Perfume River
By Robert Olen Butler
A contemplative novel, which explores the effects of war on the lives of three generations of men who go to different wars and serve in different capacities and for very different reasons: WWII, the Vietnam War, and finally, the Iraq war.
Well written, the novel mainly focuses on the middle generation, Robert and how he deals with the fall-out from his father's experience fighting in WWII, who supports him to enlist to fight in Vietnam, and how he subsequently suffers from the memories of a Vietnamese woman he fell in love with and lost, and the memories of his seeming cowardice as a non-combat U.S. serviceman.
Intersecting this story is the story of another man who's father fought in the Vietnam war, and how he suffers the sins of his father.
The ending is shocking.
Rating: 3/4
Recommendation: An OK read.
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Friday, March 10, 2017
#26 Lucky Boy
Lucky Boy
By Shanthi Sekaran
This book was beautifully written, well paced, but challenging subject matter. This was a book that was hard to put down.
The story tells of Soli, an illegal Mexican migrant who arrives in California only to discover she's pregnant. Her life intersects with an American couple who are unable to have children. Soli ends up in jail, her son sent to child services. The American couple end up fostering her son and hope to adopt him. Soli has no way to defend herself in the penal system, and endures horrific conditions until she manages to escape. Finally, she "kidnaps" her son and takes him back to Mexico.
The question is: who deserves this boy? The birth mother or the rich American couple? A story with a challenging moral question, but in the end, the question is answered, and I think correctly.
This is a story of love for a child. Both women were his mother, but only one was his birth mother.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommendation: Yes.
By Shanthi Sekaran
This book was beautifully written, well paced, but challenging subject matter. This was a book that was hard to put down.
The story tells of Soli, an illegal Mexican migrant who arrives in California only to discover she's pregnant. Her life intersects with an American couple who are unable to have children. Soli ends up in jail, her son sent to child services. The American couple end up fostering her son and hope to adopt him. Soli has no way to defend herself in the penal system, and endures horrific conditions until she manages to escape. Finally, she "kidnaps" her son and takes him back to Mexico.
The question is: who deserves this boy? The birth mother or the rich American couple? A story with a challenging moral question, but in the end, the question is answered, and I think correctly.
This is a story of love for a child. Both women were his mother, but only one was his birth mother.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommendation: Yes.
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
#25 Never Mind the Bullocks
Never Mind the Bullocks
By Vanessa Able
A travel book about a British woman who drives 10,000 km around India in a Tata Nano, the world's cheapest car.
The book focuses mainly on the driving and not so much about what she sees and who she meets in the non-driving parts of the book. Of course, I had to read this book, which I found in the stacks at the Sechelt library! Must have been a donation, as it probably wouldn't have rated high on a purchase list.
Entertaining, and an interesting look at the Nano, which has since proved to be a failure in India's auto market.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: If you're interested in all things India, sure, read this book. Probably not so interesting for a general audience.
By Vanessa Able
A travel book about a British woman who drives 10,000 km around India in a Tata Nano, the world's cheapest car.
The book focuses mainly on the driving and not so much about what she sees and who she meets in the non-driving parts of the book. Of course, I had to read this book, which I found in the stacks at the Sechelt library! Must have been a donation, as it probably wouldn't have rated high on a purchase list.
Entertaining, and an interesting look at the Nano, which has since proved to be a failure in India's auto market.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: If you're interested in all things India, sure, read this book. Probably not so interesting for a general audience.
Thursday, March 2, 2017
#24 The Chilbury Ladies' Choir
The Chilbury Ladies' Choir
By Jennifer Ryan
A charming novel, about the lives of the women left behind in a small English village during WWII, once all the men had gone off to fight. The narrative is told through the diary entries and letters of the various main characters in the story. From a dishonest midwife to a local nurse, from a 13-year old girl with a lovely singing voice to her older sister in love with the wrong man, their voices carry the story along. There's a bit of intrigue, a mystery, a baby swap, some gypsies, black market dealings, and a couple of love stories.
I guess you'd call it chick lit with a serious setting.
Apparently, women were encouraged to write journals during this time, in order to record the hardships and their experiences of war at home, and of course, letters were the main way of communication by the general public.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: Yes.
By Jennifer Ryan
A charming novel, about the lives of the women left behind in a small English village during WWII, once all the men had gone off to fight. The narrative is told through the diary entries and letters of the various main characters in the story. From a dishonest midwife to a local nurse, from a 13-year old girl with a lovely singing voice to her older sister in love with the wrong man, their voices carry the story along. There's a bit of intrigue, a mystery, a baby swap, some gypsies, black market dealings, and a couple of love stories.
I guess you'd call it chick lit with a serious setting.
Apparently, women were encouraged to write journals during this time, in order to record the hardships and their experiences of war at home, and of course, letters were the main way of communication by the general public.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: Yes.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
#23 The Year We Seized the Day
The Year We Seized the Day
By Elizabeth Best and Colin Bowles
This book is about two authors who randomly decide to walk the El Camino together. I've read quite a few Camino books already. This one was firmly rooted in the reality of the walk, though most of them are: the blisters, the physical challenges, the alberges, other pilgrims, the food, the wine, and the walking, everything that makes the pilgrimage a trial and ultimately, and on arrival at the cathedral, a triumph.
These two take the pilgrimage to another level, both overcoming extreme physical and emotional burdens that ultimately lead them to the cathedral at Santiago. The book is written in short sections, as they alternate their description of their personal journey, and their journey together.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: Yes.
By Elizabeth Best and Colin Bowles
This book is about two authors who randomly decide to walk the El Camino together. I've read quite a few Camino books already. This one was firmly rooted in the reality of the walk, though most of them are: the blisters, the physical challenges, the alberges, other pilgrims, the food, the wine, and the walking, everything that makes the pilgrimage a trial and ultimately, and on arrival at the cathedral, a triumph.
These two take the pilgrimage to another level, both overcoming extreme physical and emotional burdens that ultimately lead them to the cathedral at Santiago. The book is written in short sections, as they alternate their description of their personal journey, and their journey together.
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: Yes.
Monday, February 27, 2017
#22 Hidden Figures
Hidden Figures
By Margot Lee Shetterly
This is the book that led to the movie of the same name. First I saw the movie, which I would highly recommend. That led to requesting the book at the library to find out more. Of course, the book is much more detailed than the movie.
The movie focused on three women, and primarily on Katherine Johnson, highlighting her amazing intelligence, the racism she faced working at NASA, and her key role in the first manned flight into space.
The book takes a much more detailed look at the role of black women in the aerospace industry, particularly highly educated women who all started at NASA as "computers", performing all the mathematical computations required by the engineers. The time frame starts just after WWII, when planes were undergoing rapid development and change, and goes up to the first manned flight to the moon in 1969.
The book also examines the parallel education system of black people in America, the lives and aspirations of extremely well educated black people, though focusing on women, racism and the fight for equal access and equal pay at NASA, plus the general struggle for black equality in America during the same time period.
It focuses on several outstanding black women who worked for NASA, their contribution to the aerospace industry and their enduring legacy.
Though I skimmed some of this book (not really into the technical details of math or the space industry), it is a book well worth reading just because it's celebrates the incredible intelligence of these amazing black women who worked as "computers" before the computer took over their jobs In an era when women in general had to fight to be recognized, these black women attained incredible achievements.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommendation: Yes!
By Margot Lee Shetterly
This is the book that led to the movie of the same name. First I saw the movie, which I would highly recommend. That led to requesting the book at the library to find out more. Of course, the book is much more detailed than the movie.
The movie focused on three women, and primarily on Katherine Johnson, highlighting her amazing intelligence, the racism she faced working at NASA, and her key role in the first manned flight into space.
The book takes a much more detailed look at the role of black women in the aerospace industry, particularly highly educated women who all started at NASA as "computers", performing all the mathematical computations required by the engineers. The time frame starts just after WWII, when planes were undergoing rapid development and change, and goes up to the first manned flight to the moon in 1969.
The book also examines the parallel education system of black people in America, the lives and aspirations of extremely well educated black people, though focusing on women, racism and the fight for equal access and equal pay at NASA, plus the general struggle for black equality in America during the same time period.
It focuses on several outstanding black women who worked for NASA, their contribution to the aerospace industry and their enduring legacy.
Though I skimmed some of this book (not really into the technical details of math or the space industry), it is a book well worth reading just because it's celebrates the incredible intelligence of these amazing black women who worked as "computers" before the computer took over their jobs In an era when women in general had to fight to be recognized, these black women attained incredible achievements.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommendation: Yes!
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
#21 The Singles Game
The Singles Game
By Lauren Weisberger
More chick lit, but, the title might lead you to think this book is about singles looking for love, however, it's actually about a professional tennis player on the professional singles tennis circuit.
Another easy read (is all chick lit easy to read?), but actually an interesting look into the world of professional tennis players. I had no idea what they go through, where they play, how they train, the different kinds of courts they play on, and the stressful lives they lead. Granted, if they play at a very high level, they are wealthy not only because of the prize money, but also because of the endorsements, worth millions. But they sacrifice a lot to get to that place, plus their careers end young.
This novel follows Charlie through a year of her pro tennis career. Starting off with a debilitating injury,which sees her in rehab for 6 months, she goes on to be ranked second in the world. Along the way are a couple of entertaining romances, a wardrobe and image makeover, a three day trip on a massive yacht, an abusive coach, etc. etc.
An interesting story, with an inconclusive ending which keeps you guessing, but works well.
By the same author as "The Devil Wears Prada".
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: Yes.
By Lauren Weisberger
More chick lit, but, the title might lead you to think this book is about singles looking for love, however, it's actually about a professional tennis player on the professional singles tennis circuit.
Another easy read (is all chick lit easy to read?), but actually an interesting look into the world of professional tennis players. I had no idea what they go through, where they play, how they train, the different kinds of courts they play on, and the stressful lives they lead. Granted, if they play at a very high level, they are wealthy not only because of the prize money, but also because of the endorsements, worth millions. But they sacrifice a lot to get to that place, plus their careers end young.
This novel follows Charlie through a year of her pro tennis career. Starting off with a debilitating injury,which sees her in rehab for 6 months, she goes on to be ranked second in the world. Along the way are a couple of entertaining romances, a wardrobe and image makeover, a three day trip on a massive yacht, an abusive coach, etc. etc.
An interesting story, with an inconclusive ending which keeps you guessing, but works well.
By the same author as "The Devil Wears Prada".
Rating: 4/5
Recommendation: Yes.
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