A Council of Dolls: A Novel
by Mona Susan Power
Insightful (9/4/2023)
I am always interested in books about Native Americans, in the past or present. This four-part novel moves around in time and relates the lives of 4 generations of Dakota women. The first three chapters move backward in time, which was slightly confusing. However, each chapter helps elucidate the childhood development of a woman and explains some of her behavior as an adult. The unique approach in this novel of using the dolls that belonged to these women as a conduit of emotions is unusual and made me wonder about the mental coping mechanisms of children who experience trauma. The implied potential for action of these dolls wandered into fantasy and in one instance was disturbing. The last chapter about the most current woman portrayed an educated woman successful in today's culture. Her progress in coming to grips with her Native American heritage ended the book on a hopeful note.
At the Chinese Table: A Memoir with Recipes
by Carolyn Phillips
Chinese Food and Culture (8/23/2021)
This book is an unusual combination of memoir and ethnic cuisine discussion. I enjoyed both parts of this book as I love Chinese food and am interested in Chinese culture. Although I have not attempted to cook much Chinese food, I found it interesting to read about both the ingredients and the techniques. I have not tried any of the recipes in this book yet, but I plan to try a couple of the simpler ones with easy to obtain ingredients. Many of the recipes were labor intensive with a variety of ingredients, typical of Chinese food. I now realize that the complicated techniques and many ingredients in a dish were a way to stretch the small amount of meat available to feed an entire family. The author's description of the tastes I found interesting but, of course, I wish I could have tasted the foods that she was describing. I fantasized about a tour of Taiwan with lectures and tastings every day. The addition of cooking classes would be fun for true aficionados of Chinese food, but I fear the complexity of the food preparation might be more time consuming than most would want.
I found the memoir part of the book engaging and an interesting glimpse into Chinese culture. All cultures seem to have mothers who would like to carefully vet their son's and daughter's choice of spouse. Carolyn's understanding and respect for Chinese food and culture gave her the motivation necessary for her success both as a cook and as a daughter-in-law. Of course, the husband's devotion to Carolyn gave her the support that aided her success in fulfilling these roles.
This is a book that will appeal to those who like Chinese food and Chinese culture.
The Lost Man
by Jane Harper
Transporting and engrossing (11/19/2018)
As in all good mysteries, the mystery presented at this novel’s opening seems unsolvable. Due to the unfamiliar setting, it took me awhile to grasp the significance of the crime scene details. The sense of place in this novel about the Australian outback is well done and soon had me thinking about the harsh circumstances of the geology and climate and how they were integral to the story. The sparse population adds a telling element to the desolation of the setting. The characters were all well drawn and one can begin to understand their personalities as the descriptions were eeked out bit by bit. The gradual release of past incidents is timely enough to keep one’s interest. As the story builds to a climax, the urge to neglect any pressing responsibilities grows apace. The conclusion was a shock but enough information had appeared that it was not a complete surprise. This would be a good book group book as there are many family and relationship issues to discuss. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about a part of the world and a life style that I am completely unfamiliar with. I enjoyed that background and found the mystery captivating.
When the Moon Is Low: A Novel
by Nadia Hashimi
Plight of Refugees (9/6/2015)
This story about a family of refugees portrays the experience of a mother and her three children. There is nothing about the historical background of this story that is unfamiliar as the news has been full of repressive regimes in the Middle East and the status of refugees who have been forced to leave their homes. The arrest and execution of the man of this family demonstrates that physical danger can be the proximate cause of migration, not just economic security. This book is easy to read as the narrative is engaging. It is also hard to read as their plight is so desperate. Not only do these, and other, refugees lose their habitation, their possessions, their food security, but they lose their community of relatives and neighbors. What struck me the most was their isolation and lack of support from any government or from other people, leading to despair and hopelessness. The one time this family found support and comfort from an older couple was in stark contrast to their usual experiences. This timely book puts a human face on the refugee crisis that is overwhelming Europe at the present time.
I am a senior with time to stay informed regarding current events, thus the main elements of the story were not surprising to me. I would recommend this book for younger readers than myself as this brings attention to the human face of a pervasive news story. A young adult book group might find this an interesting discussion book.
Whispering Shadows
by Jan-Philipp Sendker
Contemporary China mystery (1/17/2015)
The setting in contemporary Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China, was portrayed realistically from what I observed on a recent visit to Hong Kong and from news stories in the media. The main character is a westerner who had long lived in China, as is the author. The author's experience was undoubtedly a contributing factor to the believability of the characters, the setting and the circumstances of the story. The mystery of this story was intriguing, in large part due to the setting which portrayed business and cultural beliefs and practices. One of the most interesting aspects is the report of the experiences of two of the Chinese characters during the Cultural Revolution when they were part of the Red Guards. I had never given much thought to how those traumatic experiences might have affected those who lived through that difficult time in China. Now I see how many might have suffered what we now recognize as PTSD. There were places in this book where the writing was awkward and the transitions from one time and place to another were not smooth. Due to that, I would give this book 4 stars instead of the 5 that the characters and story line deserve. I see that this is the first of a proposed trilogy. I look forward to reading the next two!
In Praise of Hatred
by Khaled Khalifa
Hatred Encouraged (2/24/2014)
The protagonist of this story is a female member of an Islamic sect that stands in opposition to the ruling sect. There are two main themes of this story: the political division between two Islamic sects and her isolation from normal social contact with males in her age group. She is encouraged by her prayer group and members of her family to hate anyone not part of her own sect. She is also taught to hate her body and any physical feelings she may have. She struggles to nurture these twin hates, assuming that hatred gives her life meaning. She works to repress any signs of compassion for anyone in another sect and also to repress any normal sexual feelings.
While many works of fiction are told from a broad historical context and secondarily focused on an individual, this story is told from the individual's perspective with the broader historical setting less defined. An understanding of current and recent events in the Middle East is helpful.
I wanted to read this book in order to understand the title. Was the author going to justify hatred and all its ramifications? The book illustrates the part that hatred plays in their society, in her life, and in sustaining religious and political divisions. The message here is that ultimately hatred does not satisfactorily fulfill an individual and leads to cultural disruption. The timeliness of this book is all the more heart breaking than was perhaps intended, as life in Syria is now more unsettled than ever.
I recommend this book for anyone who would like some understanding of the cultural context of women's place in Middle Eastern societies.
How the Light Gets In: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel, #9
by Louise Penny
Excellent mystery (7/19/2013)
This well written mystery has much to recommend it. The main character of Inspector Gamache appears here in the 9th of this series. His character is well developed and I really cared about what was happening to him. Although I had read only the 1st book of this series, I was able to follow the story line due to the explanations of previous circumstances. All of the characters were interesting, some sympathetic and some quirky. The layering of two mysteries gave this story some complexity, which kept me fully engaged. The conclusion of one of the two mysteries was dramatic as this mystery was a story of big dimensions. The final wrap up of this story was a bit convoluted. There were a couple of circumstances that affected the outcome of this situation that were surprising. They were surprising as there had been no hint that these advantageous circumstances were in place. That made the final explanation just a bit too convenient and undermined somewhat the careful construction of this story line.
That fairly minor quibble kept me from giving this book a rating of 5.
A Hundred Flowers: A Novel
by Gail Tsukiyama
Slow moving story (7/24/2012)
This story takes place during the time in China when citizens are encouraged by Mao to express their thoughts about the government (1956). Unfortunately, this suggestion backfires on the family in this story when one of the family members writes a letter critiquing the government. The arrest of the man of the house is devastating to his father, wife and son. The story follows the thoughts and experiences of each of the family members that are left behind, as well as a young pregnant girl that is taken in by the family. The characters are well drawn and believable, as is the setting and the political situation, from what I know of China during that time. Although this was an interesting story, the lack of action and the rather abrupt ending kept me from giving this book a more enthusiastic rating. I have enjoyed other books by this author more than I enjoyed this one.
An Unmarked Grave: A Bess Crawford Mystery
by Charles Todd
WW I Nurse (4/26/2012)
This is the 4th in the Bess Crawford series about an English nurse during WW I. This is the first in the series that I have read and it is not necessary to have read the others to follow the story line here. The historical background of WW I as told from a medical worker's perspective is interesting. It brings home the awful carnage of that war and how primitive medical science was at that time. The mystery is creative. However, the clues followed and the person suspected turn out to be not the reality. The real solution to the mystery becomes apparent only at the end of the book. As is usual in mysteries, there is a crisis with a narrowly averted murder. The motives for the crimes committed seemed a little far fetched. Nonetheless, I found the setting of WW I England and France and the social culture of England interesting enough to justify reading this book. I liked the book well enough to read the others in this series.
Across Many Mountains: A Tibetan Family's Epic Journey from Oppression to Freedom
by Yangzom Brauen
Three Generations of Tibetan Women (9/8/2011)
This book expanded my knowledge of Tibet and its recent history. I have recently studied the history of China for the last 5000 years. The border of China has expanded and contracted over many centuries. This book prompted me to think about all the groups that were enfolded into China against their will. The most successful of the Chinese expansions occurred when the existing culture and government were left in place. It is interesting that China has not learned that lesson and has treated Tibet harshly. However, many of the atrocities that occurred during the course of this story were products of the Chinese cultural revolution, which affected many people in China, not just in Tibet. This is not the book to read if you want a balanced view of the history in that part of the world. It is told from the viewpoint of Tibetans, who have, in fact, lost many of their religious freedoms. I found this book informative and interesting. It would be a good book club book as the discussion could cover recent Tibetan history from a more objective viewpoint.
The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives: A Novel
by Lola Shoneyin
Women's Choices (6/22/2010)
I enjoyed this book and found it an interesting story. On a scale of 1-10 (the best), I would give this book an 8. The dispassionate and sometimes raw depictions of sexual encounters reduced it from a 9. This story was told by 4 women, each in the first person. This made it a nuanced narrative as we were able to see the situation from 4 different view points. This was not a story where a Western female reader could "relate" to the choices these women made. Rather, this was a glimpse into a culture where economic forces and cultural norms dictated the range of choices available. It was informative to see how women in another culture made their choices and solved their problems. In the end, one could see how adaptive these choices were.
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