I loved the animals. I loved the insects. I loved the astrology. I loved the wintry fields. I loved Janina and her friends, such characters! I loved thaI loved the animals. I loved the insects. I loved the astrology. I loved the wintry fields. I loved Janina and her friends, such characters! I loved that she brought down those asshole hunters. I wish the story were more suspenseful, and the writing more taut (needs tighter pacing in places). Other than that, I enjoyed it very much and won't soon forget it. ...more
A touching tale, both melancholy and playful, about how we use our gifts to shepherd one another to new destinies. How people are brought into our livA touching tale, both melancholy and playful, about how we use our gifts to shepherd one another to new destinies. How people are brought into our lives for such profound reasons, how we help one another to see what's there, and also what's not there. I appreciated the simplicity and innocence of this tender-hearted little book. ...more
A wonder and a joy to spend time in the company of Eilis Lacey and Tony Fiorello again. I love the book and film 'Brooklyn' so much. My parents are alA wonder and a joy to spend time in the company of Eilis Lacey and Tony Fiorello again. I love the book and film 'Brooklyn' so much. My parents are also Irish-Italian, met in Bay Ridge in the 50s, married and moved to Long Island. This story has resonance for me. It's familiar, comforting, and very real.
Having said that, I cannot help but feel that Eilis and Tony deserved better than this. Poor Tony, Jaysus! The story revisits them twenty years after the events of 'Brooklyn.' They've been married all the while, living on Long Island, raising children and working hard. But then the cliches kick in.
The story from there starts to feel soapy. It's a gentle melodrama that unfurls through slippy secrets and deceptions rather perplexingly (the literary structure had me scratching my head: tangential flashbacks that contain tangential flashbacks and inside those flashbacks are more flashbacks...so most of the book feels, sadly, like summary). It concludes with a bummer of a cliffhanger.
Nonetheless, I love all of these characters, and I love the feel of Ireland that the book deftly elucidates. I will wait with baited breath to see what happens in the next entry; I hope that's not another 15 years from now, though....more
Charlie Jensen deftly examines a handful of our most celebrated films--some of them amongst my faves of all time, like Fatal Attraction, Scream, The DCharlie Jensen deftly examines a handful of our most celebrated films--some of them amongst my faves of all time, like Fatal Attraction, Scream, The Descent, Black Swan--and draws parallels to his life as a young gay man coming out, falling in and out of love, stumbling on the path, righting himself, being tripped up again, and ultimately discovering himself.
The juxtapositions between the fictional narratives and the autobiographical confessions, revelations, and declarations are insightful and sobering, ironic and humorous, and deeply poetic. I loved this book. I especially appreciated the chapter on The Descent, how Jensen hunts the darkness of a brutal traumatic event alongside the characters of that astonishingly visceral and blood-soaked ordeal. His takedown of Dan and toxic masculinity (and how far we have come [or not??] in our understanding of it since 1987) in the Fatal Attraction chapter is as badass as Ellen Ripely taking down the aliens. As far as Billy & Stu: I always knew they were gay. ...more
Damn, I love everything about this book. It's written with such steez. It's intriguing, it's profound, it's funny, it's sad, it's unexpected, and it rDamn, I love everything about this book. It's written with such steez. It's intriguing, it's profound, it's funny, it's sad, it's unexpected, and it runs the gamut of being a teenager, especially in the late 1990s in California. It's also a 100% perfect book for young guys you might have in your life who may be reluctant readers. The central story of the unexpected friendship between a jock, Zack, and a skater, Matthias, is relevant, heartbreaking, and transformative. The shadow narrative of what's going on with Zack's parents' divorce, and the estranged relationship he has with his absent dad, is handled so beautifully by the author. The inclusion of all the fashions and music and lingo of the time is so spot-on. I felt transported by this book, immersed. It made me contemplate all the important friendships of my life: the ones that have lasted for decades, the ones that never took off, and the ones that fell apart for a myriad of reasons. If you love YA, alt-rock music, the 90s, skater culture, and stories about friendship and self-transformation, I highly recommend you read this....more
I loved this little book. Small but mighty. Packs a resounding punch. It examines those steadfast elements, themes, and aspects of literature that resI loved this little book. Small but mighty. Packs a resounding punch. It examines those steadfast elements, themes, and aspects of literature that resonate with kids, and adults who read books for kids, and the authors who write for kids and why they can do it so wondrously. Snugness, Scariness, Smallness, Lightness, and Aliveness. Griswold uses examples from some of the greatest works of literature for children to deftly elucidate these points. I remained enraptured the entire way through. This handy and important book for those who love, write, and/or study writing for young people is a must-have. ...more
Rex Ogle's memoir of living on the streets of New Orleans after being thrown out of his house by his father for being gay is powerful, important, beauRex Ogle's memoir of living on the streets of New Orleans after being thrown out of his house by his father for being gay is powerful, important, beautiful, heartbreaking, and astoundingly infuriating. The way young gay people are abused, discarded, and disrespected in this country--and in so many places in our world, let's be honest--is the real abomination against humanity and God. The mistreatment of people by those who claim to operate solely from the fountain of God's love. Give me a break.
I love how the author moves the narrative between light and dark, almost like circadian rhythms of life: the time when the sun is out, the time when it is not. Inside the deepest instances of pain that he recounts about his time on the streets--and Rex Ogle is very visceral, very experiential--a sense of hope permeates, an intuitive need to survive, to eventually find your core strength, stand up for who you are, and fight back.
An essential read for anyone who has ever felt lost, lonely, confused, and then by some discovered sense of grace, came back from the brink, and claimed a beautiful life.
I talked about this book at my Reading Club. I stood up and said, "It's like The Scarlet Letter meets Brokeback Mountain," and though that received a I talked about this book at my Reading Club. I stood up and said, "It's like The Scarlet Letter meets Brokeback Mountain," and though that received a titter or two, it's a profound and important comparison. Garrard Conley will always be a hero of mine for his book Boy Erased. What a beautiful, relevant, heartbreaking book and film. His debut historical fiction novel shares some DNA with it too-- mainly with the themes of gay men and God.
This is wonderfully written, eerie, raw, weird, and redolent of the Salem witch trials. You can feel the whiff of death on every page, the echoes of that time haunting the people of Cana as they make their way through their little New England world desperately attempting to avoid signing their names in the Red Book. Satan's in the woods, goodfolk (and we want to get lost there).
Perplexingly, the peripheral characters take center stage here. I wish the book spent more time with the two men around whom the story revolves, the fascinating and shadowy Minister Nathaniel and handsome, eager town Doctor, Arthur. Conley keeps them at a distance from the reader for the most part, and I wonder if the reasoning for that was like the monster in the horror movie: the less of it you see, the deeper its impact.... Nonetheless, it's wildly brave and necessary to elucidate queer stories from the forbidden annals of history, especially a story of queerness in the age of the Puritans. It could've used a little more suspense, and a much more intense climax, but it's a great book and I enjoyed it....more
Poignant, powerful, provocative, poetic. An exploration of Pentescotal Baptists in Harlem in the 1930s, told primarily through the eyes of an intelligPoignant, powerful, provocative, poetic. An exploration of Pentescotal Baptists in Harlem in the 1930s, told primarily through the eyes of an intelligent and sensitive 14-year-old African American boy named John struggling with his burgeoning sexuality and the complex relationship with his embattled Reverend step-father, the enigmatic Gabriel. I loved the character Florence, John's aunt and Gabriel's sister. She is the voice of reason and truth in the book. She makes her own decisions, and sacrifices, and takes care of herself. She tells people what they need to hear right to their face and genuinely doesn't give a flying f what you think about her. I rooted for her the whole way through. James Baldwin is an exquisite writer. His sentences are as smooth as butter and as sharp as knives. ...more
Sy Montgomery further explores this majestic creature in her follow-up to the astonishing 'The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the WSy Montgomery further explores this majestic creature in her follow-up to the astonishing 'The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness, a rare treasure of a book. This one dives deeper into advances in technology that aid marine biologists in further study of the octopus, and examines behaviors, evolutionary aspects, and mating. It has wonderful photography throughout. While I found it less personable than 'Soul' it is somehow more informative, if that makes sense. It's wonderful to see her writing about this amazing animal that has had such a profound effect on her life--and on the lives of all of us cephalophiles. Read this, and then watch the televised special on Nat Geo narrated by Paul Rudd. It's excellent....more
For a book about a library, which at the outset feels like it could be so geeky, cheesy, and WOMP WOMP, it reads like a thrilling murder mystery, replFor a book about a library, which at the outset feels like it could be so geeky, cheesy, and WOMP WOMP, it reads like a thrilling murder mystery, replete with suspense, intrigue, emotion, and psychology. I found it profoundly moving. I feel like we all have some emotional attachment to the library in one form or another. This book in particular touched on some very personal stuff: My dad was a NYC Fireman for 30+ years, but we never connected. However, we shared a love for books, and when this tall, wide-shouldered, intimidating 'stranger' with eyes as blue as sirens came home, he would always bring me with him to the local library. I took out as many books as possible, which at the time was 8. And so I equate libraries with some kind of ... desired connection ... or at least ... a bridge between two worlds: his and mine. Susan Orlean is so masterful and lovely and wise and curious. She wrote this book about libraries and fire and firemen in a way that made sense to my heart and mind, like a tall glass of clear, cold water. It's a deeply brilliant exploration of the shared structures we create for one another in life, both physical and metaphysical. It celebrates and esteems the unsung and oft-forgotten heroes and heroines of society: Librarians....more
'Horror Movie' falls into the creepy sector of horror. Eerie, weird, sinewy. It reminded me of a Dathan Auerbach book, with echoes of Creepy Pasta. As'Horror Movie' falls into the creepy sector of horror. Eerie, weird, sinewy. It reminded me of a Dathan Auerbach book, with echoes of Creepy Pasta. As an analogy about the super shitty ways we treat one another, reflected in the current state of the world right now (Palestine, Ukraine, endless mass shootings, MAGA, Nex Benedict) and how that treatment makes monsters of us all, the book resonates. Its psychology, though a tad muddled, is a simple one: if you hate yourself, you will project that hate onto the world, and it will have consequences.
This is the plight of teens, and we see it glared back at us in almost every horror movie that features teenagers. Tremblay takes it further with the meta nature of this book, redolent of the success of the 'Scream' films perhaps, and their deeply self-referential nature, the throwback element, the homages to that deft epoch of classic horror that Gen X was reared on, including me. But it's a bit of a trope at this point. As is the found footage aspect of this story.
I liked it, overall, it creeped me out in places, and I liked the writing and the structure, but where it faltered for me most was with its unlikable characters. The protagonist of this book...I wish I had a path in the woods toward what he was feeling, you know? Horror should always be anchored by an ensemble of very likable people, ie 'The Descent'. But the ending to this book is a doozy! I appreciated where it left us.
Thanks for the ARC--I won a Goodreads Giveaway! Can you believe that??!! Miracle. I've been entering for decades, hundreds of them, and this is the first time I have won, woohoo....more
A beautifully crafted collection of short stories exploring the experience of the daughter of Polish immigrants. It's heartfelt and funny, poignant anA beautifully crafted collection of short stories exploring the experience of the daughter of Polish immigrants. It's heartfelt and funny, poignant and profound, and even maddening in places. The father of the central protagonist is so overwhelmingly chauvinistic, his wife subservient to him at every bend. Yet, that's just the way it is. Or, was? Or, still is?? Later she finds her own relationship in duress, and I couldn't help but muse on what her upbringing may have had to do with it. The stories are written so deliriously clearly that you can hear a pin drop between her words. Beautiful sentences, astute and unfussy.
Many of the stories revolve around her father in a nursing home and her relationship with him as he ails, yearning to communicate with those around him, especially to recount his age-old tale of surviving the holocaust, which becomes a steadfast aspect of his identity. My favorite story was called TENANTS, and it explores the haunting of one of the rooms upstairs in the house that they used to rent to transients. I found it creepy, funny, sad, and pleasantly weird. Another favorite was THE PAINTING, which recounts the tale of her mother as a young woman in Poland yearning for a beautiful work of art she has fallen in love with and how hard she works to save money for it, only to have the whole thing complicated by a bizarre relationship she has with a man who lives in her building.
Each story surprised me, and stirred a vivid concoction of emotions. I will definitely be teaching a few of these stories in my writing workshops. Duraj is an insightful, intelligent writer. ...more
I interpreted this is an hallucination of the stranded pilot and it made for a more fascinating tale for me. I loved the rose, and the fox, and the snI interpreted this is an hallucination of the stranded pilot and it made for a more fascinating tale for me. I loved the rose, and the fox, and the snake. I loved the notion that people could live alone, clueless, over-worked and self-obsessed, on tiny planets. I loved it every time the Little Prince said that adults were weird. ...more
I loved this creepy and surprisingly touching little novella. It's a dark and dreary feverdream about family, and the incessant failures of men. EntwiI loved this creepy and surprisingly touching little novella. It's a dark and dreary feverdream about family, and the incessant failures of men. Entwined like stark winter branches in a kind of Wiccan cautionary tale, it's pure folk-goth with echoes of Patrick Ness's 'A Monster Calls', Stephen King's 'IT', and Dathan Auerbach's 'Penpal' with a dash of Toni Morrison's 'Beloved' peppered in for creepy seasoning. Hinckley is a strong writer and a deft storyteller. I look forward to more of his writing and stories....more
As someone who has been a professional thespian for 40+years, I appreciated certain aspects of this book, and its resounding message in the end--or atAs someone who has been a professional thespian for 40+years, I appreciated certain aspects of this book, and its resounding message in the end--or at least what I took from it-- which is that a simple provincial life is a good life and that your past is better left in the dressing room after the final curtain call....more
I love animal fiction. From the time I was a child until present day. Some of my all-time favorites are Charlotte's Web, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NI love animal fiction. From the time I was a child until present day. Some of my all-time favorites are Charlotte's Web, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, Watership Down, The Wind in the Willows, The Tale of Desperaux, and the majestic His Dark Materials trilogy. No surprise then that I would bond with Eggers new kidlit book, The Eyes & The Impossible.
It's a simple and sweet story of animals who live in a city-park near the sea, each of them singular and idiosyncratic in behavior and personality. Squirrels, raccoons, birds, gulls, ducks.... The bonds of friendship, camaraderie, and collaboration come clear through the eyes of Johannes, a joyous and astute free dog who runs at the speed of light and 'sees' all there is to see in the park, discussing developments and goings-on with the wise old Bison, enclosed in a pen and watched over by humans. A prophetic turn of events takes place when a herd of goats arrives to consume a field of unruly weeds. To say more would give it away.
By now, Eggers knows how to write a book (and the literary life he has amassed for himself is rather astonishing. I wish it could be that easy for most authors. Alas, it ain't, kiddos. But to witness it in its velocity and passion is a wondrous thing). However, I felt the main story of this book meandered and felt unfocused in the first half. It takes flight powerfully in its final act, a thing of salty, windy beauty. The inclusion of famous old paintings of forests with Johannes painted into them is magnificent. I reveled in awe at the vivid pastoral details of these paintings. They are a beautiful companion to this animal tale that deftly expresses friendship and freedom through a lens of contemporary issues of gentrification and animal captivity. A worthy addition to the canon of animal fiction!...more
I always enjoy these vintage kids’ books from the 50s and early 60s. The stories are always so simple and innocent. There is always a minimal amount oI always enjoy these vintage kids’ books from the 50s and early 60s. The stories are always so simple and innocent. There is always a minimal amount of conflict, and it’s always resolved so tidily in the end.
I enjoyed this summery tale of a lonely young boy in Maine who befriends another young boy that has moved into the house next-door. His aunt is a famous actress who travels the world, and is quite eccentric and idiosyncratic and always inviting actors and artists and musicians to stay with her, which is rather a nuisance for the small sleepy New England port town and its simple, conservative residents. She even brings a cheetah with her from India! ...more
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