This Strange Eventful History: A Novel
by Claire Messud
This Strange Eventful History (4/8/2024)
It was such a pleasure to read this excellent history of a French family with their travels across the world in the background of both WW2 and the end of Algeria as a French Colony, then moving on to the twenty first century. The novel is a study in the passing of time and how the changes affect the characters in this family with the differences in living in such diverse locations as Argentina and Australia.
Each of the members of the family react uniquely as do the people to whom they are married. For some such as Gaston and his son , Francois, the memories of Algeria linger on. For others the new world is more important. The family members are shown to really care about one another, traveling to visit or gathering for life events.
This is a novel which will be read, enjoyed and reread as an epic of that period in time.
Leaving: A Novel
by Roxana Robinson
Leaving by Roxanna Robinson (12/1/2023)
LEAVING is a stunning love story which will appeal to very many readers.
Roxanna Robinson has an amazing ability to draw the reader into the plot so that the characters are real and believable from the start. The author describes past times of the lovers and their family backgrounds very clearly.
Involving two families at the beginning, the story expands as time goes on, deepening the tension in the love between the lovers.
It is intriguing to follow the individual loyalties and betrayals, the selfishness of some and the rational decisions of others.
The author keeps the sequence of events so real that it is impossible to guess the final outcome before the end of the book.
This is a book to treasure and reread.
Day: A Novel
by Michael Cunningham
Day by Michael Cunningham (10/13/2023)
I found this novel both interesting and disturbing in several ways as it follows family relationships over a three-year period full of changes in the world. Although the author does not directly mention the virus pandemic which by the middle of the book was worldwide, he managed to convey disturbance and fear which affected the lives of the very odd families he described.
Emotional connections between wife and husband and her disturbed brother who communicates by social media with a "friend" set the scene for a modern living pattern.
As time progresses the family, through life changes, reacts in different ways to the disturbances and being forced to live closely together.
At the end of the story, a year later, the family has moved and although there has been a death of one member perhaps it was a blessing and might allow the characters and their friends to move on to normal lives.
This novel might have been more successful in the form of short stories.
The Wren, the Wren: A Novel
by Anne Enright
The Wren, the Wren (8/4/2023)
The Wren, the Wren ---how to describe this brilliant novel of a family who inherit both love and disturbing emotions?
The three women, Grandmother Terry, her daughter Carmel, who is Nells mother and Nell drive each other crazy but whose love for each other is the sustaining thread through the story.
Carmel, Nell's mother, has a very different view of life from her daughter. Nell longs to escape and see the world and write about it. Through the years, the novel is interspersed with the love poetry of the Grandfather who sees Nell as a little wren, and who remembers the past verses of old Ireland, both of sorrow and love.
Birds and birdsong move through the narrative with special meaning for each of the women. This magical story supports the passage of time from the old poet to the modern world of Nell McDaragh, making it a very special novel.
Last House Before the Mountain
by Monika Helfer
Last House before the Mountain by Monika Helfer (2/15/2023)
The book is both a memoir and a novel based on the authors family history and the rather sad tale of a lonely poverty stricken family in rural Austria at the beginning of WW1 .
The style of the book, switching from the time of the war to the related story in the daughter's memoir is sometimes hard to follow. The characters are well described, especially the mother who is apparently so beautiful that many of the events and reactions depend on her looks. The hard working loyal but neglected children, the cruel vicious husband and the duplicitous mayor of the unfriendly village all add color and reality to the book. The husband goes off to the war leaving the family near starvation.
However a mystery occurs when a stranger appears only to disappear again. Is he real or a visiting spirit or only in the lovely mothers' imagination. When the next child, a daughter, is born to the mother, who is the father ?
The memoir never is sure but the fifth daughter becomes the strange mother of the writer.
Margot: A Novel
by Wendell Steavenson
Margot by Wendell Steavenson (12/8/2022)
After a slow start resembling a "young adult" novel with a neurotic, bullying mother, an absent father and a mentally impaired grandmother, the story starts in 1950s New York. The family is very wealthy and keeps to the manners of that time.
Surviving early school years and the traumas of boarding school Margot delves into reading as an escape from her family. Her shyness develops but she learns to make some friends. There are however deep secrets in this family which do not get revealed until later in the novel. Finally succeeding in going to college Margot's persistence in reading and studying prove to be her entrance to both career success, permanent friendships and maturity.
A major disaster changes the lifestyle of the family members but persistence prevails for Margot through her desire to resolve scientific problems and advance her career hopes.
Throughout the story she is obsessed with several men who let her down or behave in unorthodox ways while others are helpful and necessary in her life.
The author's inclusion of the development of cell biology and biochemistry in that 1950-1970 is fascinating, although possibly confusing to readers without that personal interest.
Margot is an interesting and likeable character and her final decision for a change in her life makes the reader wish for a sequel to see what happens next.
Dinosaurs: A Novel
by Lydia Millet
Dinasaurs by Lydia Millet (9/18/2022)
The novel begins slowly with more than a hint of sadness as the principal character, Gil, walks away from a personal sorrow ending up a long distance from home. This is almost an old fashioned story, full of connections with nature and human behavior.
In the Arizona desert, in two very different dwellings, one enclosed and one open with glass walls a friendship develops which is very important to this lonely man. The animals and birds of the desert also become part of the story and, with the neighbor's friendship, allow the man to enter society again.
The fact of Gil's unusual wealth which allows him to make decisions which others might not be able to make is the only flaw in this delightful novel.
The Family Izquierdo: A Novel
by Rubén Degollado
The Family Izquierdo (8/7/2022)
This is a complex and unusual work presenting connected stories linking members of a large Mexican American family living on the Texas side of the Border.
The loving relationships between the family members remains strong, even while they struggle with their fate and the conflict between their ancient pagan beliefs and the Catholic faith of their modern heritage.
The author successfully shows how each member of the family deals with the issues of life on the Border and the misfortunes which complicate their lives. These misfortunes are blamed on a strong curse imposed on the family.
Using many Spanish words and phrases in the story is a successfully way of making the novel authentic although it is challenging for readers who do not understand Spanish. I found that this makes the characters very real and believable in a rich, human tale.
Fly Girl: A Memoir
by Ann Hood
Fly Girl by Ann Hood (4/1/2022)
This is one of the best modern memoirs I have ever read. The author, Ann Hood, who is known for her excellent novels has now shared her career as a Flight Attendant, (Stewardess), mainly with TWA for 8 years traveling both domestically and internationally.
She starts with her own early passion for her flying career and tells the history of the very first flight attendants in the early years of commercial flying. The rigorous training to qualify as a flight attendant was so well told in her memoir that the reader can visualize the designer uniform of which she was so proud and the rigid rules that the women had to follow.
Ann shows how her warm personality and her pride in her job as well as her sense of humor keeps her working through good times and bad. She copes with the stigma of the male view of female attendants as sexual objects with grace and finesse. What a great career she had in the air and as a very talented writer telling her story.
Ann is able to show how her warm personality and her pride in her job as well as her sense of humor keeps her working through good times and bad. She copes with the stigma of the male view of female attendants as sexual objects with grace and finesse. What a great career for a woman who is also a talented writer.
Morningside Heights: A Novel
by Joshua Henkin
Morningside Heights (9/3/2021)
This novel about a marriage is both moving and compassionate. The hero of the story, Pru, is an amazing woman who is both adventurous and brave.
A fast paced start of the story is full of youthful hope for an exciting future but also holds hints of sadness to come.
In the plot the author has used time movement to show that in life prediction of the future is not possible.
The setting in a religious background as well as academia affects the reality of the novel and enhances the characters.
This is a tale to be read slowly to appreciate the full impact of the author’s words.
Everybody: A Book about Freedom
by Olivia Laing
Everybody by Olivia Laing (5/12/2021)
This is a very unusual book, well written and researched with information and ideas from the early twentieth century onward regarding the connection between freedom, the lack thereof, and the effect on the body and mind.
The author, Olivia Laing, writes about symptoms which could be caused by the lack of choice or freedom of choice for sexual activity, or the result of incarceration and other activities. In the civilized world total freedom is not possible because a body does not exist alone.
The explicit accounts of the suffering of "unfree" people make this a powerful but disturbing book.
Crossing the River: Seven Stories That Saved My Life, A Memoir
by Carol Smith
Crossing the River (2/3/2021)
This memoir is immensely moving and engages the reader in the grief suffered by the author upon the birth and death of her damaged and brave, beloved son, Christopher.
The stories of the lives of others who had suffered are related by the author who is a journalist. It is an interesting way for her to deal slowly with her own situation. The bravery of those who were prepared to share the details of their lives is remarkable.
This book is not for everyone as the medical details are relentless but the author manages to use the story to the fullest to remember her son and deal with her loss.
The Blind Light: A Novel
by Stuart Evers
The Blind Light (10/13/2020)
This is a "true to the times" story set in England under the threat and fear of nuclear war from post World War II up to the present. It will be very nostalgic for older readers and provides a history of the times for younger readers.
The story is told through the friendship of two men of very different social backgrounds but both are haunted by the fear of total nuclear annihilation.
The tale of Drum, Gwen and their family is very well portrayed and believable throughout this book. Each man in the friendship, Drum and Carter, deals with the other in this complex relationship and, as they age, the pact they have agreed upon leads to a dramatic and satisfying ending.
This is a skillfully crafted and very emotional story which remains with the reader long after it ends. I loved the book.
The Woman Before Wallis: A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts, and Royal Scandal
by Bryn Turnbull
The Woman Before Wallis (7/3/2020)
The "Woman before Wallis" is an immensely enjoyable novel, revealing the intriguing but decadent lives of the aristocracy and the wealthy on both sides of the Atlantic during the years following World War I.
While the United States and the United Kingdom struggled with the economic depression of the late 1920s and early 1930s the rich were involved in multiple love affairs and other dubious relationships. The novel is well researched regarding historical facts and the author has succeeded in portraying the characters of Thelma and Gloria with such clarity that the novel is a "page turner"!
This is a great portrayal of the other side of the Wallis Simpson story in the ebbing days of high society leading up to World War 2.
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz
by Erik Larson
The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson (12/29/2019)
The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson is a well researched and very readable account of the power of leadership in the critical year of World War II from May 1940 to May 1941.
Winston Churchill's belated appointment as Prime Minister of Great Britain proved to be an outstanding factor in protecting the nation as it stood alone against the aggression of Germany led by Hitler and his Nazis. Before his appointment a significant political segment of the country's leadership and even the current US Ambassador, had argued for appeasing Hitler.
Larson cleverly alternates the story of the swift Nazi conquest of mainland Europe with the refusal of Churchill to surrender to Hitler. His defiance was supported by the King and Queen who remained in London. Britain, alone and largely unprepared, successfully evacuated it's defeated forces from the beaches of Dunkirk to rebuild it's Island defenses. The book shows Churchill's support of aeroplane production allowing the brave RAF retaliation against the German bombers. By his persistent work with US President Roosevelt he gained American Lend Lease support so important for survival.
Larson also demonstrates the human element of Churchill's courage, optimism, eloquence and persistence in inspiring his family, government colleagues and the British nation. This is an inspiring work which brings out the character of Winston Churchill and of the British people "in their finest hour".
Beirut Hellfire Society
by Rawi Hage
Beirut Hellfire Society (5/8/2019)
Set in a war torn Beirut, a multi-cultural, multi-religious city, the story of Pavlov is both tragic and brave. The Hellfire Society, into which Pavlov is initiated by his father exists to deal with the final wishes of both the unconventional and irreligious after death.
Although this book is not for the faint hearted, the many characters that Pavlov encounters are exquisitely developed, they are obscene, violent and pathetic in this civil war of the 1970s. The tender dog theme throughout serves to lighten the human tragedy.
It is an unusual and ironic tale by a master of language. and is well written
Recommended for readers interested in the continual strife of the Middle East.
D-Day Girls: The Spies Who Armed the Resistance, Sabotaged the Nazis, and Helped Win World War II
by Sarah Rose
D-Day Girls by Sarah Rose (3/17/2019)
This is a very well researched account of some of the brave women who worked for the Resistance in German occupied France during World War II.
The author has concentrated mainly on the activities of three of these women – Andree, Lise and Odette but also includes the courageous exploits of many others. The author has a good grasp of the political history of Europe leading up to WWII and also of the postwar Gaullist policies and politics.
The book reads almost like a novel but is truly a work of history. Some editing is required to improve the flow of the story.
Sounds Like Titanic: A Memoir
by Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman
Sounds Like Titanic (12/20/2018)
This memoir by Jessica C. Hindman is an intriguing story.
Written mainly in the second person style she also talks directly to the reader. It tells the tale of a West Virginia girl growing up in a modest family background. However she develops her musical talent on the violin and shows a brave determination to succeed in life.
Music threads through the memoir. Despite "scam" performances with the outrageous fake "Composer" she was able to fund her way through college, traveling from state to state with the Composer's performing group.
Her struggles are courageous and often humorous. Her description of the post 9/11 years show the dramatic effects of that tragedy and the fear which affected America at the time.
This is an important book and I recommend it.
The Lost Man
by Jane Harper
The Lost Man by Jane Harper (11/3/2018)
The Lost Man is the best novel yet from Australian author, Jane Harper. Her description of the desolate desert and the extreme heat of Queensland sets the stage for an unusual and fascinating family drama. As the story unwinds from a death in the desert, the family members react to reveal sharply different characters and how they live in this harsh environment. The generational effects of living in a dysfunctional family and the events of the past in the nearest town influence how each one reacts to this death. Each person is so well described that their reactions and relationships keep the mystery totally believable and intriguing to the last page. This a "must read".
So Much Life Left Over
by Louis de Bernieres
Review of "So Much Life Left Over" (7/9/2018)
This is a gripping novel about the effects of World War I on Britons with different backgrounds and experiences. In fifty short chapters the action oscillates between Ceylon, India, Britain and Germany as the British Empire begins to fade and Hitler's Nazis start their march to trigger WW II.
The story is a sequel to De Bernieres' World War I novel "The Dust That Falls From Dreams". The reader can follow those who survived into the unstable years between WW I and the looming WW II. As the main characters, Daniel and Rosie, struggle with their failing marriage there are glimpses of humor in the strange behavior of other family members.
The author is a master at interweaving the sexual infidelity, the generational and racial stresses in the family, the memories of earlier infatuations and the children's competition for parental love. He paints a moving picture of the challenges facing soldiers returning to a precarious civilian life after a war they had not expected to survive.
This evocative book is full of surprises but very believable.
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