Book Nook Cafe discussion

Here is a folder for you to list the books you read last month.

Please provide:
~ A GoodRead link
~ A few sentences telling us how you felt about the book.
~ How would you rate the book

I won't finish another one by tomorrow, so here is my list for July. A few bright spots here and there--the majority were uninspiring, unfortunately.

The Dogs of Riga by Henning Mankell: (3 stars) I've only fairly recently discovered Henning Mankell, and I'm slowly making my way through his mystery series about Swedish detective Kurt Wallander. This is the second in the series.

The Pyramid: And Four Other Kurt Wallander Mysteries by Henning Mankell: (3 stars) Though this is billed as book #9 in the Wallander series, it is actually a set of short stories that explain the pertinent events of Wallander's life before the series begins in book 1.

Invisible Boy by Cornelia Read: (2 stars) I enjoyed the author's previous novels, so I was really looking forward to reading this one. I still enjoyed the smart and snappy dialogue that I've come to expect from this author, but the story was a disappointment. It didn't really seem to go anywhere.

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach: (4 stars). I really liked this book, which was ostensibly about baseball. But it's really about life, and how we react when life throws us a curveball. You don't have to be a baseball fan to enjoy this one.

The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard: (1.5 stars) I wanted to like this book. But I figured out how it was going to end by the time I got to page 8. And the plot strained credibility--there were too many convenient coincidences, and the resolution was not very believeable. I wasn't impressed.

Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence: (2 stars). I had never read this book before, but did so this month because it was my book club's selection. Before reading it I had no great knowledge of the novel, only that it was banned because it had explicit sex scenes too racy for the time. I was intrigued to see if it was as racy as I imagined. Which I suppose it was--I can understand the consternation it caused when it was published (although in comparison with what's published today, it doesn't seem so shocking). But once you look past the "obscenity," the book itself is really rather boring. In my opinion, anyway. I wasn't able to make any emotional connection with any of the characters, and I felt that without the controversial language and sex scenes that were obviously meant to shock the readers of 1928, this book would slipped into obscurity a long time ago.

Like Any Normal Day: A Story of Devotion by Mark Kram Jr.: (2 stars) A memoir about a promising high school athlete named Buddy Miley whose potential was cut short when he was paralyzed in a football game in the early 1970s and rendered a quadriplegic. It's the story of how his injury impacted his family over the decades that followed, until Buddy makes an "appointment" date with Dr. Kevorkian. (Since it's mentioned in the first chapter, it's not giving anything away to talk about that detail.) Since the book was written by a newspaper journalist who covered Buddy's injury and his life afterward, I thought the book would be better than it was. I just wasn't all that impressed with the way the book was structured and written.

On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves: (3 stars) I waffled between a 2 and a 3 on this one because I thought the last quarter of the book and the ending were really pretty dumb (and because the plot reminded me more than a tad of "Blue Lagoon," that Brooke Shields movie from the early '80s), but finally gave it a 3 because it did keep me turning the pages until the very end. So that's something, I guess.

The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O'Farrell: (3 stars) A bit uneven--and I figured out the "shocking twist" well before it was revealed. But the author has a very fluid and poetic writing style that I did enjoy.

I read three short stories by Edward Allen Poe becuase they (the Dupin mysteries) supposedly influenced Conan Doyle when he wrote Sherlock Holmes, the first book of which, I also read. They were ok but nothing too exciting. I like Sherlock better.

The Murders In The Rue Morgue-3 stars
The Mystery of Marie Rogêt-2 stars
The Purloined Letter-3 stars


A Study in Scarlet-4 stars
My first Sherlock Holmes and not my last

Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out on How Corporate PR Is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans-4 stars
A former executive for a health insurance company talks about the things they do to continually make more and more money at other people's expense and to manipulte the media and your opinions.

Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945-4 stars
It took me forever to read this door stopper but it was definately worth it. I learned alot (and probbaly already forgot half of it).

The Sisters Brothers-4 stars
A somewhat amusing book about two guys who kill for a living during the gold rush era. Interesting and quirky characters and story.

Of Mice and Men-4 stars
This is a reread from high school but I didn't remember anything about it really, which actually surprised me after I read it again. I liked it alot and thought I would have remembered something!

A Pale View Of Hills-4 stars
This book played with my mind, which I like.

This was a GREAT month for me! Lots of books and lots of good ones.

Gone Girl OK psychological thriller. Married couple invent new ways to torment one another.

Half Blood Blues Berlin in the '20's and '30's. Great atmosphere, chilling plot. I learned a lot I didn't know about the Jazz Age in Berlin and about Louis Armstrong. Who knows how much is true, though!

The History of Love Great book about survivors of the Holocaust and their descendants. Good twists and turns. By the wife of Jonathan Safran Foer and as good as Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, IMO.

Mission to Paris Pre-war German effort to keep France off balance. Nothing much happens. I would not recommend it.

A Moveable Feast I enjoyed revisiting Paris in the '20's and the great figures of the time as portrayed by Hemingway. I had not read this before, and I learned some things I didn't know. Now I need to watch Midnight in Paris - if I can overcome my aversion to Woody Allen.

Alys, Always A young woman witnesses a fatal traffic accident, then becomes involved with the victim's family. Not my favorite.

Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer Totally engrossing description of Lincoln's death, Major Rathbone, and of course, J.W. Booth.

Flight From Berlin Wise-cracking dame (Senator's daughter, band singer and backstroke gold medalist) gets kicked off the 1936 U.S. Olympic team by proto-fascist Avery Brundage for breaking team rules, and things get even more unbelievable from there. Fans of Unbroken and In the Garden of the Beast will recognize Louis Zamperini and Joseph and Martha Dodd, who turn up as characters in this middling spy novel, and that's about all it has going for it.

Michele

Michele wrote: "The History of Love Great book about survivors of the Holocaust and their descendants. Good twists and turns. By the wife of Jonathan Safran Foer and as good as Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, IMO...."

I didn't know she was married to him. I have this book on my list to read.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail 4 stars. It's a book about life and "finding herself," not just hiking. Very enjoyable read.

Friday Nights: A Novel 2 stars. Some women that are alone start a supportive Friday night group. Then a man gets them thinking about changes in their lives. Finished it because it was for a library book group.

Suite Française 4 stars. Lots to think about when reading this book about Germany invading France at the start of WWII. The author was sent to a concentration camp before finishing her planned book.

The Boy in the Suitcase 4 stars. Exciting mystery/thriller set in Denmark and Lithuania.

A Wrinkle in Time 4 stars. Immaginative science fiction book written for older children/young adults. It's the 50th anniversary of its publication.

Say When 3 stars. The story about a marriage falling apart when the wife is attracted to another man. The book is told from the husband's point of view.

Safe Haven 3 stars. A woman is being hunted down by her abusive husband. She's living under an assumed name along the North Carolina coast, and is learning to trust her new boyfriend.

Lark and Termite 3 stars. Lark is helping to care for her half-brother Termite who has profound birth defects. He was born on the same day as his soldier father was killed in the Korean War. Very lyrical, with beautiful imagery, but the book moved very slowly so it was hard to keep interested.

Illumination Night 3 stars. Set on Martha's Vineyard, the book has many characters that have been abandoned or suffered a loss, and the changes they go through. Some magical realism. Library book group read.

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin 4 stars. Interesting book about Hitler's rise to power in the 1930s. Ambassador William Dodd and his daughter were the main characters. Very readable non-fiction.

I Didn't Ask to Be Born: 3 stars. Humorous stories from Bill Cosby.

The Language of Flowers 4 stars. I reread this book for a library book group, and enjoyed it again this time. It's focus is on the foster care system, and the main character is emotionally harmed from so much rejection. Her talent is arranging flowers, and each flower can convey a message.

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. 4 stars. The story of a fugitive slave told in her own words. Very chilling.

Love Anthony 4 stars. This was a "first read," Lisa Genova's newest book which will be published in September. It's about a young boy with autism who died at a young age. He was very loved, but the autism put incredible stress on the parents and their marriage. The book focuses on his mother and her neighbor, a writer and a mother of three daughters. Themes are motherhood, autism, happiness, and unconditional love.

Amy wrote: "I won't finish another one by tomorrow, so here is my list for July. A few bright spots here and there--the majority were uninspiring, unfortunately.
***************8

Amy, even though you didn't read anything that really knocked your socks off, I think you still had a very nice reading month.

One of these days I will get to The Art of Fielding. I enjoy baseball, so this book should be a good fit for me.

Julie wrote:
This was a GREAT month for me! Lots of books and lots of good ones.
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Congratulations, Julie. Also thank you for reading Freedom From Fear with me. It's an exceptional book, whose size probably would have made it sit on my TBR for too long.

Michele wrote: The History of Love Great book about survivors of the Holocaust and their descendants. Good twists and turns. By the wife of Jonathan Safran Foer and as good as Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, IMO.
********************

Michele, I absolutely LOVED The History of Love. I'm glad you enjoyed it, too.

I also enjoyed the movie Midnight in Paris. The cinematography is beautiful.

Connie wrote: The Language of Flowers 4 stars. I reread this book for a library book group, and enjoyed it again this time. It's focus is on the foster care system, and the main character is emotionally harmed from so much rejection. Her talent is arranging flowers, and each flower can convey a message.
********************************

Connie, the bookstore owner who runs my F2F book group gushed over The Language of Flowers.

Thank you for being my Buddy this month for Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Suite Française, In the Garden of Beasts. Your posts greatly enhanced my enjoyment of these books. You're the best !

Slow month for reading, we moved so I was busy with packing, moving boxes, more packing, more moving boxes, etc..... I hate moving.

Rock and Roll rip off- McDonnell, R. J.

Dead Sleep- Iles, Greg

Isolation: Stories - White, Jason

Catching Fire - Collins, Suzanne

October Rain - Morgan, Dylan J.

The Haunted Hotel - Collins, Wilkie

Amy wrote: "Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence: (2 stars). I had never read this book before, but did so this month because it was my book club's selection. Before reading it I had no great knowledge of the novel, only that it was banned because it had explicit sex scenes too racy for the time. ..."

Amy, you wrote almost exactly what i wrote when i read it in '09. I failed to find the thrill & could only imagine that it paved the way for more liberal writing later. Incidentally, last week i began serious weeding of my home library. When i picked up this book, i said, "Well, i'll never read this." Then i saw that i had notes sticking out & had, in fact, read it. So much for it making much of an impression!

Thank you for sharing. It allowed a mini-vent. ;-)

deb

Jorge wrote: "The Haunted Hotel - Collins, Wilkie , ..."

Jorge, did you like this one? When i read it the only other Wilkie i had read was The Moonstone, so wasn't prepared for it. I'm sure it's wasn't the shortness that swayed me. But it led me to try The Woman in White, which i really liked.

deb

Not that anybody noticed - yet - but the main character in Flight From Berlin was based on Eleanor Holm, and yes, she was an Olympic swimmer married to a bandleader who was kicked off the team for partying too hard on the ship over - probably with William Randolph Hearst, Jr. Also aboard were Helen Hayes and husband, George Kennan and other luminaries of the day. However, Eleanor Holm's father was not a Senator.

Madrano wrote: "Jorge wrote: "The Haunted Hotel - Collins, Wilkie , ..."

Jorge, did you like this one? When i read it the only other Wilkie i had read was The Moonstone, so wasn't prepared for it. I'm sure it's w..."

Well........ It was ok. I guess I expecting more...... haunting, the title is a little misleading. : ) Don't want to give out too many details.
I would read The Woman in white to give the author another chance see if I like his writing any better.

I finished 3 books so far this month of July

Beautiful Ruins which is about as close to 5 stars as they come. Various characters, a few different settings and times. Unforgettable scenes featuring the late great Richard Burton.

The Skeleton in the Grass which is a solid 2-3 stars. I had higher hopes for this one taking place in late 1930s English country house setting. Mostly mystery with some politics thrown in and the dead body on the -- grass, of course. I think more could have been done with it.

Those Who Save Us which comes in solidly at 4 stars. I thought I might nudge this up to 5 after thinking it over but I don't think so. The perspectives shown were extremely interesting. The plight of German womanhood during World War II and the aftermath. The struggle to understand what went on in that terrible time will continue forever. And there is so much material to ponder. This book was fascinating in so many ways. But somehow it didn't cross over into the 5 star realm. I would still give it a hearty recommendation.

Looks like you had a solid July, Lori. :)

I can appreciate how difficult it sometimes is to rate a book. I, too, can't seem to decide. I guess that is why 3 GR stars is what I give most books.

My July reads:


Bossypants~Tina Fey
non-fiction- comedy
Rate 1/5
I read this book for my f2f book club. First, I should say I only know of Tina Fey from her hilarious sketches of Sarah Palin. I don't watch any shows she is on. Maybe that's the problem. I simply did not find the book funny. And in parts a little mean spirited. It's not that I don't like this genre. I found David Sedaris and Kathy Griffin's books laugh out loud funny. I didn't even crack a smile with Bossypants. I only finished it because it was for my f2f book club and it was a very quick read with wide margins, double space and filler pages. My f2f book club was split on this selection.

Suite Française~~Irène Némirovsky
fiction
Rate 4/5
Read this for the Group Read at BNC. I loved the writing and found the story quite engaging. The book is the unfinished work of an author who met her end in a concentration camp. I absolutely plan on reading some of her other books.

The Pritikin Edge: 10 Essential Ingredients for a Long and Delicious Life~Robert A. Vogel
non-fiction
Rate: 4
Health and diet advice from one of the early pioneers in the field. Informative, but I would have liked more specifics on the diet.

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin~Erik Larson
non-fiction
Rate 4/5
Buddy Read at BNC. I loved this book. It's a fascinating account of the U.S. Ambassadors time in Germany as Hitler is starting to come into power. Well done.

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl~Harriet Jacobs
non-fiction
Rate 4/5
This classic is one of the first personal narratives by a female slave. The book was published in 1861 yet it is quite easy to read unlike some books from that era. I found it to be inspiring and informative.

I normally don't have so many highly rated books in one month. Only one stinker in the bunch. All in all, a very good reading month for me.

Here is a list of the books i read in July. I won't link to the books i read with this group. Considering how busy i've been, i was surprised how much reading i accomplished. It helps that there was a YA & play in the mix, i reckon.

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemiorvsky. I liked this book & have already checked out another by her. The story is well presented and i felt she gave a real sense of the moment. Her extermination is a loss for us all.

Saint's Gate by Carla Neggers. This is my first Neggers mystery. It wasn't bad just nothing i'm going to continue reading. The MC is an FBI agent, former novitiate in a convent where a murder occurred. Additionally the character is an art expert. What a life. AND they live in Maine. Everything about this should have clicked with me but i wasn't wowed, particularly since i figured out the whodunit as soon as that character was introduced.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. Again, i won't continue with the series. And, again, part of the reason is because i figured out the larger mystery from the very first chapter. Bummer. While it wasn't particularly well written, it kept me reading way into the night, which is something which hasn't happened in a long time.

My Life So Far by Jane Fonda. I liked this book & reading about Fonda's history with her family, both the one she was born into, as well as the ones she created with her husbands. She did a decent job in explaining the reasons behind many of her actions. Additionally, i felt i learned quite a number of things about the process of making movies. And i was surprised at how early she was involved in the process for some of her best known films, such as Coming Home.

Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War by Tony Horwitz. This was an interesting book, which included reenactors of the War, arguments about the rebel flag, visits to battlefields and issues regarding Civil Rights movements. Some of the historical truths surprised me, as well as a look into how others chose to interpret their opinions from the facts. Generally he allowed the reader to draw her own conclusions about the people he met, as well as the issues under discussion, which i liked, too.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass, which was in the same book with Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs. Both are heavy of the Christianity but much stronger on portraying the lives each led before escaping slavery. And they also nicely depicted the fact they were still being hunted as they wrote & shared their stories. Amazing.

The Giver by Lois Lowry. This is an excellent YA science fiction/utopian novel. The story was presented extremely well, as was the portrayal of the main character, who was turning 12, meaning he would be assigned a career. Yikes!

Copenhagen by Michael Frayn. This is a 3 person play speculating about a real 1941 meeting between physicists Danish Neils Bohr and his protege German Werner Heisenberg. While there was a meeting there is no proof of what was said. While Heisenberg wasn't a Nazi, he remained in Germany & was helping them create a nuclear reactor or weapon...or so it's believed. He later claimed that he was sabotaging efforts by working from a miscalculation of the amount of uranium needed. The play had a postscript which further speculated with the author explaining why he couldn't include some bits in the play & continue to make it flow.

deborah

July 2012
The Walking Dead, Vol. 15: We Find Ourselves - Robert Kirkman (132 pages)

Alphabet Juice -Roy Blount Jr (364 pages)
Pretty lame. He basically made some punny comments about his favorite words out of the dictionary, while ignoring quite a bit of etymology.

Train Dreams - Dennis Johnson (128 pages)
Short read, but seemed overhyped for being on the Pulitzer short list.

The Walking Dead, Vol. 16: A Larger World - Robert Kirkman (136 pages)
Originality fail.

Fortune Cookie Chronicles -Jennifer 8 Lee (320 pages)
A series of short vignettes about the history of Chinese food in America. Gave me some great history, and a craving for General Tso's chicken.

Lucky Peach Issue 4 - David Change (176 pages)
A little sub-par because of it's emphasis this issue on the movie "Diner" but great because of the "create your own adventure" regarding eating tacos.

Chew, Vol. 2: International Flavor - John Layman (128 pages)

Swamplandia! - Karen Russel (316 pages)
Also overhyped. Started out with some magical realism "Alice in Wonderland in a swamp" elements, but it ended with me never wanting to visit Florida and hating humanity, Child Protective Services, and misunderstood teenagers.

The Bhagavad Gita (237 pages)

Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions -Edwin Abbot (118 pages)
Story about a square living in a 2 dimensional plane of existence that is visited by a sphere and cannot comprehend how much his mind has been blown. Impressive concepts for being written in the 1860s

Stephanie, I think you take this prize this month for the variety of your reads.

Well done !

Also thanks for the review on Swaplandia. Whenever I hear the words "magical realism" I run the other way !

Stephanie wrote: "Fortune Cookie Chronicles -Jennifer 8 Lee (320 pages)
A series of short vignettes about the history of Chinese food in America. Gave me some great history, and a craving for General Tso's chicken.
..."

We like Chinese food buffets and in this part of Texas they are among the better restaurants, if you don't want a chain. However, the last buffet we visited didn't have General Tso's chicken! What?!?! I will not return! (Another good-like thing, imo, about Chinese buffet restaurants is that they have poor desserts, so i am not "saving room" for them & can eat more sushi!)

Stephanie wrote: "Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions -Edwin Abbot (118 pages)
Story about a square living in a 2 dimensional plane of existence that is visited by a sphere and cannot comprehend how much his mind has been blown. Impressive concepts for being written in the 1860s ..."

I agree. It seems to anticipate the leaps in science which were ahead. Perhaps it also helped people look at things in a new way. Regardless, it's a book i think of fondly, just for the unusual presentation of dimensions.

deborah

Madrano wrote: "Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War by Tony Horwitz. This was an interesting book, which included reenactors of the War, arguments about the rebel flag, visits to battlefields and issues regarding Civil Rights movements..."

I was interested to see that you had read and enjoyed this one, Deb. My son had to read it this summer for the AP US History class he is taking this fall--and he did not like it at all. I thought he would--it sounded interesting to me, and he usually enjoys history. But this one didn't do it for him. Maybe because he HAD to read it...I know that there were plenty of books I was forced to read in high school that I thought I hated, but when I read them again as an adult I discovered that they were actually quite good! LOL...Apparently it's not just youth that's wasted on the young...it's good literature, too. ;)

I read seven in July which is probably about the average number per month for me.

Suite Française I also enjoyed this group read. 4 stars.

A Guide to the Birds of East Africa Set in Nairobi, two men compete for a woman's attention by way of a birdspotting contest. It is rather funny, with some serious social issues thrown in to make it an interesting and fun tale. 4 stars.

The Stranger This one is set in Algeria. It is a weird tale of murder and 'afterlife'. I think I missed something .... 2 stars.

The Inheritance of Loss Set in Northern India (I favourite setting/location for me) several generations' experiences during times of civil unrest, whilst one character tries to survive a new life in NYC. I was disappointed as I felt nothing for any of the characters. Beautiful descriptions and phrasing saved it for me. 3 stars.

The Marsh Birds An orphaned Iraqi boy flees Baghdad to Damascus, spends time in an Australian detention centre, then onto New Zealand. A 'sort of' gripping storyline, but I couldn't engage with the character and am still confused by some events. However, it is relevant to issues here in Australia at the moment. 3 stars.

The Makioka Sisters Four Osaka sisters try to maintain their standards and traditions in the lead up to WW2. Too subtle in detail for me; I found it boring and repititious at times. 2 stars.

Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Wartime Sarajevo NF I find it difficult to rate the diary of a child written during times of war. This book has been compared to The Diary of a Young Girl. Zlata's Diary did not move me as much as Anne's, possibly because I first read the latter way back in Grade 8.

Excellent reading month, Lesley. Thanks for the many, new to me, titles.

I see the Makioka Sisters is described as "arguably the greatest Japanese novel of the twentieth century". Interesting.

Better late than never lol, here are mine for July (as I was on holiday til yesterday).

Enchantment - Charlotte Abel
Taken - Charlotte Abel
Ignite - Z.L. Arkadie
Fifty Shades of Garbage - Allie Beck (loads of rubbish, worst book of the month)
My Husband's On Facebook! - Richard Parise
My Husband's On Facebook! Unpublished - Richard Parise
My Husband's On Facebook! - Unpublished - Richard Parise
Three's Company - William Mwendwa (About 2 women (Mother n Daughter) who are in love with 1 man. Both get pregnant by him and he died in a car accident).
Mid Life Crisis - William Mwendwa (About a woman who is going throught Mid life and wants what she used to have, her ex-husband when she was younger. He turns her away and walks away).

*Last 2 books are from my dad's friend.

Yes, and it has earned many 4 and 5 star reviews here on GR. It was one of my must-reads before/during my Japan trip, but put it aside then. Like most of my other Japanese reads, I just found it too detailed and 'delicate'. But ... this attention to detail in writing reflects the Japanese culture in general, I now realise.

I still have Shipwrecks to read, but expect that one to be a little different again.

Amy wrote: "I was interested to see that you had read and enjoyed this one, Deb. My son had to read it this summer for the AP US History class he is taking this fall--and he did not like it at all...."

Amy, i am positive i wouldn't have liked this as a teen. Horwitz barely recaps, keeping most of the observations about the south today. There was one chapter, about a murder which had occurred not long before he entered the town, which seemed to be too much a part of the rest of the book. As the murder was (ostensibly) centered around the rebel battle flag, it fit his topic but it was either too early in the book or just a misfit.

However, the chapter where a park historian accompanies the author on a tour of Shiloh was superb, as he is shedding new light on the traditional history of the battle. He "reads" the topography, as well as where the artifacts are found. That one chapter was worth the book to me, although i also learned much in other chapters. He sets many fact straight, which i appreciated. I hope your son can incorporate some of that into his knowledge of the war.

deb

Lesley wrote: "I still have Shipwrecks to read, but expect that one to be a little different again. ..."

Oh, Lesley, i really liked Shipwrecks by Akira Yoshimura and hope you do too. I had no expectations when i began reading, so was surprised at the topic & the way the book progressed. (I bought the book for $1 for the cover alone. Yes, i did!) An online friend ended up reading it right after i did, so enthusiastic was i about the book. I wasn't even sure of what time/era it was set until i was almost finished with it. Having written all that, i must admit that i have not read much about Japanese history, so the material may be old news to many readers. Still, i felt the author created a good book. Enjoy!

deborah

Thanks Deb, I hope to get to it next month.

Amy, the TV series Wallander is fairly new here, and I didn't even notice the title of the books it is based on - thank you. I will keep an eye out for the books now.

I really enjoyed the few episodes I did see - hope it returns soon. He is an interesting character.

Lesley wrote: "Amy, the TV series Wallander is fairly new here, and I didn't even notice the title of the books it is based on - thank you. I will keep an eye out for the books now..."

An English teacher at my son's school recommended Henning Mankell one day, when he saw me carrying around "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo." He said I should read Mankell--because, as he put it, "Mankell did everything Stieg Larsson did--and he did it first, and he did it better." I have found that I'm really intrigued by Mankell's writing style--it's blunt and sparse and matter-of-fact to the point of being practically emotionless. I'm not sure if that's strictly Mankell's style or a function of the translation into English--but either way, it's effective when reading a crime novel/mystery. He inserts a lot of politics into his works as well, which I find interesting because I don't really know all that much about Sweden!

Amy wrote: " I have found that I'm really intrigued by Mankell's writing style--it's blunt and sparse and matter-of-fact to the point of being practically emotionless. I'm not sure if that's strictly Mankell's style or a function of the translation into English--but either way, it's effective when reading a crime novel/mystery. ..."

This is an excellent question. Is it the writer's style or what the translator had to do to pull the work together for the audience in another country? I appreciate the way you phrased this, Amy. Thank you. (I know, how odd to thank someone for the question itself, but there ya are. It's something i've given much thought to but ask it in a wordy way, unlike your own succinct comment.)

deb

Sparse is exactly the word to describe the TV adaption too, which is why it appeals to me I guess... no 'fluff' at all.

Yes, this is why we watch it. And yet i've had no desire to read the books.

A Gesture Life by Chang-rae Lee (2 stars)
I really enjoyed the author's book Native Speaker and was disappointed with this one. I couldn't feel much sympathy for the main character especially with the first-person narration. The events of the story, what happens to other characters and his role in those events were disturbing and there weren't many redeeming factors for me to enjoy the book. The precipitating events are during the Second World War in southeast Asia but the character is telling the story, I think, during the 1990s.

Orange Mint and Honey by Carleen Brice (3 stars)
I needed a palate cleanser of sorts after A Gesture Life. This one fit the bill in terms of totally different content; it's the story of a grad student in her mid-twenties who is estranged from her formerly alcoholic and negligent mother and returns for a stay after getting into a sort-of depressive funk. While I felt some of the interaction seemed played up for dramatic effect, it all still felt grounded enough in reality. I enjoyed the book.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré (4 stars)
Compelling read though often confusing. It's about a former spy who is called back to find a highly placed Russian mole in the British Secret Service during the Cold War. I also watched the 2011 movie adaptation after. I thought both the book and movie were well done though, of course there were differences. I actually liked some of the changes in the movie and also liked how the movie was sort of in conversation with the book and the opinions/values of that time period.

Sumofparts wrote: "A Gesture Life by Chang-rae Lee (2 stars)
I really enjoyed the author's book Native Speaker and was disappointed with this one. I couldn't feel much sympathy for the main character especially with ..."

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Thanks for sharing your July reads with us, Sum.

I've read very good things about Chang-rae Lee but I've never read any books by him.

Alias, not all magical realism is the same, any more than all novels are the same. It can be barely noticeable in some books and overwhelming in others. Me, I vote for "barely noticeable".