I watched the movie when it was first released and I was surprised and a bit horrified by the story. The movie was a well done, but I decided I couldn’t read the story and I stuck with that choice for 31 years. Over the last decade, I have become an avid reader of Stephen King, so I wanted to … Continue reading →
When I read Sharp Objects, I was entranced by the sharp, insightful writing. The characters were well-developed and the layers of their lives were revealed gradually throughout the book. Parts of the book were disturbing, but the storytelling remained strong throughout. Sharp Objects has received fine reviews since it was published in 2006, and it has been adapted for television … Continue reading →
Winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and many other awards, this book is on the list of favorites for many people. There are two concurrent stories which run in France and Germany just before World Wat II, throughout the war, and a short reflection after the war years. Marie Laure is a young blind girl who flees … Continue reading →
I chose not to find out more about Before the Fall before I started it. I had only a basic idea of the plot, but I had noted the fine reviews and recommendations. I was immediately caught up in the story, the characters, and the central mystery. After one chapter, I told my wife how impressed I was with … Continue reading →
When I read that the Estate of Agatha Christie had authorized Sophie Hannah to continue the Hercule Poirot stories, I was intrigued. I read about the book The Killings at Kingfisher Hall and I decided yo give it a go. Because I have been a long-term fan of the Hercule Poirot books and the Agatha Christie’s Poirot series, … Continue reading →
Gone, Baby, Gone is another visceral, but rewarding novel by Dennis Lehane. We can expect him to provide plot twists, surprises, revelations, and moral ambiguity. Another author would write a thriller based on the premise – little girl kidnapped, police attempt to trace what happened, family hires a detective agency, conflict between police and PIs, thriller elements, then a conclusion. … Continue reading →
James Lee Burke has been an author worth following for over 50 years. He was written over 40 books and has won many awards and received many accolades. His best known series are the Dave Robicheaux crime stories. I have read a few over the years, but I can never remember the plots of the stories and I will explain … Continue reading →
A friend gave me an audiobook of this story and without any background information, I started to listen to it. I enjoyed the storytelling right away. The tale is a bit quirky and unpredicatable which was part of its appeal. The characters are interesting and nuanced; the plot moves along at a good pace and has a number of surprises … Continue reading →
Chris Riddell (a political cartoonist for the Observer) has selected 46 poems, some older and well-known, and some newer, then he has grouped them into sections, each with a theme. The book is full of his own illustrations, and the combination in this small volume has a grace and symmetry to it that was pleasing. Some favorite poems are … Continue reading →
I have enjoyed several of Bill Bryson’s books. They are usually light, accessible, and easy to read. This book was an interesting read too. It does not try to be an anatomy text, nor does it try to be a version of The Human Body for Dummies. Bryson organizes his book into chapters by functions of the body (the brain, … Continue reading →
For years we have been seeing more and more people who seemed to spend a lot of time in trailers or vans. When we talked to a few people we were surprised to find out that they were actually traveling in their homes. We assumed it was just a choice they made, to be unattached, except to a love of … Continue reading →
The setting for The Round House is on an Ojibwe Reservation in North Dakota. The main character and the point of view in telling the story is through the eyes of 13 year old Joe Coutts. His mother is brutally raped and narrowly escapes being murdered. After being hospitalized she is released to her family, but has been traumatized and … Continue reading →
Piranesi has a magical quality to it. It is a simple tale that unfolds gradually and any review should avoid spoilers since there are a series of revelations throughout the book, which is all part of the delight of the tale. It is a tale of an alternate reality and Piranesi himself is our guide. We start with the places … Continue reading →
This is what I wrote on Goodreads right after finishing the book: This book came as a blessing in a time of difficulty because of the epidemic, but also in the dark and cold winter. The tale is told with a simple style, but with a gentle blend of humor and pathos. There is some of Ove in all of … Continue reading →
Sapiens is an account of the history of mankind, using both natural science and social science to detail how homo sapiens became the predominant species on the planet. The core premise is that sapiens’ ability to cooperate in large numbers enabled them to survive and flourish in the environments they faced. He divides our history into 4 eras – the … Continue reading →
This non-fictional oral history would be best “read” on Audiobook. I was reviewing the top-rated audiobooks and The Only Plane in the Sky won top honors in 2020 and had wide-reaching praise for the research, storytelling, and production. The account is a moving one, telling the larger story from many perspectives, using the actual voices of the people who were … Continue reading →
