Finished June 29
Queen of the Flowers: a Phryne Fisher Mystery by Kerry Greenwood
The newest Phryne Fisher is a catchy one.
Phryne lives in Melbourne, Australia, although she is originally from England. This is set in 1928.
Phryne is a very independent woman, who lives her life as she wants and has moved to Australia partly to be as far from her father as possible. She has a butler and cook (a married couple), and a companion. She has adopted two daughters, but has never been married. She works as a private detective and has a lover. She has been chosen to be the Queen of the Flowers in the town's first Flower Parade.
When one of the flower maidens goes missing, Phryne is following her trail. She has contacts in town and works her connections to find out what she needs to know.
Her character is well-mannered, yet unconventional and is a plain speaker who is not afraid to confront the darker side of life, whether it be gambling, brothels, or criminals.
Monday, 30 June 2008
Saturday, 28 June 2008
Dark Mystery
Finished June 28
Blood from Stone by Frances Fyfield
The dark psychological mystery is Fyfield's forte, and this one is no exception.
Here we start with the apparent suicide of Marianne Shearer a criminal defense attorney. Her last case was defending a man accused of kidnapping and rape of women. Due to her delays and aggressive reputation, two of the women withdrew from the case. The last one died, causing the case to end in acquittal. Shearer's death has renewed some people's interest in the case.
The unclear instructions that Shearer left for her lawyer lead him to look more closely into her life in order to discover her intentions. Her clothing at the time of death also results in questions.
As the life and death of Shearer become more clear to her lawyer and the others that he has involved, so does the truth of her last case.
I was riveted by this book, and had a hard time putting it down.
Blood from Stone by Frances Fyfield
The dark psychological mystery is Fyfield's forte, and this one is no exception.
Here we start with the apparent suicide of Marianne Shearer a criminal defense attorney. Her last case was defending a man accused of kidnapping and rape of women. Due to her delays and aggressive reputation, two of the women withdrew from the case. The last one died, causing the case to end in acquittal. Shearer's death has renewed some people's interest in the case.
The unclear instructions that Shearer left for her lawyer lead him to look more closely into her life in order to discover her intentions. Her clothing at the time of death also results in questions.
As the life and death of Shearer become more clear to her lawyer and the others that he has involved, so does the truth of her last case.
I was riveted by this book, and had a hard time putting it down.
Adult Storytime
Finished June 27
Mr. Fooster Traveling on a Whim: a visual novel by Tom Corwin, illustrated by Craig Frazier
This is a lovely book, and the illustrations are beautiful, almost like woodcuts.
Mr. Fooster travels with a bottle of bubble soap in his pocket, and uses it when he feels the need.
His travels don't have a particular destination and while he notices things as he walks along (things adults sometimes forget to notice) he also reflects on things. His reflections include musings such as "Who figured out how to eat artichokes?" and "If the brain is made of 80 percent water, what might the ocean be thinking?" which made me muse as well.
He takes things as they come, and adjust to the circumstances he finds himself in.
I found myself mesmerized by this book, and hope there will be more.
Mr. Fooster Traveling on a Whim: a visual novel by Tom Corwin, illustrated by Craig Frazier
This is a lovely book, and the illustrations are beautiful, almost like woodcuts.
Mr. Fooster travels with a bottle of bubble soap in his pocket, and uses it when he feels the need.
His travels don't have a particular destination and while he notices things as he walks along (things adults sometimes forget to notice) he also reflects on things. His reflections include musings such as "Who figured out how to eat artichokes?" and "If the brain is made of 80 percent water, what might the ocean be thinking?" which made me muse as well.
He takes things as they come, and adjust to the circumstances he finds himself in.
I found myself mesmerized by this book, and hope there will be more.
Pleasureful Listen
Finished June 26
Life Beyond Measure: Letters to My Great-Granddaughter by Sidney Poitier, read by the author
Of course, just listening to Sidney Poitier's voice is a pleasure, but this book is also a pleasure from the content. Several years ago I listened to the audio version of Measure of a Man by Poitier, also read by him, and this book extends my knowledge of him.
The book is organized by issues and thus is not written as a consecutive timeline, but rather moves back and forth, even referring back to earlier sections at times. It is written as a series of letters to his first great granddaughter giving her information and advice, some of it personal to her as part of his family, some of it applicable to all of us. He talks of love, faith, demons, close calls, technology and death. He talks of his own quest for knowledge and how it is still ongoing. He talks of our responsibility to each other and to the earth that we come from. This would be a wonderful gift for a graduation or for someone starting a new phase in life. Inspiring and comforting both, it will bring pleasure to the reader.
Life Beyond Measure: Letters to My Great-Granddaughter by Sidney Poitier, read by the author
Of course, just listening to Sidney Poitier's voice is a pleasure, but this book is also a pleasure from the content. Several years ago I listened to the audio version of Measure of a Man by Poitier, also read by him, and this book extends my knowledge of him.
The book is organized by issues and thus is not written as a consecutive timeline, but rather moves back and forth, even referring back to earlier sections at times. It is written as a series of letters to his first great granddaughter giving her information and advice, some of it personal to her as part of his family, some of it applicable to all of us. He talks of love, faith, demons, close calls, technology and death. He talks of his own quest for knowledge and how it is still ongoing. He talks of our responsibility to each other and to the earth that we come from. This would be a wonderful gift for a graduation or for someone starting a new phase in life. Inspiring and comforting both, it will bring pleasure to the reader.
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
Chick Lit
Finished June 25
Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin
Thought I should read the hottest summer chick lit book, and I found it a nice catchy read. The main character, Ellen has married her best friend's brother Andy. Andy's family has money, but they are warm and welcoming as they've been from the beginning of Ellen and Margot's friendship. Ellen is enjoying her photography career and feeling good about her life.
Then she runs into her old boyfriend and he appears interested in her, and suddenly everything is different in her life. As the novel brings the two old lovers back into each others' lives, Ellen is more and more uncertain about what she wants.
Ellen is a good character and I feel that she is believable in her feelings and actions.
A great summer read.
Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin
Thought I should read the hottest summer chick lit book, and I found it a nice catchy read. The main character, Ellen has married her best friend's brother Andy. Andy's family has money, but they are warm and welcoming as they've been from the beginning of Ellen and Margot's friendship. Ellen is enjoying her photography career and feeling good about her life.
Then she runs into her old boyfriend and he appears interested in her, and suddenly everything is different in her life. As the novel brings the two old lovers back into each others' lives, Ellen is more and more uncertain about what she wants.
Ellen is a good character and I feel that she is believable in her feelings and actions.
A great summer read.
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
American Literary Fiction
Finished June 23
The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich
Erdich follows a small community at a reservation and the town nearby over 3 generations. In the early days there was an unsolved murder of a family. Only the baby was spared. Some in the community took action against supposed perpetrators, and the results of that still affect the community. There is intermarriage between the white townfolk and the native Ojibwe that also impacts the community.
One of the main speakers here is Evelina Harp. Her mother is Ojibwe and her father white and she has grown up with her grandfather Mooshum's stories about the past, which include the plague of doves of the title.
Another speaker is Antone Bazil Coutts, a mixed blood judge who used to live in town and now lives on the reservation and works as a tribal judge. He talks of the past and of his own experiences.
There are a couple of other interesting characters who share in the narration of this story and have their own unique views.
I liked how the history took them back to the days of Louis Riel and the rift between the church and the Metis. It dealt with the controversy of that history in how the characters relate to the church today as well.
I loved this book and will look for some of Erdrich's earlier works.
The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich
Erdich follows a small community at a reservation and the town nearby over 3 generations. In the early days there was an unsolved murder of a family. Only the baby was spared. Some in the community took action against supposed perpetrators, and the results of that still affect the community. There is intermarriage between the white townfolk and the native Ojibwe that also impacts the community.
One of the main speakers here is Evelina Harp. Her mother is Ojibwe and her father white and she has grown up with her grandfather Mooshum's stories about the past, which include the plague of doves of the title.
Another speaker is Antone Bazil Coutts, a mixed blood judge who used to live in town and now lives on the reservation and works as a tribal judge. He talks of the past and of his own experiences.
There are a couple of other interesting characters who share in the narration of this story and have their own unique views.
I liked how the history took them back to the days of Louis Riel and the rift between the church and the Metis. It dealt with the controversy of that history in how the characters relate to the church today as well.
I loved this book and will look for some of Erdrich's earlier works.
Saturday, 21 June 2008
Italian Mystery
Finished June 21
The Girl of His Dreams by Donna Leon
This is the newest Commissario Guido Brunetti mystery, and it begins with the funeral of his mother. There is a story here that involves a priest that gave a blessing at the funeral and his request that Brunetti look into a possible scam by a religious personage.
The main story involves a young girl found drowned in a canal. She is only eleven and it is this girl who haunts Brunetti's dreams. He is bothered by the circumstances of both her life and her death and feels compelled to look into both further.
Brunetti always faces interesting moral situations, situations that cause him to look hard at Venetian society and the actions of its people and institutions. They also always cause him to look for assistance to his wonderful wife Paola and take her opinions very seriously. I very much like his character and several of the other characters in his department, both police and civilian.
The stories are always more than just mysteries and never have easy answers.
There is also always good food, and good food in Italy is some of the best.
The Girl of His Dreams by Donna Leon
This is the newest Commissario Guido Brunetti mystery, and it begins with the funeral of his mother. There is a story here that involves a priest that gave a blessing at the funeral and his request that Brunetti look into a possible scam by a religious personage.
The main story involves a young girl found drowned in a canal. She is only eleven and it is this girl who haunts Brunetti's dreams. He is bothered by the circumstances of both her life and her death and feels compelled to look into both further.
Brunetti always faces interesting moral situations, situations that cause him to look hard at Venetian society and the actions of its people and institutions. They also always cause him to look for assistance to his wonderful wife Paola and take her opinions very seriously. I very much like his character and several of the other characters in his department, both police and civilian.
The stories are always more than just mysteries and never have easy answers.
There is also always good food, and good food in Italy is some of the best.
World War II Novel
Finished June 21
Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian
This story begins in Poland at the estate Kaminheim, owned by the Emmerich family. The Russians are advancing and due to the stories being told of their brutality against civilians, most people are fleeing in advance of them. The Emmerichs, consisting of Irmgard and Rolf and three of their children, Anna, Helmut and Theo. They also have with them Callum, a POW from Scotland who was working on their farm and whom Anna is having a secret relationship with. They must cross the frozen Vistula river and keep moving west from there. Part of the reason they are travelling with Callum is that they hope the might meet up with British forces eventually and that he will vouch for them.
We also follow Uri, a German Jew who escaped from a train travelling to the camps and has since been taking on various identities, often of German soldiers, to survive. He is looking for his sister Rebekah who was also taken to the camp and whom he is not sure still lives.
The third story is that of Cecile, a French Jew who had been working in a factory attached to a camp and is now being moved west with the rest of her camp to an uncertain destination. She feels close to Jeanne and tries to keep her motivated to live and hope for rescue from their situation.
As they all work their way west, they encounter each other and play roles that influence the direction of each others' lives.
This is a story of strong characters, particularly Anna and Uri, and the feelings that underlie their actions. The situation is constantly changing, but always somewhat desperate and none of them are really sure what they are ultimately hoping for.
Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian
This story begins in Poland at the estate Kaminheim, owned by the Emmerich family. The Russians are advancing and due to the stories being told of their brutality against civilians, most people are fleeing in advance of them. The Emmerichs, consisting of Irmgard and Rolf and three of their children, Anna, Helmut and Theo. They also have with them Callum, a POW from Scotland who was working on their farm and whom Anna is having a secret relationship with. They must cross the frozen Vistula river and keep moving west from there. Part of the reason they are travelling with Callum is that they hope the might meet up with British forces eventually and that he will vouch for them.
We also follow Uri, a German Jew who escaped from a train travelling to the camps and has since been taking on various identities, often of German soldiers, to survive. He is looking for his sister Rebekah who was also taken to the camp and whom he is not sure still lives.
The third story is that of Cecile, a French Jew who had been working in a factory attached to a camp and is now being moved west with the rest of her camp to an uncertain destination. She feels close to Jeanne and tries to keep her motivated to live and hope for rescue from their situation.
As they all work their way west, they encounter each other and play roles that influence the direction of each others' lives.
This is a story of strong characters, particularly Anna and Uri, and the feelings that underlie their actions. The situation is constantly changing, but always somewhat desperate and none of them are really sure what they are ultimately hoping for.
Friday, 20 June 2008
A Classic
Finished June 19
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, read by Jeremy Irons
This is one of the ones that everyone has heard about, but not a lot of people seem to have read. I finally decided to tackle it as I heard this audio version was very good.
Jeremy Irons does a wonderful job on bringing this novel to life.
The novel was so different than I expected it to be. So much sadder than I had thought. It also covered so much of America of that time period that really gave me a feel for the culture of the time.
It was sometimes hard to remember that this novel was set in the late 1940s and early 1950s, as there seems to be so much going on that I thought of as being more recent. I loved the descriptive passages, both of the geography and culture of the travels, and of Humbert's description of the people he interacted with, especially his descriptions of Lolita.
Lolita is knowing, yet naive; complicit, yet coerced; and this duality of her nature makes her even more interesting.
Some of the middle dragged a bit for me, so I was glad of the wonderful audio to keep me going with it. The end was worth it.
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, read by Jeremy Irons
This is one of the ones that everyone has heard about, but not a lot of people seem to have read. I finally decided to tackle it as I heard this audio version was very good.
Jeremy Irons does a wonderful job on bringing this novel to life.
The novel was so different than I expected it to be. So much sadder than I had thought. It also covered so much of America of that time period that really gave me a feel for the culture of the time.
It was sometimes hard to remember that this novel was set in the late 1940s and early 1950s, as there seems to be so much going on that I thought of as being more recent. I loved the descriptive passages, both of the geography and culture of the travels, and of Humbert's description of the people he interacted with, especially his descriptions of Lolita.
Lolita is knowing, yet naive; complicit, yet coerced; and this duality of her nature makes her even more interesting.
Some of the middle dragged a bit for me, so I was glad of the wonderful audio to keep me going with it. The end was worth it.
New Thriller
Finished June 24
The Woods by Harlan Coben
Paul Copeland is a county prosecutor in New Jersey. He is also a widower with a young daughter. Twenty years ago he was a counselor at a camp where there was a multiple murder. He had abandoned his post to be with his girlfriend and meanwhile four teenagers, two boys and two girls had also left the cabin for the woods. The bodies of two of the teenagers were later found and the others were presumed dead as well. One of the presumed dead was Paul's sister Camille. His family never got over it. His mother left them and he hasn't seen her again. Now, a body has appeared with his name on an item in its pockets and he is sure that it is the other presumed dead teen. But that changes his whole take on what happened that night.
Paul is also involved in a case where two white frat boys have been charged with the rape of a black exotic dancer. One of the boys fathers has tried both bribery and threats to have the charges against his son dropped. Paul is standing firm, but the father has many resources that he may use against Paul.
Also, nearby, Paul's old girlfriend from the camp, Lucy, is getting some papers turned in for an anonymous exercise by her students that also brings the memories of what happened at camp back. When the two find each other, they work towards finding out the truth of what happened that night.
Lots of action, some romance. I sat up until late finishing it.
The Woods by Harlan Coben
Paul Copeland is a county prosecutor in New Jersey. He is also a widower with a young daughter. Twenty years ago he was a counselor at a camp where there was a multiple murder. He had abandoned his post to be with his girlfriend and meanwhile four teenagers, two boys and two girls had also left the cabin for the woods. The bodies of two of the teenagers were later found and the others were presumed dead as well. One of the presumed dead was Paul's sister Camille. His family never got over it. His mother left them and he hasn't seen her again. Now, a body has appeared with his name on an item in its pockets and he is sure that it is the other presumed dead teen. But that changes his whole take on what happened that night.
Paul is also involved in a case where two white frat boys have been charged with the rape of a black exotic dancer. One of the boys fathers has tried both bribery and threats to have the charges against his son dropped. Paul is standing firm, but the father has many resources that he may use against Paul.
Also, nearby, Paul's old girlfriend from the camp, Lucy, is getting some papers turned in for an anonymous exercise by her students that also brings the memories of what happened at camp back. When the two find each other, they work towards finding out the truth of what happened that night.
Lots of action, some romance. I sat up until late finishing it.
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