 3 star read. [image] ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 08, 2023
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Nov 17, 2023
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Dec 04, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 1496731352
| 9781496731357
| 1496731352
| 3.73
| 1,977
| Aug 31, 2021
| Aug 31, 2021
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it was ok
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Apparently I am a curmudgeon. Yes, there were signs of it before-yelling at kids to get off my lawn, telling the neighbors to turn down that claptrap
Apparently I am a curmudgeon. Yes, there were signs of it before-yelling at kids to get off my lawn, telling the neighbors to turn down that claptrap and my penchant for hard candy. With this book it has been confirmed. In a room where the median age is beyond retirement age, I stood alone in not enjoying this work. This described “cozy” read did not do anything for me. The mystery/twist was non-existent, the “romance” was not even lukewarm and the characters were written with little to no depth. [image] Maureen Doherty, the main character is gifted with a hotel in the sunny southwest Florida town of New Haven. Within minutes of entering the hotel, she is met with a dead body. The body is of one of the most prominent ghost hunters who is investigating claims of paranormal activity. Who or what could have befallen this gentleman? Even though 20 or so characters are introduced, given a Clue-like amount to choose from, the majority of the candidates have no motive to kill. So does the author, create a suitable backstory to make the ghost hunter have a host of enemies? Of course not! He is a good tipper that for the most part keeps to his self. He bribes the staff whom are very willing to take him to the most haunted parts of the hotel. The only people with any qualms about him just happen to be the most despised characters in the book. The mystery side was nothing to write home about, maybe the romance side would be spicier. Maureen Doherty is in the prime of her life with no attachments and about to embark on a new career. On her staff, is a hunky chef, who is easy on the eyes and when he is not being framed for murder is happily agreeing with Maureen. He is affable and a whiz in the kitchen and behind the bar. They even have a memory of each other from twenty-five years hence. This should have been popping, but instead we get Mormon-level sexiness. At one point, Maureen is getting nervous because she had the temerity to invite Ted the chef up to her room. What sexiness ensued? For hours they discussed the menu-not sexily like chocolate or wine, but pot roast and where to get the best deal on fish. At some point, I would have been content with the 4 old timers who acted as part-time staff having an orgy. Okay. So not much of a plot twist and not much titillation, maybe the characters would be written with depth and nuance? Maureen, the protagonist is neither interesting nor very sympathetic. She has just lost a job in the fashion industry picking out leisure wear for women for some department store in Boston. We know this because the author spends more time describing the style, function and designer of said clothes than creating an intriguing plot or multi-faceted characters. Well, maybe Maureen will struggle paying bills or have a rough next few months. Not so fast. Out of the blue, she is “gifted” a hotel by an eccentric lady named Penelope, who for some reason or other left her pride and joy to a complete stranger. Maureen is shown to be competent and capable throughout and her only “eccentricities” appear to be her relationship with her dog, Finn. Ah, Finn! The most delightful and charming thing in this book. He is Maureen’s constant companion and sounding board and even though he is given only a “woof” to articulate his opinions, he is the most demonstrative character. His “woof” is akin to Groot’s saying of his name, in that both can say so much with so little dialogue. The other good character is the ghost of B-movie star, Lorna Dubois. She is the most spirited character, full of pizzazz. Though, the idea of raiding a major motion studio’s wardrobe for eternity would be my idea of hell, she makes it work. I just wish she had someone more interesting to play off of than Maureen. The villain of the story, Elizabeth Mack, is taciturn and rude to Maureen which is fairly understandable as she was passed over for this stranger in running the hotel. There is not really a backstory or anything about her, besides being a bossy bitch and receiving the not so clever moniker, “Queen Elizabeth” from the group of old biddies. Ted the milquetoast love interest is also around, mixing drinks and being harassed by the local yokel sheriff. There are a shit ton of ancillary characters that are of little interest, and at one point the author has so overstuffed the book that she mislabels one as “Alexa” instead of “Alex”. In addition to the problems noted, there were also issues with formatting which resulted in a lack of terminal punctuation. This led to a couple of words being randomly capitalized, which is understandable if you are writing a rough draft, but damn this is published, and even my archaic Microsoft Word program would notice the issue. To further my annoyance the author also states on page 14: “Bones, Spock, and McCoy invited her to watch Star Trek once again.” Nerd alert, but Bones and McCoy are the same character. There are so many characters to choose from: Captain Kirk, Sulu, Scotty, Uhura or Chekov, come to mind. Maybe I am being too pedantic, maybe I am being too rough on a “cozy” mystery, but I am going to take my Werther’s Originals, suck angrily and give this 2 sour lemons. [image] ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 17, 2023
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Oct 24, 2023
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Nov 03, 2023
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Paperback
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| 1250819342
| 9781250819345
| 1250819342
| 4.16
| 377,040
| May 10, 2022
| May 10, 2022
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really liked it
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P. 95: “Historically, children have always been more receptive to the spirit community. A child’s mind doesn’t have all the barriers we adults put up.
P. 95: “Historically, children have always been more receptive to the spirit community. A child’s mind doesn’t have all the barriers we adults put up.” P. 221: He sounds giddy with delight, but something in his happiness makes me sad. Overnight, like flipping a switch, I feel as if something magical has been lost. The author of this work, Jason Rekulak, throws a lot into this work and thankfully most of it sticks. A murder mystery, cryptic drawings and a tale of recovery, are for the most part seamlessly woven together. There is a twist that I did not see coming and enough memorable characters to make me care. Chief amongst said characters was the protagonist, Mallory Quinn. Mallory Quinn, a young (21 years old), is in dire need of a break. Estranged from her mother and on the path of recovery (18 months sobriety), she is in a pivotal stage of her life. Being weaned off the sober living house she has taken residence in, she most find employment. Into this void, her sponsor Russell is able to grant her an interview with a prospective client, the Maxwells. Caroline and Ted Maxwell, appear to be the definition of a modern day tranquil American household. Strict on screen time, sugar, processed foods and organized religion, they want their son, Teddy to have all the advantages possible. While, at times their demands feel stultifying, Mallory is thankful to have such an amazing opportunity. Even better, she has really connected with Teddy. Sweet and precocious, Teddy is like the little brother that she never had. He is very creative with a strong imagination as evidenced by the games they make up in the woods and the pictures he loves to draw. Though he has trouble making friends and is obsessed with wearing a particular lavender shirt, Mallory chalks that up to being an introverted kid who is still getting adjusted to new surroundings. On a steady diet of long runs and cheesy Hallmark movies, Mallory has found a homeostasis in her recovery. Yes, it is far from exciting, but after the last 4 years, stability is a welcome departure. Even with their demands and outbursts, the Maxwells have treated Mallory as family-not that demands and outbursts are an uncommon feature in families. Mallory is in a good place, but she swears that something is going on with Teddy. Hearing loud sounds coming from Teddy’s room during “nap” time, Mallory is baffled. Further, puzzling her is the new drawings that Teddy has been creating. Not only are they much more detailed and realistic than the previous stick figures, but the subject matter is much more macabre. Filled with violence and graphic depictions of what appears to be a murder, Teddy appears to be possessed by a demon albeit one with great artistic ability. Should Mallory bring this new concern up to the Maxwells, who may accuse her of relapsing or at least fire her for bringing up a spiritual matter? One thing that she should probably not do is bring up the subject to the nosy, eccentric neighbor, Mitzi. But surely, a self-confessed medium like Mitzi who is well versed in the dark arts will be able to find a solution? Well, things do not go so swimmingly with Mitzi, who demands that Mallory vacate the premises. At least she did not put a gypsy curse on her, so she has that going for her. Maybe, another accomplice will do the trick? Handsome, brawny and brainy (Rutgers?), Adrian the scion to a burgeoning lawn cutting empire, is desirable but will be able to handle Mallory’s troubled past? He is clearly interested in her company, finding ways to be around her, even when she is doing babysitting Teddy. Even if he is accepting of her previous transgressions how will he react to her talk of spirits and the paranormal? Creating a bond with Adrian and laying out her theories about the ghosts controlling Teddy, Mallory is getting closer and closer to the truth. She is able to decipher clues, including what appeared to be gibberish and at the same time she is making some major in-roads to Spring Brook, New Jersey’s most eligible bachelor. Will she be able to solve the mystery before her job, sobriety or even life is jeopardized? Will I be able to keep asking questions without giving away too many twists at the end? Hopefully, I was able to did that and still write a somewhat coherent “review”. It is one of those books where it is best to be ignorant going into it and even while reading it. There are plenty of nits to be picked, but even with that disclaimer I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Saying that, I cannot in good conscience ignore the bit about paprikash being made from goat. Having Hungarian ancestry (mom’s side) I do not think my ancestors would have stood by that blasphemy. While, I am sure there are paprikash that contain goat, it is far from the base of the delightful dinner. Anyway, the most common type is chicken, though my granny preferred the veal version. [image] ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 05, 2023
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Oct 12, 2023
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Oct 30, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 1982165197
| 9781982165192
| 1982165197
| 3.54
| 1,871
| Nov 16, 2021
| Nov 09, 2021
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it was ok
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[image] I never liked Scottie Pippen and this mediocrity of a book has not changed that opinion. Short of an all-star game or the Olympics, I cannot re [image] I never liked Scottie Pippen and this mediocrity of a book has not changed that opinion. Short of an all-star game or the Olympics, I cannot recall ever cheering for him. In saying that, I have great respect for the way he played the game. Unselfish and versatile, he was the consummate teammate, subjugating his statistics and personal achievements for the glories of the team. He elevated those around him and was the perfect running mate for the GOAT. My lasting impression of him on the court is patiently waiting for an opponent to make a minor tactical error and then by using his keen intellect and pterodactyl-like wingspan, jumping the passing lane he deflects the ball and in a couple of gallops leaps through the air, arms and legs akimbo he explodes and jams the ball with authority. While Scottie Pippen the basketball player was munificent if not slightly rebarbative, this book makes him comes across as whiney, jealous and shallow. Neither informative on the psyche of Scottie nor deep on the interpersonal relationships of either his friends, family or teammates, it is befuddling those to whom this autobiography is tailored. Scottie grew up poor in the tiny Arkansas town of Hamburg and was one of 12 siblings. The seminal event in his youth was when one of his brothers, Ronnie become paralyzed due to an attack. This along with his father’s stroke, shaped Scottie to become a nurturer and to learn patience. One of the few moments of adversity if not reflection is Scottie sharing in the cleanup duties for his wheelchair bound brother and father. Though his childhood was not idyllic, he did spend a good amount of it engaging in his favorite activity, playing basketball on a nearby court. Given few opportunities to advance beyond high school as he was neither gifted athletically nor academically, he was allowed to walk-on with a chance to earn a scholarship at Central Arkansas. Here he started to mature physically reaching his full height of 6 ft 8 inches a growth spurt of 7 inches and still maintained his point guard level skills. His last season of college proved fortuitous for Scottie as he dominated and began getting consideration to play professionally. After his final game, in which he missed an easy dunk that would have sealed the game, he received a perfunctory invite to go to an NBA draft “camp” in Portsmouth, VA. It was while here that he went from an unknown to the belle of the ball. One of the odder parts of this book was the love and detail that Scottie gave to Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues. Known for his diminutive height, Bogues played 14 seasons and the page or so that was devoted to him eclipsed the space for Scottie’s previous wives (Karen and Larsa) and his children. He propelled his success on the pre-draft circuit to being a lottery pick that was eventually traded to the Bulls where he would spend the majority of his time and win 6 NBA championships. To his credit, Scottie gives mad love and respect to the city that discovers him, Chicago. Even though much of the work is a diatribe against those he perceives as limiting him, Chicago has a place in his heart. The same could not be said about his first NBA coach Doug Collins, who he depicts as a bootlicker for Michael Jordan. In street parlance, the effusive praise and deference which Collins showed Jordan would be described as “dickriding.” While, this strategy was fairly effective, it did not lead to enough success and Collins lasted a short time, being replaced by his assistant and first time NBA coach Phil Jackson. Phil Jackson who would revolutionize the game with an assist from his sagacious assistant Tex Winter, with his motion offense known as the triangle offense, could not even withstand scorn from Pippen. For Pippen, the reason for this was the fateful decision by Jackson to draw a last second shot during a playoff game for his unseasoned teammate Toni Kukoc. Instead of accepting the decision, which proved to be the correct choice as Kukoc made the game winner, Scottie forced himself to come out of the game and sulked on the bench. Pippen believed he earned this opportunity in spite of the many times he failed in the clutch, which he strangely annotated throughout this book. This failure to come up during crunch time, was one of the things that held back Scottie and if he were honest with himself, he could have admitted that deficiency, but instead he blamed the coach and the organization. The most fascinating and the primary reason for this book was the relationship between Pippen and Michael Jordan. Due to his splendor on the court and his business acumen off, MJ has transformed himself into a legend. This legendary status which has been celebrated by people far and wide, was not created by a saint, but by a man driven by ego and an obsession in proving doubters wrong. Ironically, the divergent personalities which would create such a beautiful synergy on the court, playing off one another’s strengths and weaknesses, would also create tension off the court. Pippen’s insecurities and jealousies are on full display. That is not saying MJ due to his megalomaniac drive and aloof nature was not at fault, but the rancor displayed by Pippen goes beyond professional envy. In some circles it is inevitable that Pippen was undervalued and underappreciated, but the man was chosen on the Dream Team and a subsequent Olympic squad. Those in the know, realize the greatness of Pippen and it is beneath that legacy to show the amount of disdain he harbors. Scottie’s personality and skills were perfectly situated for where he ended up, as arguably the best second banana in NBA history. The way he wilted under pressure along with his deferential and conflict averse personality would not have been served him or his teammates well as the primary superstar. Overall, this book feels lacking. For overall 300 pages, Scottie Pippen reveals very little about himself. The majority of this work is rundowns of pivotal games or of people that Pippen feels prevented his progress. The superficiality of the endeavor leaves the reader feeling that they have no real connection or understanding of Scottie. A few tidbits like his bonding with Karl Malone during the 1992 Olympics and his participation in the cabal preventing Isiah Thomas from joining the Dream Team enliven the text, but these few nuggets are not worth the investment in time. For those interested in Pippen, a 15- or 20-minute highlight reel would be a far more prudent choice with a fraction of the time and an equal amount of depth as this book. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 30, 2024
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Sep 05, 2024
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Oct 25, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 1803144378
| 9781803144375
| B09TWSRMCB
| 4.32
| 1,691,286
| Apr 26, 2022
| Apr 26, 2022
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really liked it
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Pg. 93: I swear to God, I’m going to strangle this girl with my bare hands. “You said you wanted a bologna sandwich. I made you a bologna sandwich.” “
Pg. 93: I swear to God, I’m going to strangle this girl with my bare hands. “You said you wanted a bologna sandwich. I made you a bologna sandwich.” “I didn’t say I wanted a bologna sandwich”, she whines. “I said I wanted an abalone sandwich!” Pg. 110: Whatever else I can say about Nina, she clearly loves Cecelia very much. You can’t fake that sort of thing. Pg. 246: In another day, I’ll be completely fine. Liked it never happened. And then I can go back to my normal, miserable life. Well, that was a fun read. Twisting and turning, often beyond the bounds of credulity, this page turner kept me guessing till the end. While, being naïve can be bad in everyday life (wow that stranger who randomly texted me is wealthy and beautiful-she has such acumen in the commodity market, she seems trustworthy), it is quite the positive in reading mysteries. As such my naivety coupled with my ignorance, made for an ideal combination in enjoying this work. Millie, the protagonist is in a bit of a pickle. In desperate need of employment and in prison for a decade, she is not exactly the most sought after of employees. Her most recent job as a bartender ended up in disaster and almost another stint in the clink. Her current residence is an older Nissan and her probation stipulates she must be living in a domicile and have steady employment or face the consequences i.e. back to serve the remainder of her bid. Having been rejected for jobs such as fast food, she has little hope that she will find a legal job that offers enough dough to fulfill her requirements. So when she is offered a position as a housemaid for the Winchesters it seems like a dream come true. Living in a mansion and caring for only 3 people seems like it will be a breeze. What could go wrong? Even if the matriarch of the family, Nina is possibly bipolar and vindictive and Millie lives in a glorified hovel away from the family, she is still grateful for the job. Yes, Cece, the nine year old daughter is a spoiled brat and there is always an insane amount of cleanup (just how much mess can three people make daily?), it still beats living in the Nissan or back to the big house. At least, Andrew is there. Decent and dreamy, he seems like the perfect man, especially in comparison to that shrew of a wife. Being domineered and gaslight by Nina, Millie swallows her pride on a constant basis. She tries her darnedest to keep her composure in face of the barrage. As her resentment towards Nina grows, her enchantment with Andrew intensifies. Her fantasies become more lurid and sometimes his proximity becomes a distraction. Millie is well on her way to becoming one of the biggest clichés in Lifetime channel- the sexy maid getting seduced by the dashing employer. Thankfully, it is not nearly this simplistic. With more curves than a samba dancer, the plot deviates from this simple trope into a different and more satisfying direction. It is one of those books that beg to be finished. A book which steals away a good night’s sleep and makes you late from your lunch break. Even though the backstory of Millie is not completely fleshed out, I still felt an affinity for her. As more information is ascertained, your views of the characters morph as well. Exciting from start to finish, the author of the work, Freida McFadden showcases how pace can propel even a story with some questions and holes in it. The way she is able to take simplistic tropes such as Enzo, the Italian landscaper, heavily muscled with a heart of gold, into someone who feels somewhat realistic is also impressive. There is also a Simpsons reference, or at least what I believe is one from the episode, “Scenes from a Class Struggle in Springfield”, in which a bratty child says, “Fritz you idiot, I didn’t order a bologna sandwich I ordered an abalone sandwich.” While, I gleefully suspended my disbelief for much of this work, there were a couple instances that rankled. The very end wrapped up too neatly which felt disingenuous and forced. Even with these minor annoyances, it still exceeded my expectations and as such is deserving of 4 stars. [image]The Simpsons Country Club GIFfrom The Simpsons GIFs "/> ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 2023
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Jan 2023
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Oct 24, 2023
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ebook
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| 1913097870
| 9781913097875
| 1913097870
| 3.64
| 14,557
| Feb 02, 2021
| Mar 23, 2022
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really liked it
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p.17: Leaning against the fig’s thick branch, he would close his eyes and breathe in the hyacinths’ faint perfume, at which point, never intentionally
p.17: Leaning against the fig’s thick branch, he would close his eyes and breathe in the hyacinths’ faint perfume, at which point, never intentionally but unable to stop himself, he would make the same fucking mistake that he always did when he felt happy: the mistake of wishing that moment of solitary peace would never end. p. 28: He would stare at her from afar sometimes like a puppy, sometimes like a sick rapist. p. 71: What was so wrong with wanting to earn some real money, wanting to be free and to have a sense of worth, of purpose, the closest thing to a life goal Polo had ever felt? “Fat boy!”, “Fat boy!” The taunt which ended so many hockey, basketball and football games throughout my adolescence. Not from me or towards me (though I certainly qualify), but from my friend, Dan towards his brother Greg. This simple and childish jeer would escalate into more name calling, throwing of equipment and an occasional shove. It would doom any more sporting events for the day and cast pallor over the proceedings. No doubt, this turn of events was always obnoxious and frustrating, but in comparison to this novel which features a main character nicknamed, “fat boy”, their antics were child’s play. Gritty, raw, and visceral, this novella is an attack on the senses. It is a coming of age tale set in modern day Mexico. It focuses on the duo of Polo and Franco “fat boy” Andrade two outcasts who have been left to fend for themselves. Differing in socio-economic class, they seem to have little in common. Franco is spoiled, living in an upscale complex with his grandparents. He is gifted with material possessions and little in the way of responsibilities. Polo, on the other hand is forced to work as a laborer/landscaper for the complex, Paradais, in which Franco resides. He lives in extreme poverty, with his mother and pregnant cousin. While, superficially they share little in common, both are similar in that they have been left behind. Franco’s parents have basically abandoned him and have left him in the care of his grandparents who are borderline senile. He is treated like a child and as such acts like one. His growth is stunted and his interactions are either with younger children who treat him with contempt or their adults who treat him with pity. His favorite pastime is fantasying about his neighbor Senora Marian, who he lusts after. The further isolated he feels the more sick and depraved those fantasies become. Polo is also stuck in an untenable situation. His two male role models, his grandfather and his cousin, Milton are no longer around. His grandfather, who was a well-known philanderer, left Polo with no material wealth and only a cock and bull story about a fishing vessel. Milton, who acted as his best friend and mentor, has been conscripted into the cartel. Much like the Royal Navy would impress soldiers in the 18th century, Milton was forced to join the cartel or face certain death. His contact with Polo is now minimal and instead of encouraging Polo to make a name for himself, he warns him to be cautious and not to ruffle feathers. The cartel has crushed Polo’s hopes and dreams about being an independent contractor along with his cousin’s spirit. The odds seem stacked against Polo and Franco; maybe they will have a happy ending? The author, Fernanda Melchor makes abundantly clear that this is no Horatio Alger story and Polo and Franco are no plucky street urchins. Bereft of prospects and friends, Polo uses Franco to purchase liquor and imbibe the cheap hooch with. In turn, Franco bends Polo’s ear, using him as a sounding board for his lascivious thoughts and perversions. Masterminding a hare brained scheme, Franco ropes Polo in with promises of riches. Embarking on this plan, their minds are set on different objectives, but they desperately hope the ends justify the means. Imbued with liquid courage, what could possibly go wrong? Melchor, with passion and verve gives the reader a bird’s eye of view in how people can easily fall through the cracks. Though from two different backgrounds and facing different circumstances, both main characters are emasculated. Polo is forced to take a soul crushing job by his domineering mother who is paid directly by his employer. His older female cousin, who molested him at a young age is constantly provoking him and questions his manhood. Franco is infantilized, treated with disdain and as a nuisance. He tries to exert his masculinity by creating grand illusions of “scoring” with his attractive and well off neighbor, Marian. These two disposable members of society are left feeling lost with not much of a future. Though the beauty is not apparent on the surface, Melchor has concocted a story that twists, turns and contorts, demonstrating the troubles of modern day society and for such a strong if often horrifying tale is worthy of 4 stars, rounded up from 3.5 stars. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 02, 2023
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Jul 09, 2023
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Aug 25, 2023
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Paperback
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| 3.76
| 668,153
| May 16, 2023
| May 25, 2023
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liked it
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4%: Jealousy is the spike in my heart rate when I glimpse reviews of Athena’s success on Twitter-another book contract, awards nominations, special ed
4%: Jealousy is the spike in my heart rate when I glimpse reviews of Athena’s success on Twitter-another book contract, awards nominations, special editions, foreign rights deals. Jealousy is constantly comparing myself to her and coming up short; is panicking that I’m not writing well enough or fast enough, that I am not, and never will be, enough. Jealousy means that even just learning that Athena’s signing a six-figure option with Netflix means that I’ll be derailed for days, unable to focus on my own work, mired by shame and self-disgust every time I see one of her books in a bookstore display. 10%: Does the way it is credited matter as much as the fact that without me, the book might never see the light of day? 35%: Athena had a magpie’s eye for suffering. The skill united all her best-received works. She could see through the grime and sludge of facts and details to the part of the story that bled. She collected the narrative like seashells, polished them off, and presented them, sharp and gleaming, to horrified and entranced readers. 79%: You, not your writing become the product-your looks, your wit, your quippy clapbacks and factional alignments with online beefs that no one in the real world gives a shit about. This is one of those books which a stuffy reporter from a highfalutin media source inevitably describes with the word zeitgeist. If it truly is than we are even more screwed than I originally thought. Filled with insufferable characters with little to no gravitas, dignity or guilt; we are left with a protagonist who is a mediocrity, unable to formulate an original thought or idea. She has an equally insufferable frenemy, who while more talented, is mendacious and cutthroat. To top it off, the ancillary characters inhabit the world of book publishing, which accordingly is shown as being one of vicious and incestuous predilections. Filled with words like, “cishet” and “subaltern” and numerous depictions of social media spats and flame wars, this book makes me feel like a thousand years old. When the main character, Juniper “June Song” Hayward is not busy plagiarizing, she is engaged in an online imbroglio. Whether in a pro manner, gaining followers and receiving the requisite clout and dopamine hits or in various spats and allegations of wrongdoing, her life revolves around social media. Her self-worth is inextricably tied in with this attention and due to the fickle nature that is much of social media, she is often in an anxious state. Ah, but what does young Juniper have to be anxious about? Well, I do not think it is much of a spoiler alert considering a large chunk of the book is about the very act, so the fact is that June is a plagiarist. No matter how much she tries to justifies her actions-of which is a large portion of the book, she feels something negative about taking the work of Athena Liu and passing it off as hers. Not exactly guilt, methinks that June is too much of a sociopath to feel that, but still a lingering doubt, a fear of not only being caught, but being exposed as a hack, a nobody, a phony. Even when we learn of reasons why June would have felt and acted this way, the act and its many cover-ups and misdirection still make her far from sympathetic. Perhaps, the victim in the story, Athena will come off as decent at least? Athena’s death will not be the only ignoble thing. Privileged with brains, beauty and ambition, she is a rising star in the writing industry. Hobnobbing with celebrities and being invited to awards shows, she is blazing a trail for other young female Asian-American authors. How can someone so young, be able to write with such soul and depth? Well, she is a bit of a chameleon. Though not as blatant about her thievery as June, she has an ability to take someone’s story, say a friend’s story about being assaulted or a Korean War veteran’s experience, synthesize said information and turn it into gold. She is able to use these deeply personal and at times traumatic experiences and profit quite handsomely from them. As a cynic, I cannot say I am too surprised about the book publishing industry being about profit, but the blithe disregard for ethics still surprised me. Filled with insider speak, the incestuous nature of the industry is showcased. Not interested in the caliber of literature, but in the buzz and interest that draws in readers/buyers, the publishers and literary agents are singularly focused on crafting excitement for their product. It felt a little too “inside baseball” to be enjoyable and none of the publishing characters or fictionalized authors felt authentic, merely caricatures designed to be mocked. Even with so many complaints and annoyances, this is not necessarily a “bad” book. The author, R.F. Kuang is clearly talented; she writes with clarity and the story itself was interesting. The subject matter for the stolen book, Chinese workers in the frontlines during World War I seems like it would make for an interesting historical work. In saying that, this work failed to engage me. It is a bit all over of the place, not biting enough to be a good satire, not trenchant enough to mock social media or the publishing industry with depth or aplomb, it fails to elicit too strong of an emotion. Clearly, it has a lot to say about privilege, but it lacks the pungency to pack much of a punch. How I am feeling about pancakes from one day to the next, this could either be a 2 or 3 star book, so I will take the Solomonic approach and give it a 2.5. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 12, 2023
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Sep 24, 2023
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May 29, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 1250236606
| 9781250236609
| 1250236606
| 3.86
| 87,644
| Feb 25, 2020
| Feb 25, 2020
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really liked it
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[image] P.98 “At the time, Oona had felt mild envy at being relegated to the background. She’d forgotten the spotlight’s flip side: stares came with [image] P.98 “At the time, Oona had felt mild envy at being relegated to the background. She’d forgotten the spotlight’s flip side: stares came with judgment. For every gaze that admired, another assessed, criticized, made assumptions.” In this character driven, time traveling adventure, Oona Lockhart is forced to live her life in a non-sequential order. After she turns 19 years of age at the stroke of midnight in 1983 she wakes up and is transformed into the year, 2015. Physically, 51 but mentally still 19, she is understandably having a challenging time making sense of her new life. With not much to moor herself besides her mother, Madeleine and her trusty assistant Kenzie, she dives heavily into her first love: music. Music plays an intricate role in this book and acts as a stabilizing force. It represents many things and is there for Oona when so much of her world is scrambled. While, the first leap (yes, I am a huge “Quantum Leap” fan), is not the most exciting, it sets the scene for what is to come. Her next leap, into the year 1991, proved the most divisive for the book club. This was her “wild” year filled with an endless cycle of drugs and debauchery. Mentally 20 and physically 27, she threw herself with reckless abandon into this period. Part as a response to the sedate previous year and part to exert her independence, Oona hits the party scene hard. While many complained of the seemingly pointless nature of this leap, I thought it was important for her recognize that even in her jumbled state there are consequences. Whether or not she could possibly die at any point was fiercely debated without resolution but the final scene of this chapter proved that Oona was in desperate need of direction. This “empty” year was reminiscent of every Behind the Music on VH1, in which the musician looks back with some fondness but even more perspective. She gets transported into 2004 and is now accosted by a “stranger” who claims to be her husband. On the surface he appears quite the catch: attractive, charming and talented with his hands. He even seems to be alright with her “amnesia”. For the love of her, Oona cannot understand why her mother Madeleine is so cold towards him. She figures it must be jealously as her mother has had relationship difficulties since the passing of her father. As the year progresses, her time with Edward becomes more and more strained. Her intuition is telling her that something is majorly wrong with this man. This bullheaded man who ignores her advice but gladly hemorrhages her money on his failing business. Will she trust herself and her mother before the end of the year? The next leap is from the previous year, 2003. Oona has all of the hindsight from her previous year, but will she let nature take its course and fall for Edward again or will she resist his advances? How will Oona handle knowing the future? This year gets into the crux of trying to change fate and as such is from a form standpoint fascinating. This gets into the idea of whether you should try to change the natural events or is it important to play out the string. Whereas the previous year was learning to deal with an unscrupulous spouse, this one acts as a counterweight, how to fall in love. Reeling from heartbreak, the next leap is one that mends the most important relationship in her life: the one with her mother. This one while she is in her mid-30s is focused on traveling around Asia. While, all the leaps showcase just how privileged Oona is in terms of finances, with her massive brownstone in prime real estate and endless stream of money, this one takes the cake. Basically, she travels the world the whole year. With all of this travel, one would think that she would gain more perspective and maturity, but does she? 1999, unlike the Prince song is not a party for Oona. She learns important things that will alter her life but unfortunately one of them is not being stealth or stable. Whether or not the act of constantly leaping has made Oona a narcissist, the incontrovertible fact is she has had such a challenge focusing on where she is chronologically that she has not been able to foster relationships. With having to reinvent herself yearly and unable to disclose her condition, Oona has not been able to have long-term relationships. Her neediness and selfishness rears its ugly head and she leads to a trail of broken hearts in this year. 18 years later, at the age of 53, Oona has her most bittersweet year. Her two most important relationships have undergone major transformations. It is a fact of life that the day you are born is just one day closer to death. This year is probably the most significant for the growth of Oona emotionally. Physically she is not as capable but previous life lessons are starting to shape her. She has learned that her actions and inactions have consequences to those that she loves. She also realizes how precious it is to live in the moment. Life is more than partying or getting your dick wet, and to live ones’ best life it is important for others to rely on you as much as it is for you to rely on them. The final leap is to 1983, the year in which she was supposed to have been in at the beginning. Armed with hindsight and perspective, this Oona is different than the earlier version. Whereas the earlier iteration, put her first serious boyfriend Dale, on an impossible to dislodge pedestal, this one sees him as the individual he is, warts and all. Even knowing the future, she loves him with all of her heart but does not let him railroad her. She realizes that she is the master of her destiny but also the importance of living in the moment. I thoroughly enjoyed this enticing work. I am thrilled that it was a book club entry as I would have never been exposed to it otherwise. With such a singular focus on Oona, it can get frustrating at times but I found myself wanting more leaps. She can come across as petulant and selfish at times but given her unique circumstances it is understandable. Certainly it is a book that generated a lot of conversation and as opposed to some previous entries; the discussion was lively and fluid. Maybe I am a whore to the consensus but I give this work 4 solid stars. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 26, 2023
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Feb 02, 2023
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Feb 19, 2023
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Hardcover
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| B09JYJBCLH
| unknown
| 3.85
| 2,443
| Mar 15, 2022
| Mar 15, 2022
|
really liked it
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"Because no matter what Mrs. Bunny said, or much money she gave Ximena, she could always call ICE if she wanted to. Ximena never forgot that." “Mecca "Because no matter what Mrs. Bunny said, or much money she gave Ximena, she could always call ICE if she wanted to. Ximena never forgot that." “Mecca”, written by Susan Straight is a book that highlights the lives of those who are often forgotten about. It is a book full of contradictions and paradoxes. A book full of intersecting lives in Southern California that is devoid of glitz and glamour. A setting that is noteworthy for its foreboding and capricious weather patterns, whether it be scorching hot days, wildfires or earthquakes. Even, the title is full of incongruity, how could a veritable hellscape be a Mecca? The opening of the novel begins with Johnny Frias, a CHIPS patrolman who despite his heritage is not like Ponch. He is a 39 year old man with a few regrets whose life has devolved into traffic stops and settling petty disputes. He grieves for a mother who has passed on due to pneumonia and a life that has passed him by. He is like the novel as a whole, a man of anomalies. His greatest attribute is his steadfastness and patience which for most lifestyles and professions is a plus but in dealing with split second decisions as an officer can be a negative. He is a family man, kind to his ailing father and gentle with his friends who has never married or had kids. Even his origins are of a contradictory nature. Despite his proud ancestry, his mother is able to trace their heritage before the founding of the United States, due to his complexion he is told to, “Go back where you came from.” In a world that is full of unforgiving people who try to exert their power and dominance over others, Johnny is the rare bird who shows mercy. We are next introduced to Ximena, an illegal immigrant who is from the state of Oaxaca in Mexico. She is in the ultimate no win situation, being forced into servitude as an orphan with only an Uncle to watch out for her and a slew of concerns. Chief among these is the fact at any time she can be denounced and forced to return to Mexico. Another issue is she lacks the language skills to communicate in her new surroundings. In spite of that she is a fervent learner who relishes the opportunity to study with her brainy cousin. She attempts to make sense of English-which confounds me even as a native speaker, by incorporating words she knows in Spanish and Mixtec. She also has had two great tragedies foisted on her during the perilous journey up North. One resulting in death, the other in life. There are other threads in this tapestry, this mélange of cultures and heritages. The author, Susan Straight did many admirable things with this work but her ambition in creating so many parallel lives towards the midpoint felt ponderous. There were forays into various lives that while interesting and important stopped momentum. I did enjoy that the characters were never pigeonholed, they were fully realized. Whether it was the nurse, Merry who underwent a senseless tragedy or Matelassé a florist whose husband, Reynaldo has abandoned her and her children to live as a Brazilian martial artist, we are shown a vivid portrait of them. One thing that stuck with me was the exchanges that Merry had with trolls and media after she was met with scrutiny during her most trying hour. Merry, a woman of indomitable strength was most peeved that one of the sports journalists did not even know who Ralph Sampson is, let alone that he liked to sew. Grief is one of those things that can manifest in inexplicable ways and someone getting pissed due to someone’s ignorance or perceived ignorance about something they should know about was an interesting take. But that is the thing with trying to make sense from something that is senseless, you oftentimes focus on something irrelevant because what else can you do? There is also a COVID storyline involving Dante, who is forced to live a life of seclusion when his mother and subsequently his father get the vexing virus. Like I said, at some point Ms. Straight was oversaturating us with characters and perspectives, and they felt blended together instead of being separate and unique. The final scene ends in a cliffhanger with a standoff between ICE and multiple members of families of indigenous blood and some migrants on tribal land. While, there is not a clear cut conclusion the arid land that has provided for centuries will continue to harbor sun scorched inhabitants. Perhaps the biggest contradiction that this novel highlights is the discrepancy between the reality and the perception of the immigrant issue. People, who pick our fruit, wipe our asses when we are too frail as infants or in our dotage and in general take care of us by doing many thankless jobs are treated as pariahs or scourges. Many of them have roots much deeper in American land than those who deride themselves as foreigners. People who have cultivated families and friendships that would be the envy of any red-blooded “patriotic” American who aspire to live in a Rockwellian utopia. No doubt, the issue of immigration both legal and illegal is complex; so I novel like this one written with much compassion is an important one to demonstrate that in spite of differences we all as humans strive for the same thing. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Nov 20, 2022
not set
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Nov 27, 2022
not set
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Dec 05, 2022
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Audible Audio
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| 1982112794
| 9781982112790
| 1982112794
| 4.45
| 129,123
| 2022
| Sep 27, 2022
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it was amazing
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461. All children are victims of their parents’ childhoods, because all adults try to give their kids what they themselves enjoyed or lacked. In the e
461. All children are victims of their parents’ childhoods, because all adults try to give their kids what they themselves enjoyed or lacked. In the end everything is either a revolt against the adults we encountered or an attempt to copy them. Fandom is odd. Whether it is due to a quirk of geography, a next door neighbor, a distant family member, a favorite color, or an endless list of possible reasons, one becomes a fan of a team, person or other such entity. Conversely, you become bitter rivals of your opposition. As the years progress, you form greater and greater attachment to your squad and greater antipathy towards their/your opponents. At one point in my life I loved the Detroit Red Wings. Who wouldn’t? They played an exciting brand of hockey that relied on quick, precise passing. Filled with North American and European players they transcended nationality. As such, I hated those damn arrogant Colorado Avalanche. Nothing but agitators and pains in the ass. But, as the layers of the proverbial onion were peeled back, it was the similarities instead of the differences that became striking. Sports like so much of life, is based on projection. Tying it back to this book, each of the aforementioned teams, had arguably the two greatest Swedish hockey players of all-time on them. The Red Wings had Nicklas Lidstrom, a stoic Swede known for his intelligence and incredible skill. The Avalanche, Peter Forsberg dynamic and dangerous, full of grit and resilience, so determined he came back and led his team to a Stanley Cup victory the season he had his spleen removed. In writing this third and final installment of the Beartown trilogy, the author Frederik Bachman, shines a light on how sport has a dual and conflicting nature. How on one end you are building up a team, figuring things out and in the process extinguishing the hopes and dreams of the opposing side. The story unfolds two years after the second installment left off. Beartown has undergone a surge up the standings and is in prime position to capitalize on their winning streak. Their wiz of a coach, Elizabeth Zackell, despite her lack of interpersonal skills, is a great technician and motivator. Their neighbor and biggest rival, Hed is faring much worse. No longer the darling of the forest community, Hed hockey is facing challenging times. While, Hed in the previous two books was mentioned only in regards to how it affected Beartown, this time is different. A violent and turbulent storm sweeps through the isolated region and creates even more division in its path. One would like to think that in times of crisis people would come together, but in reality that is not often the case. Further exacerbating matters is that the Hed arena which is need of repairs before the storm has become virtually unplayable in its wake. In a stroke of genius, we are introduced to a hockey loving family from Hed, who act as a counterweight to the hockey royalty Anderssons from Beartown. These pillars of their community include: Johnny, a firefighter his wife, Hannah, a midwife and their three children, Tess, Tobias and Ture. Written with tenderness, but not schmaltz, the reader views the inhabitants of Hed less as villains to be dispatched and more as another side of the same coin as Beartown. Even with a further emphasis on Hed, that does not mean that all of the favorites from the previous books have been neglected. Benji, Maya, Ana, Peter, Amat, Kira, Tails, Bobo, and Ramona are still prominent. Teemu, the leader of the local gang, “the Pack”, has a much greater role as does the mysterious Lev. Aleksandr, given the nickname, “Big City” and the goalie, known as Mumble are also given notable backstories. The former head coach Sune and his latest protégé Alicia play a pivotal role as well. Juggling multiple storylines and points of interest, Backman does a masterful job telling the folks from the forgotten regions lives. There is such a sense of intimacy that the climax becomes that much more devastating. Though foreshadowing is heavily used and a profound sense of foreboding imbues throughout, you are still hoping that the result will be a favorable outcome. All roads are leading to the hockey rink and the tension is coming to a head. In a region filled with diehard, passionate fans jockeying for prestige and prosperity, sometimes it is those who have slipped through the cracks of society that are destined to most profoundly change it. Matteo is one such character. Living with a family that has checked out of modern day existence, he has a neglectful father and a mother that is dire need of medication. Overzealous, she has created an alternate reality in which her path is the only noble route. She has disowned her daughter Ruth, who has suffered grief beyond imagining. Ruth is juxtaposed with Maya, who has undergone similar drama. Whereas, Maya had an incredible support system, Ruth had the opposite. There are also a couple storylines which I feel compelled to mention, but did not do much for me. A political scandal, which involved Peter, Tails and misappropriation of funds that was uncovered by a father and daughter team of intrepid newspaper reporters was cleverly solved, but felt unnecessary. Also, the fracturing marriage between Peter and Kira felt overly dramatic and did not intrigue me one bit. Overall, this third and final book in the Beartown series continued the previous excellence. Packed with emotion and pain, there were moments of intensity that left me aghast. Getting misty eyed and feeling a lump in your throat is not often a great way to begin one’s day, but I will excuse Backman for making me feel that way. He has concluded with his most heart wrenching and thought provoking tale yet, and for that we are all winners. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 15, 2023
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Jun 22, 2023
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Aug 08, 2022
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Hardcover
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| 1250268885
| 9781250268884
| 1250268885
| 3.91
| 69,706
| Mar 01, 2022
| Mar 01, 2022
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liked it
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Not remotely related to the Commodores song of similar name, this book is not about the passing of musical legends but about two murder sprees some t
Not remotely related to the Commodores song of similar name, this book is not about the passing of musical legends but about two murder sprees some twenty years apart that rocked a small New Jersey town. The first of these took place at a Blockbuster, the second at an ice cream shop. These two landmarks or in Blockbuster’s case, former landmark of suburbia gives the setting the vibe of being anywhere US. The first incident jolted the small Jersey town and the similar circumstances of the second has left the town reeling. Are these two related or is it just a coincidence? With a propulsive style of writing and changing perspectives, the author Alex Finlay, crafts a story that is constantly moving ahead. While, I like a plot that does not insist on itself, this style can lead to a forgettable story. For me, it is difficult to evaluate because while I enjoyed reading it at the time, it is not a book that sticks with you. It belongs to those books that you read and almost instantly forget. This would be the equivalent to a popcorn movie, in which you enjoyed at the moment but it left no discernible impression. As such the characters which include: Ella Monroe the only survivor of the first attack and psychologist, Chris Ford who is a defense lawyer and “agent badass” Sarah Keller an FBI detective are the most prominent but kind of blend together. The book begins with the second mass murder and past and present are constantly intertwined. Whether it is Ella being summoned by Jessie Duvall, who is the only survivor of the second attack or the current principal, Dale Steadman, who was previously a teacher during the first bloodbath, there are indicators that there may be a serial killer in the midst. In which case, who better to attempt to solve this mystery than the 8 and a half month pregnant (with twins!) FBI agent, Sarah Keller and her partner, probation officer, Atticus Singh? Coined, “agent badass”, for her viral video of charging through a host of officers in route to quelling a domestic dispute, in my opinion she just seems reckless. Working on hunches, disregarding local officers and not calling for backup, imagine an immobile John McClane of Die Hard fame. As someone in my book club brought up, the level of absurdity needed to present a woman deep in her third trimester, going after a serial killer with such vigor needed to be written by someone with a y chromosome. Defense attorney, Chris Ford acts as a fulcrum for much of what transpires in this story. His mysterious past has left a hole in his heart and given him his need for justice. Raised by a diabolical dirt bag dad, Chris is intimately familiar with the Blockbuster murders. Searching for closure his whole life, he devotes his talents to representing people who have fallen into the cracks of society. He also suffers from a wanderlust, imaging his long lost brother as famed travel blogger, “Mr. Nirvana” (more 90s nostalgia). In addition, he represents Jessie Duvall, who is considered the prime suspect due to her proximity and proclivity to prevaricating. With this association he also becomes involved with Ella Monroe, who has taken a de facto guardian role in Jessie’s life, questionable as that is due to Ella’s own demons. With twists and turns, everything will soon be revealed and resolved. While, I generally prefer happy endings, this conclusion was even too saccharine for me. For such a messy story filled with aggrieved characters, I expected more of a cliffhanger or even neutral ending. Instead bad people get their comeuppance; damaged good people get what they desire. If you are looking for a swift book filled with a plethora of characters that are largely forgettable, then this is a hit. As for me, it felt like the movie, “Broken Arrow”, not bad, not good, Christian Slater was in it and I vaguely remember Howie Long throwing an axe. Either way it is a solid if unspectacular 3 stars from me. [image] ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 17, 2023
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Feb 20, 2023
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Dec 12, 2021
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Hardcover
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