Book Reviews -- 2004
As in previous years,
this page of book reviews is updated about once a month. Although I buy many
of the books we read (almost always paperbacks), there's also a bit of serendipity
involved -- some of the apartments we've rented came with a rather eclectic
selection of reading materials;
visiting friends leave a finished book or two behind, and town libraries
usually open
their stacks to us, if we stay long enough. This summer, the golf
ladies have a lending library, as does my apartment building.
I'm always looking for book recommendations, so please let me know what books you've enjoyed lately, or better yet, just send them on!
These ratings are on a 1 to 5 scale, 5 being "The Best!" DNF means I didn't finish the book. Click here to see the author-sorted list of books read in 2000 and 2001. And here for 2002-3 book reviews.
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The Power and the Glory Greene, Graham |
This short novel (written in 1940) is set against the backdrop of the Mexican government's persecution of the Catholic Church. A priest, fallen yet still a believer, is on the run. We see him from many perspectives, often his own. We feel for him and with him, as he inevitably finds his end. The writing is strong, sharply defining the characters and illuminating the scenes. A classic to read. | 4.6 |
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Me Talk Pretty Someday Sedaris, David |
This group of short stories and vignettes about Sedaris' life is filled with fun and humor. He has a unique perspective on things, and I found that the more I read, the more I enjoyed the book. Definitely Recommended! | 4.6 |
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Crow Lake Lawson, Mary |
Mary Lawson's writing is impressive -- clear yet not overly showy. Crow Lake, her first novel, is set in poor rural Canada. Kate Morrison is seven when fate changes her life. Brothers Luke and Matt must unite to overcome hardships, struggling to reconcile their dreams with their new realities. The pace of this story of family love and misunderstanding is just right, keeping the reader wanting more. | 4.4 |
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The Kite Runner Hosseini, Khaled |
An interesting story well told. Afganistan in days gone by; a boy and his faithful servant friend. A bit of insight in mankind, and a great scene where the boys kite fight and run to capture the loser's kite. Near the top of the NY Times bestseller list for half a year. | 4.3 |
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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Rowling, J.K |
Book 5 in the Series is long and starts slowly. We had the 17 tape version to listen to between Palm Springs and Vancouver and weren't too keen until about tape 3 or 4! Then things finally took off and the world of Hogworts and imagination collide. | 4.3 |
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Alias Grace Atwood, Margaret |
This fictional story is based on fact. It's 1800 and Grace is a young, 16 year-old who is an accomplice to murder, perhaps even a murderess. Perhaps she's insane, or just a calculating, evil siren. This account to her psychiatrist doctor of her story (and his) is both entertaining and intriguing. Atwood's writing is crisp and easy to read. She seems to have made a great effort to include every "saying" ever written in her text. Somehow, she seems to have found "a place for everything". | 4.3 |
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Howard's End E.M. Forester |
England in 1900 seems such a remote and unreal epoch, yet Forester's writing makes it come to life and helps shed light on the divergent perspectives of the sexes. The story, though slow-moving, kept me wanting more, hoping Margaret would indeed "connect" with some of the men that so needed it. | 4.3 |
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No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency Alexander McCall Smith |
A easy read as this is a short book. It's a charming glimpse of life in Botswana, where common sense and intuition allow detective Precious Ramotswe to find answers to all sorts of questions. There are several other books in this series, but one is probablyenough for me. | 4.2 |
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The Namesake Jhumpa Lahiri |
I quite enjoyed this award-winning book about Indian immigrants and the life of Gogol Ganguli, who hated his name, eventually becaming Nikhil. Lahiri develops a tension and maintains it throughout, as she writes about family ties and traditions, even though the mostly book deals with "ordinary life" events. | 4.1 |
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The Virgin Blue
Chevalier, Tracy |
This novel travels between historical (1560's) and modern France. Ella Turner / Tournier is researching her roots with her new friend, Jean-Paul. She uncovers not only some family history but also some unexpected feelings. Readable, but not as good as the Chevalier's more famous Girl with the Pearl Earring. | 3.8 |
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A Collection of Beauties at the height of
their popularity Otto, Whitney |
This collection of vignettes by the author of How to Make an American Quilt looks into the lives of a group of 30-ish folks who live in San Francisco in the early 80's. Since I lived there then, it held my interest well. The bits and pieces are all interesting enough, and the writing is good, but I prefer reading books that have a story... | 3.5 |
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Unless Shields, Carol |
Canadian writer and Pulitzer Prize winner (for The Stone Diaries) Shields writes about feelings, thoughts, and the gendered world. When writer Reta Winters' previously normal 20 year old daughter Norah opts out of life, sitting on a Toronto street corner for a year, uncommunicative, with a sign reading GOODNESS, the world changes for Rita, yet of course life continues. This is a mother's story full of feelings and insights that ring true. | 3.3 |
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Death in Holy Orders James, P.D. |
This Adam Dalgliesh mystery, set in a Anglican theological college, is a readable diversion, though best read rapidly. Though James does write well, you can skim over things, as she seems to repeat them anyway. Not her best, but it has been made into a good TV movie, with a new AD, and there's even a heart flutter in it for him. | 3.2 |
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Roses are Difficult Her Mitchell, W.O. |
This novel, by a Canadian writer W.O. Mitchell delves into small town life in rural Canada. The book takes us into the life of the town's newspaper editor, Matt, just a June Melquist, a sociologist arrives. Though the book has it's high points, such as when Rory Napoleon's goats invade the town, for the most part, it's a slow walk on the quiet side. | 3.2 |
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No Great Mischief MacLeod, Alistair |
This novel, by a Canadian writer writing about his Scottish ancestors in Nova Scotia's and more recently in Ontario, won several awards. Unfortunately, it didn't hold my attention, though I managed 150 of the 300 pages. | DNF |
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Middlesex Eugenides, Jeffrey |
This "Best Book of 2000" (NY Times, SF Chronicle and many others) is a novel about a Greek family arriving in America in the 1920's, about a brother and sister who marry, and about a hermaphrodite (though by p. 180, when I stopped reading, (s)he had only made some minor appearances. It's not that the book was bad, it's just that I didn't think it was good for another 350 pages. | DNF |
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The Elegant Gathering of White Snows Radish, Chris |
An nice title, read by my friend Jan and her book club. Unfortunately, this book about friendship, about these eight women (who I will guess do therapy together,) starts with the story of a woman who's baby was born with a hole in her heart and died 3 days later. Now 50 years later she is just coming to grips with this sadness that has dominated her life. I just can't relate (to how she never moved on), and don't actually want to! | DNF |
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A Mapmaker's Dream, Mediation of Fra
Mauro Cowan, James |
Another national "bestseller' that I couldn't finish. This is a philosophical book, each chapter another bit or piece of the puzzle. the Monk Fra Mauro lives in Venice, meeting travelers and making maps. Hopefully, for some, these bits became a whole. For me, it was just not clear or relevant where we were heading. | DNF |
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The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup Oreleans, Susan |
Susan Orleans sketches people into their lives. Those she encounters are often interesting, but her writing fails to make them fascinating. Instead, I recommend trying Jon Krakauer's Eiger Dreams -- Ventures Among Men and Moutains, or Best of Outside (magazine): The First 20 Years, both of which was really wonderful sketchs of fascinating people. | DNF |