Unsheltered and Undone: Barbara Kingsolver novels complete, what to read?

Kudos to me: I really know how to drag something out.

I've been worried about running out of Barbara Kingsolver novels since at least 2007. And now, having finished Unsheltered, here I am.

Packing and Unpacking the Human Condition

I'll spare you my in-depth review of Unsheltered, because for one thing, this isn't really a review site.* Also, The Guardian ran two reviews: one very favorable, the other not-so-much. Both sides of the story, so to speak. For what it's worth, I think the AP's review was better than both of those.

But since this is my blog, I'll admit, I didn't fall head over heels for the book. At first.

As poet/author Kate Clanchy noted in her (not-so-favorable) review in The Guardian, the plot was difficult to follow at times. Actually, "plot" seems too strong; there was very little action. But there were two deaths, a birth, a little bit of sex, and a whole lot of backstory. So let's call this a story.

And in the story, I found characters to love. OK, one character: Mary Treat. AND SHE'S REAL! (I love it when that happens. She studied all sorts of plants and insects, and several species of ants are named after her. Um. Did I mention this isn't really a book review site?) Treat's correspondence with Charles Darwin from the "utopian" society of Vineland, NJ could have stood alone. But it actually worked quite nicely as scaffolding for the story, so I read on. Plus, there is Kingsolver's habit of turning out great - GREAT - sentences.

As The Guardian's Benjamin Evans points out in his (favorable) review, "Kingsolver powerfully evokes the eeriness of living through times of social turmoil."

Indeed.

Somehow in 400-odd pages she manages to weave bits of our modern world (Trump, Education, Corruption, Climate Change) into the broader canvas of life (greed, snobbery, love, kindness, evolution, death) and turn it into a story.

Not bad. Except sometimes it feels like a kick in the head. But, being a good writer that doesn't want to alienate her readers, she includes enough hilarious Greek curses to make us laugh. With apologies to anyone who understands, "Putana thalasa pouse gamoun ta psaria." (Something about the whore ocean where all the fish...never mind, it probably loses a lot in translation.)

She also includes some tantalizing prose to keep us reading. To wit, this nugget that encapsulates that oh-so-funny feeling when realize your tiresome, tyrannical father in law was once just as unbelievably hot as your husband -

"She'd kindly offered no judgment on Willa for failing to see the resemblance, the evergreen human crime of denying the past and seeing oneself as an original." 

 So, even though I'm out of Kingsolver fiction, I'll keep reading. I haven't read picked up Animal Vegetable Mineral yet, and I know its time is coming. But what about novels? Who can recommend some great new fiction?

Please tell me what you're reading and what I should check out at the library!

*What do you mean this isn't a book review site?

Funny you should ask. I started this blog about a hundred years ago because I wanted 1- some blogging practice and 2- a way to keep track of what I read, liked, didn't, wanted to read, would recommend to friends, and why. Also, I was hopeful that my reading friends would chime in and add their own seat-of-the-pants reviews. Or blathering diatribes on what they were reading. And here we are. If you'd like to submit a review, or un-review, please, do!

Get in touch via my Facebook Page or website. Thanks for reading!

Different Playbooks: Then and Now

In Chariot on the Mountain, Jeopardy winner and journalist Jack Ford paints a picture of Kitty Payne, who was a slave and also the daughter of the plantation owner. When the master died, Payne ran away. After being captured, beaten, and returned, instead of further punishing her, the master's owner's widow helped her run away a second time. She also assisted Payne in mounting a precedent-setting legal case in which she was ultimately freed.

Ford does a good job spinning this (fictional) account of actual circumstances leading to the 1946 trial. While some scenes depict very difficult circumstances, the book surely glosses over the pain and depth of hardship both women faced in a country so different from today's United States.

Unfortunately, things haven't changed as much as many (white) people (like me) would like to think.

Jodi Piccoult's Small Great Things tells a different story set in a different time, but it's packed with most of the same problems. I'm not qualified to unpack them, but I can recommend both books.

It's a pretty-well-accepted fact that public school curriculums don't cover a lot of history - and in many cases, one being slavery in the United States and other countries, it's not covered accurately or adequately.

I'm also not qualified to analyze educational curriculums. I think I'm qualified to recommend books, though, in particular, these two. Historical fiction isn't the best way to learn history, but it's not the worst way to start, and starting is a whole lot better than not starting.

About the authors

If you've read many of my reviews, you've probably noticed I prefer books by journalists, doctors and lawyers...not necessarily in that order. Jeopardy winners is a new category for me. Ford's writing, in my opinion, is not entirely up to the story itself. That said, I would read another book by the author if the story appealed to me. Piccoult, the more popular/successful author, is formulaic, but in a good way. That said, having read three of her books, I'm moving on to other authors.

Because both of these books are about race, it's worth noting authors of both books are white, while the main characters are black. In other words, if you read these books, know that they may be a place to start, but understand where you're starting from. And go far from that point, thinking all the way.

The President is Missing, But Not For Long

Well, I finished The President is Missing, just shy of deadline.

Our local library offers the most popular new titles as "Lucky Day" books, available for a non-renewable 7 day loan.

Have you read it?

James Patterson Book #1

This was the first of James Patterson's books that I've read. Go figure. 

According to the most reliable source I have (the book jacket) Patterson holds the Guinness World Record for the most #1 NYT best sellers. 

Clearly, I was feeling optimistic on that trip to the library:  in addition to The President is Missing I snagged 5 other books, including Zoo and The Store, also by Patterson. 

Having digested the very engaging but somewhat formulaic Missing, I'm willing to crack open those other two novels, but I have to admit I'm a bit disappointed. Based on Patterson's reputation and obvious success, I'd hoped to find him a suitable replacement for Michael Creighton. Alas, he is not.

James Patterson Book # 2

Stay tuned... and as always, I welcome guest posts on this blog. If you'd like to review your favorite James Patterson book, or argue that he really is equal to or better than Michael Creighton, reach out here in the comments or connect with me through my Dumb Facebook Page devoted to dogs and books and other things I can't live without. 

Here's to Happy Endings! 

 

Three Fun Fiction Picks

When it comes to reading quirks, I have a few.

I like to read nonfiction during the day, and fiction at night. I like to read lighter fare during the warmer months; there's something really nice about reading deeper stories curled up on my couch under a blanket.

Oh, and I like dead characters.

Below, three fictional diversions I've enjoyed in the past few weeks. (It's been hot, so these books are on the lighter side.) What about you? What are YOU reading? And won't you share a few titles and your opinions? Contact me using the comments below or leave a message on my Facebook Page about dogs and books and stuff.

Be Frank with Me 

When a smart and dear teacher-friend mentioned how much she enjoyed this title, I immediately requested it from library. (Hi, Tracy!) The 2016 release is built on some lovable and looney characters and I loved the dialog. The story wasn't nearly as strong as the people author Julia Clairborne Johnson created, but hey, it was fun spending time with them.

The Whole Town's Talking

Another 2016 release, and similarly full-of-good-characters-but-light-on-plot book that I heartily recommend. Especially if you like dead characters. This one's by Fannie Flagg; the author who was responsible for Fried Green Tomatoes. As you'd expect, then, good characters and great conversation. Even from the grave.

Conclave

My dad recommended this; how could I not read it? From Robert Harris, whom the Irish Times says "out-camps" Dan Brown, comes an intriguing (but I remind you, fictional) look inside the Vatican during a Conclave in the not-too-distant future. I saw one plot twist coming...but the other took me quite by surprise. Fictional, yes; campy? I'm not sure. I like to think the author was sending a message. I'd love to hear your interpretation!

___________________________

And if you don't want to interpret, how about a full-on review? I'm ALWAYS open to guest posts! Get in touch by commenting below or leave a message on my Facebook Page about dogs and other stuff that makes me happy. 

Is Too Much from a Good Author a Bad Thing?

Maybe there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. I loved The Secret Life of Bees; liked The Invention of Wings very much, and ... enjoyed The Mermaid Chair.  While I'd call each a good book by a solid author (Sue Monk Kidd), I'm ready for a different flavor at this point.

There's still a title or two from Barbara Kingsolver I haven't read, but I think I need a different voice, a different sort of book entirely. Maybe it's time for me to heft a real Hemingway. Or phone a friend...

Looking for Fiction Recommendations

I"m working my way through three or four nonfiction titles at the moment.  (OK; always.) What I need is the escape/relaxation read.

I tend to read nonfiction in the daytime, and fiction (to unwind) at night.

So fellow page-turners, what recommendations would you share?

_______________________________________
Have a suggestion but don't want to reply here? Please post on my Facebook page. Thanks! 

Gotta-Read List for 2017

YipppEEEEE!!! I'm a-l-m-o-s-t cleared a path (figuratively) to some reading time. I plan to dig in to Wild by Cheryl Strayed this weekend. 

What about you? How's your 2017* must-read list looking? Anything you've checked off, or added, recently? What's the best book you've read so far this year? 

Here are a few others on my Gotta-Read List in 2017:

Ellen Dunham-Jones,  Retrofitting Suburbia

The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee

How We Learn by Benedict Carey -- and a speed-reading recap! 

The Mermaid's Chair, by Amy Monk Kidd


*hey, let's not judge. Technically it's still the first quarter of 2017...

~~~~~~~~~ 
Want to read something funny and light? Try my essay collection about dogs, life, and other things we generally can't control. Reviewers say it's "laugh out loud funny" and it's under $7. Take a look, you might enjoy it! 

Hemingway's Girl - Hemingway for Beginners?

I thoroughly enjoyed this breezy novel about life on Key West during the depression, a time that sucked a lot of air out of the years between WWI and WWII. But even then, life and love went on, and Hemingway did his thing.

Don't Judge a Book By its Title

When some of Ernest Hemingway's novels were assigned reading (way back when), I'm sorry to say they didn't appeal to me. So - silly as it may seem - ordinarily I would've dismissed this book on title alone. But a recommendation can be a powerful thing, and when a friend raved about the book, I decided to give it a try. Sure am glad I did. (Thanks, Hannah!) 

Now, to be clear, the book is not by Hemingway, but a novel about a young girl's fictional friendship with the author, known to many as "Papa." Like all good historical fiction, bits and pieces of history (actual, not alternative, facts) are plentiful throughout the book. Still, generally, reading anything by or about Hemingway isn't a big draw for me. The good news is that Erika Robuck may have changed my mind about her muse, or perhaps more accurately, reminded me that one's tastes in literature (and life?) can change in a decade or two. Or three.

Florida and the Great Depression

The setting was as vital to the story as the characters, and while I've done some research into what life was like in Florida during WWII, I have read and studied very little about the years leading up to it so learning a bit about that era was a bonus. We may bemoan the current state of politics and worry about the economy, but oh, we've come a long way, baby.

Hemingway, who trained as a newspaper reporter, was no saint. (And no, that was not necessarily redundant). This novel includes his penchant for fighting, drinking, and extramarital affairs.

Key West Setting and Ohio Appeal

The stretch of land (islands, really) that comprises the Florida Keys is golden, grand, hot, sticky, and sunny, almost always. In other words, an appealing setting for an Ohio reader, especially during a gray winter. But I like the nod that the author gave to our often-overlooked change of seasons: 

"God, you haven't lived until you've seen the leaves change color up north.  ... The best part of the snow is the silence. It muffles the world. You've never heard such silence as a nice batch of snow makes."       ~ Erika Robuck, Hemingway's Girl (c) 2012

Who Will Enjoy this Book? 

Fans of Hemingway might - or they might not. Personally, I think it may be a "gateway read" that could convince a non-fan to read some of his works, again, years after they were listed as required on a class syllabus. Whether you're a Hemingway fan or not, this title is an enjoyable light romance and well-written work of historical fiction.

Although it's not a YA, per se, it is appropriate for advanced readers in middle- and high-schools. (Meaning I'd rate it a PG.)

 

I have also reviewed A Moveable Feast -- about his first marriage -- and didn't like it much either. But, you can be the judge.

Are you a Hemingway fan? Have you ever read his works? I'd love to hear from you! I welcome comments here, and on my Facebook Page.

The Martian Keeps Readers Reading, Writers Dreaming

I didn't realize The Martian was one of those wonderful self-published success stories! Sweet.

Now, I have to admit I haven't read it...yet. You know my rule: before I see the movie.

So, who's read it, and seen the movie adaptation? And who wants to share opinions here?

Still open to guest bloggers...

#please

Lies We Tell Ourselves: What's Wrong with the Truth?

I'm afraid this review can be summed up as "read that, not this."

"This" is Lies We Tell Ourselves, a historical fiction account of school integration in 1957. The book is fiction (the town in the book is Davisburg, not Little Rock) but the sheer terror of integration was real.

I'll say this first: Lies We Tell Ourselves tells a compelling story, and - this is important - it's fiction. So, it may not be appropriate to ding it for historical accuracy. I repeat - it is fiction, and it has gotten good reviews. (I wasn't captivated, but I'll admit the characters were well-developed and I cared about what happened to them.)

That said, while Robin Talley is an award-winning author, I am underwhelmed with the research (described in the book's chatty afterword) and suspect her bias (age, race, yep, I'm going there) significantly compromised the (real) story.

Sorry, folks. I'm all for imagination, but when it comes to historical fiction, I want to believe the author is a qualified guide. I'm sorry I read this when the nonfiction Warriors Don't Cry probably tells the story better, meaning, more accurately.

Sigh.

My recommendation:  Lies We Tell Ourselves is meant for teens, and may be appropriate for younger readers who aren't ready to deal with the story told in a more direct (gasp) historically accurate way. But for those who are, I think Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals would be reading more worth your time.  Beals' "research" started around 1955 - she was one of the Little Rock Nine. So, I suspect the details in her book would ring true. Not pretty. But true.

A Fine and Private Place Not (just) for Halloween

Peter S. Beagle's A Fine and Private Place is not the sort of story I'm usually drawn to. If you recommended I read a book about a man who lives in a cemetery and talks to ghosts and a raven, I'd say thanks-but-no-thanks. So, good thing I didn't know that before I'd read a couple of pages. I found the writing so lovely, I couldn't help but keep reading.

Talking Animals and POV

Sure, I talk to my dog but I'm just not very patient with books featuring talking animals. However, the talking raven in A Fine and Private Place is a clearly deserving exception. He's a cranky but keen observer of the human condition and more to the point, human failings.

One thing I found especially interesting: while it's written in third person (limited), each chapter is told from a different character's perspective, and the narrator's voice changes appropriately for each. Although the storytelling technique is hardly unique, in this case, it's managed very deftly. (As I said, the narrator's voice changes appropriately for each...very well done.) It's the first Beagle book I've read, and it certainly won't be the last.

Good Halloween Read?

Now, let's not go jumping to conclusions - just because this fine story is set in a cemetery and the main character has ghosts for friends, you might think it's a perfect book for Halloween. It's not, really. Not that it's a poor choice for Halloween or Dia de los Muertos - I mean, gosh, there are ghosts galore, after all - I just think a well-told story makes a good read anytime. And to be clear, this book has no seasonal hook.

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

OK - so, yay! Talking birds aside, I have a new favorite author! #HappyReader 
Want to share some of your favorite books? Or ghastly titles you'd recommend for Halloween frights? Contact me on Twitter or via the Facebook page for my essay compilation, Dumb Things We Say to Dogs.  

Timeless stories ~ Which authors have delivered for you?

C.S. Lewis created worlds and told stories that are as full of wonder and enchantment today as they were 65 years ago. Sixty-five years ago!

Which stories do you find stay fresh and amazing long, long, lonnng after publication? And - for bonus points :) - why?

Finally, Hungry no More

Yep, that's right - I'm done. Am I the last person here to read The Hunger Games? Or does a review of the first in Suzanne Collins' super-popular series still require a spoiler alert?

Let me know ... I'm crafting my summary now. With help from my 10yo, who will probably get the byline ;)

Hello, Goodbye, I'm glad I stuck around

Goodbye Without Leaving by Laurie Colwin was published by Harper Perennial in 1991, and fter nearly a quarter of a century, it may be safe to say we (fickle readers) will never agree on it.

Here's my take: the first half of the book was all about characterization, and plot development just had to wait. I'm rather impatient, and I'll admit I almost didn't wait around for the action to pick up, but I'm glad I did. Once main character Geraldine, the former shake-your-thing back-up singing Shakette, got married (rather against her better judgement), got a job and had a child, things started to really move.

And, since Colwin had fleshed out the characters so that I really knew and liked them, I was rarin' to go along for the ride. When Geraldine's best friend (who was dating a married man) left to become a nun right before Geraldine's European returned to his home continent was a bit disappointing, but only because I liked those girls so much, I wanted to watch them have a little more fun. Not that nunneries aren't fun...

The point is, I found it easy to forgive Colwin for a lack of action at the beginning precisely because she spent the first several chapters letting me develop a relationship with her characters.

Of course, other reviewers have reported feeling the the complete opposite. Decide for yourself. (As if you had any other option, right?) I've made my decision, and I'll happily dive into another of Colwin's works, fiction or non-fiction.

What I particularly enjoyed about Goodbye and specifically, Geraldine's character, was her honesty in admitting her disappointment at not only not fulfilling life's expectations of her -  her, the good girl, who got good grades in a good school, with all the advantages - utterly failing to raise a perfectly manicured child and tuck a sharp corner in her slip-covered couch but also her honesty about failing herself, to be a self she could be proud of. (Hint: that self had nothing to do with slip-covers.)

Sigh. Well, speaking of unfulfilled potential, back to work I guess.

But first, maybe a stop at the library... what are you reading, anyway?

~Diane Stresing

The Language of Flowers Pleasing, Almost Too Sweet

Vanessa Diffenbaugh's first full-length novel isn't perfect - most readers will anticipate plot twists well before they've reached the turn - but it's more than an admirable start; and I dare say it's worth your time.

Like a lot of first works, the first half is more artful than the second. Then again, a slower pace in the beginning, when Diffenbaugh shares the story in dollops - a fistful of flowers here, a sniff of the past there - serves the reader fairly well. In the beginning, she draws her characters carefully, petal by petal. So as the plot builds and life is uprooted (once again) for Victoria Jones, recently emancipated ward of the state, readers have been prepped to accept her choices and actions.

Still, certain characters and events are just a little too unbelievably good. (Single and pregnant? No worries - your boss and landlord's mom is a midwife!) But I'm not here to judge; after all, suspension of disbelief just might be the key to happiness.


Besides, the author is not only talented (please, Ms. Diffenbaugh, keep writing!) her heart is clearly in the right place. The Camellia Network, which helps children as they age-out of foster care, has received a big boost thanks to Diffenbaugh and her readers.

While The Language of Flowers: A Novel is popular with book clubs (it was a NYT bestseller, after all) and I think it's an obvious choice for mothers and daughters who like to read and discuss titles together, I also recommend it for YA readers.

Why for YA?  I'll admit it's not "ideal" for that audience, but - well, what is? (My high school daughter's required reading this summer includes The Catcher in the Rye and The Color Purple - so don't pretend we should avoid adult themes, ok?)

What have you read lately? 
Let me know; especially if you'd like to blog about it!

~Diane Stresing

Zoinks - my must-read list is growing

Maybe my friends are getting pushier, or they're better at pitching good reasons to read the books they've just finished. Or they're just trying to see if they can push me over the edge with all their "you've gotta read this!" hyperbole. Whatever.

(Note to friends: I'm really close to the edge, but you probably already knew that.)

Now that I've just finished The Fault in our Stars other titles nearing the top of my to-read pile include Unbroken and The Language of Flowers.

Very recently added to my must-read list:

Gone Girl




The Last Runaway


 and Life after Life
  

What about you? Who's pushing you to read, and what? Let me know...'cus if you

write a blog post for me

then maybe I'll have time to grab a book  :D

#guestblog, anyone?

Who Will Fall for Summer Falls? A Guest Post!

If I could travel back in time I’d spend more than a few extra moments thanking Dr. Lisa Regula for breathing some new life into this blog with this review, for all who love (or are awaiting an introduction to) Doctor Who. Thank you! Now without further ado…. 

Summer Falls is an interesting book, in part because it began life as not-a-book.  While it’s quite common for a book to be turned into a movie, or for classic literature to organically become a part of the popular lexicon (and thus be featured as a touchstone in other works), this book began as a plot point in the long-running British television series, Doctor Who, before being written as a free-standing book.  This nearly guarantees a high potential audience, as Doctor Who is one of (if not the) longest-running series in history, and about to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary on the air.  (There was a break from production, from 1989 to 2005 with a movie in 1996, but it’s a fiftieth anniversary, nonetheless.) 

Doctor Who Fans Likely to Fall for Summer Falls

Amelia Williams is one of the characters in recent seasons of Doctor Who, and the ghostwriter is Doctor Who television producer and book writer James Goss.  Amelia Williams is one of the companions of the Doctor, a human traveler accompanying the Doctor on his adventures and often serving as both conscience and colleague to the nearly-immortal last of the Time Lords of Gallifrey.  Amelia Williams (known more commonly as Amelia Pond) was one of the longest-running companions, and one of the few to have a companion of her own in the series, Rory Williams, whom she eventually marries before parting ways with the Doctor. Amelia, in her life after the Doctor, settled down with Rory to live their own story, becomes an author, and in at least two instances, her books are featured as helpful to the Doctor in solving some problem or mystery.  Hopefully, that gives you a little background into Summer Falls and how it came about.

Doctor Who and Who Else? A Pharmacist, an Evil Lord, and Talking Animals

Kate is a girl finding her way in a new town, where she and her mother have moved shortly before the start of a new school year.   Kate’s mother seems to be suffering depression, and Kate has little use for the mother, or most people, for that matter.  She mistrusts boys and adults, until she meets Barnabas, an odd museum curator in the town of Watchcombe.  Shortly after meeting Barnabas and Armand, a misfit neighbor boy whose pharmacist father is suspected of poisoning pensioners, the world is turned upside down for the trio by a painting and another loner, along with a dog and talking cat.  It’s up to the youngsters to save the world from an old evil, the Lord of Winter, and his trickster accomplice.  

Given the choice between starting a new year of school, or an eternal snow day, the Lord of Winter’s promise seems a temptation that most kids can understand, and the disdain at the ineptness of adults is something with which all of us can sympathize.

If you enjoy the sense of wonder in Doctor Who, or just want to while away an afternoon with a pleasant tale, try Summer Falls on for size, whatever size you may be. 

Doctor Who BBC ebooks: Reading Level, Recommendations

Summer Falls is appealing as a work of older tween or young adolescent fiction, but it bears enough marks of the Doctor Who world to find an audience with adult Whovians as well. Anglophiles especially will enjoy this story, as it takes place in the United Kingdom, and features an obvious touch of British culture.  While the book’s setting doesn’t specify a timeframe, I think it’s safe to place it in the 1950’s or so, before the advent of cell phones and computers and during that nostalgic post-war period that we collectively enjoy romanticizing.   The language is simple, and sentences plain, which makes for a good reading level for children about the age of the main character, Kate; it’s just as good for a quick afternoon vacation read for adults.  The tone also fits perfectly in line with that of the target reader, with its heavy use of proper nouns, and other marks developmentally appropriate to an 11-14 year old.  While you can’t tuck a little tome in a beach bag and enjoy a simple text on paper, the book is available on Kindle, and thanks to the computer science wizardry of Kindle on PC, and there are also iPad, Android, Mac versions and more available in case you have other tech devices you prefer.

Quetching about Not Reading

Not kvetching; quetching. But whatevs. Who has time? Another long weekend is here, so it's a good time to read ... or at least to quetch about not having time to read. I've just loaned out A Fine and Private Place, so it's off my shelf and no longer taunting me ("thought you just couldn't wait to read this! Ha! I've been here a year!") and I've been reading lots of cool stuff on screen (solar planes that fly at night!) and work stuff (there's always work stuff) but lately I've not gotten to read much that I really want to read.


I'm holding out hope I'll soon get to pick up Gone Girl.

Meanwhile, what have you been reading? Wanna talk about it? Or better yet, blog? Yep. This is another cry for help. Guest blogging, anyone?

Don't worry, I'm not exactly without options :D As a matter of fact, I've just scheduled a totally awesome guest blog that you, lucky readers, will see on Tuesday. Hint: it involves Time Travel. Which I'm totally going to learn how to do someday. When I have time.

(See you then.)

Do You Stick with Certain Authors, or do they stick with you?

A while back I began compiling a list of some of the books that have stuck with me. The process is harder, the list longer, and my memory worse than I expected.

But little victories are sweet. I recently had the great pleasure of "matchmaking," that is, making the just-right recommendation to a friend about a book. In this case, when Patty and I were talking about (what else) books, I felt like I knew just the sort of read she was looking for. And Michael Creighton was her man.

A week later, she (almost giddily) told me she had ordered the book.

Gulp! Ordered it, and not from a library? Made a commitment like that just on recommendation? Naturally, I was nervous. What if it didn't work out? Imagine my relief when, a few days later, she told me she'd considered skipping that day's workout to spend some more time with Michael.

Whew.

The book: Timeline, a delightful forensic/time-traveling < 500-page adventure published in 2003. I can't take full credit for this particular match, however - my friend John recommended the book to me several years ago.

Regardless, Patty's happy, I'm happy, and  - here's a really cool thing about this type of matchmaking - I can keep setting my friends up with Michael.* 

In addition to Michael Creighton, Barbara Kingsolver is another author I'll stick with (and recommend, virtually anytime). What about you?

* Yes, that Michael: the author Jurassic Park, among others. Airframe was the first title I read of his - for what it's worth, I've heard that it hit just a little too close to home for certain airline industry execs. Prey is tied (with Timeline) for my "favorite" Creighton book. And - while my hubby disagrees - I didn't think The Andromeda Strain was all that.

Funny thing about matchmaking: there's really no accounting for taste. ;D

Review it in Five Words?

(This one's for the Tweet-geeks)

In the last week or so, @randomhouse issued a challenge to its marketing staff: review a book (Gone Girl) in five words or less. 

I love it. 

While I'm sure we're not all reading the same book, I'd love to hear from you - about anything you've read, or are reading,  #InFiveWords

Have fun!                                         

P.S. Have you read Gone Girl? I'm intrigued by a lot of those cute little tweets but they don't say much! I'd welcome a longer review of it, too. Contact me if you want to review it here!

Several Shades of Sad: on Swimming and SM

 

I can't claim that I've got a handle on Live Tweeting yet, but I have started playing with short-form reviews on Twitter.

Today's experiment with Swimming Home by Deborah Levy seemed appropriate - the paperback version is just about 160 pages long. And it's sad, so I didn't want to delve too deeply into its meaning. (If you know me, you know I like movies and books that make me laugh, not cry.) It's clearly got something to say about sadness, and marriage, and mental health. Not necessarily in that order.

You're welcome to follow me and see what I read next (hint: I hope it makes me laugh!) Or, better yet, let me know what you're reading. Then I'll follow you.