Finished April 2
The Best of Good by Sara Lewis
Tom Good is 47, a bartender who plays guitar, writing songs for himself and living in the same small apartment that he's lived in for years. Tom's life was heavily influenced by his older brother's death at 17.
When Diana, an old girlfriend, returns to town, Tom learns that she has a son who looks a lot like him. As Tom tries to come to terms with this information he begins to look at his life as others might see it, and becomes more interested in it himself.
This tale is very character-driven and we see Tom, who has been locked in a sort of limbo for years, grow into the person he should have become earlier. There is poignancy and humour and we feel for Tom as he cautiously makes contact with the people around him.
Thursday, 3 April 2008
Tuesday, 1 April 2008
Foster Child Memoir
Finished March 30
Hope's Boy by Andrew Bridge
This memoir is from the former CEO/General Counsel of The Alliance for Children's Rights. Bridge was born into poverty, and lived first with his grandmother and then with his mother in extreme poverty. When his mother began to struggle with mental health issues, he was removed from her and placed first in institutional care, and then in foster care. His story as he learns to survive in all his environments shows how he clung to the love he was offered by his mother and grandmother through all the difficult years that followed. From the descriptions of how the social system failed his family, and how many of the people around them showed no concern, this memoir is open and honest. Bridge was not a perfect child, and he doesn't claim that he was, but he shows how he learned the system and did what he had to in order to get out of that system.
Hope's Boy by Andrew Bridge
This memoir is from the former CEO/General Counsel of The Alliance for Children's Rights. Bridge was born into poverty, and lived first with his grandmother and then with his mother in extreme poverty. When his mother began to struggle with mental health issues, he was removed from her and placed first in institutional care, and then in foster care. His story as he learns to survive in all his environments shows how he clung to the love he was offered by his mother and grandmother through all the difficult years that followed. From the descriptions of how the social system failed his family, and how many of the people around them showed no concern, this memoir is open and honest. Bridge was not a perfect child, and he doesn't claim that he was, but he shows how he learned the system and did what he had to in order to get out of that system.
Sunday, 30 March 2008
More Canadian Fiction
Finished March 30
Where White Horses Gallop by Beatrice MacNeil
This is another wonderful Atlantic Canadian novel. It follows four friends from Cape Breton, along with their families, through the Second World War. Three of the young man enlist and after training in both Canada and Britain eventually make it to the front line. The fourth young man is already dealing badly with the trauma in his life and chooses a life at home. We see the parents of these young men and their feelings around the war and their sons' roles in it. We are invited into the thoughts of many of the characters as they try to understand what they are feeling and articulate it, if only to themselves. We also see the community of this small Cape Breton village and how the members interact and relate to the larger world.
I wept through portions of this book (so keep a tissue handy), and laughed through others. MacNeil includes a poem written by one of the Cape Breton Highlanders at the end that adds its voice to her story. This is a tale of both deeds and thoughts and adds to my list of great Canadian fiction.
Where White Horses Gallop by Beatrice MacNeil
This is another wonderful Atlantic Canadian novel. It follows four friends from Cape Breton, along with their families, through the Second World War. Three of the young man enlist and after training in both Canada and Britain eventually make it to the front line. The fourth young man is already dealing badly with the trauma in his life and chooses a life at home. We see the parents of these young men and their feelings around the war and their sons' roles in it. We are invited into the thoughts of many of the characters as they try to understand what they are feeling and articulate it, if only to themselves. We also see the community of this small Cape Breton village and how the members interact and relate to the larger world.
I wept through portions of this book (so keep a tissue handy), and laughed through others. MacNeil includes a poem written by one of the Cape Breton Highlanders at the end that adds its voice to her story. This is a tale of both deeds and thoughts and adds to my list of great Canadian fiction.
Charming Memoir
Finished March 28
Truck: A Love Story by Michael Perry
This memoir is structured loosely around the rebuilding of a 1951 International pickup truck. Michael had the truck for a long time before he undertook the restoration with the significant assistance of his brother-in-law Mark. Over the year that this memoir covers, not only is the story of the truck covered, but also the story of Michael's life including his new relationship with Anneliese and her daughter Amy. He covers his house and garden, his volunteer firefighting, his writing (including book tours), and his familyand friends.
Perry has a great sense of humour and is self-deprecating when it comes to his own failings. This book is touching, honest and open. We get a real look, not just a glimpse into his life.
I was drawn to the book initially because my grandfather had an old International, but the book offered so much more. I also kept finding myself thinking how much my father would enjoy this book and I will be sharing my copy with him now that I am finished.
Truck: A Love Story by Michael Perry
This memoir is structured loosely around the rebuilding of a 1951 International pickup truck. Michael had the truck for a long time before he undertook the restoration with the significant assistance of his brother-in-law Mark. Over the year that this memoir covers, not only is the story of the truck covered, but also the story of Michael's life including his new relationship with Anneliese and her daughter Amy. He covers his house and garden, his volunteer firefighting, his writing (including book tours), and his familyand friends.
Perry has a great sense of humour and is self-deprecating when it comes to his own failings. This book is touching, honest and open. We get a real look, not just a glimpse into his life.
I was drawn to the book initially because my grandfather had an old International, but the book offered so much more. I also kept finding myself thinking how much my father would enjoy this book and I will be sharing my copy with him now that I am finished.
Monday, 24 March 2008
Mysteries, Old and New
Finished March 21
Cover Her Face by P.D. James
Somehow, even though this book came out decades ago, I never read it until now. I've read other books by James, and enjoyed them. So when I saw this on the library shelves, I knew I'd better grab it. Here Dagliesh is called in to the murder of a young woman, Sally Jupp. Jupp was working as a maid in the house where she was killed. She had been recommended by the local home for unmarried mothers. She had a small child and was well-educated, but her attitude was now always one of submission. She like to challenge other people's feelings toward her. Her death appears to be by strangulation, but her cocoa had also been tampered with. As Dagliesh digs through all Jupp's personal entanglements, he finds the truth of her situation and how her actions led to her demise. A great read.
Finished March 23
This Night's Foul Work by Fred Vargas
This is the latest Commissaire Adamsberg mystery by Vargas and it involves Adamsberg's strange thought processes even more thoroughly than previous ones. His relationship with Camille has changed to one of friendship, although he still wants more. Danglard runs interference between him and the rest of his team. He has a feeling about the two bodies recently found killed, sure that they are not drug-related despite the injection wounds found on each body. The pathologist supports his belief and points him in the direction of a previous murderer who has escaped from prison. As Adamsberg gets drawn into events in Normandy, where he has gone to accompany Camille to a concert, he wonders whether there is a relationship to the case back in Paris. He is also worried about the newest addition to his team, a man his own age, who is from the next valley over to the one Adamsberg grew up in. He is not sure why the man has joined his team and what the man may be planning. As Adamsberg's team argues about his direction and again protects him, as well as each other, from the shades that haunt them, Adamsberg finds the explanation for the murders, but not for his personal situation.
I look forward to the next one already!
Cover Her Face by P.D. James
Somehow, even though this book came out decades ago, I never read it until now. I've read other books by James, and enjoyed them. So when I saw this on the library shelves, I knew I'd better grab it. Here Dagliesh is called in to the murder of a young woman, Sally Jupp. Jupp was working as a maid in the house where she was killed. She had been recommended by the local home for unmarried mothers. She had a small child and was well-educated, but her attitude was now always one of submission. She like to challenge other people's feelings toward her. Her death appears to be by strangulation, but her cocoa had also been tampered with. As Dagliesh digs through all Jupp's personal entanglements, he finds the truth of her situation and how her actions led to her demise. A great read.
Finished March 23
This Night's Foul Work by Fred Vargas
This is the latest Commissaire Adamsberg mystery by Vargas and it involves Adamsberg's strange thought processes even more thoroughly than previous ones. His relationship with Camille has changed to one of friendship, although he still wants more. Danglard runs interference between him and the rest of his team. He has a feeling about the two bodies recently found killed, sure that they are not drug-related despite the injection wounds found on each body. The pathologist supports his belief and points him in the direction of a previous murderer who has escaped from prison. As Adamsberg gets drawn into events in Normandy, where he has gone to accompany Camille to a concert, he wonders whether there is a relationship to the case back in Paris. He is also worried about the newest addition to his team, a man his own age, who is from the next valley over to the one Adamsberg grew up in. He is not sure why the man has joined his team and what the man may be planning. As Adamsberg's team argues about his direction and again protects him, as well as each other, from the shades that haunt them, Adamsberg finds the explanation for the murders, but not for his personal situation.
I look forward to the next one already!
Thursday, 20 March 2008
Another Great Listen
Finished March 19
Run by Ann Patchett, performed by Peter Francis James
This novel kept me interested throughout. The majority of the book takes place within a twenty-four hour period. Bernard Doyle is a former mayor of Boston, and he has arranged to meet his two younger sons (adopted and black) at a political speech given by Jesse Jackson. He has high hopes for the oldest of these two sons to make something of himself in the political arena. Tip however is passionate about fish. He is studying science at Harvard and resents having to humour his father on these outings, as does the younger brother Teddy. Teddy is very closed to his uncle Sullivan, a retired priest who is very ill, and would rather spend his time with him.
After the speech the three men stand outside in a strong snowstorm arguing about where to go. Tip wants to go back to the lab and as he walks away he ends up in the path of a car. A nearby woman throws herself at him to get him out of the way, and ends up getting hit herself. As the woman, Tennesse, her 11-year-old daughter Kenya, and the Doyle family make their way to the hospital, the ways in which the characters lives intersect becomes more clear. Over the next few hours, as the Doyle family, including the oldest brother Sullivan, take charge of Kenya while her mother is incapacitated, the characters learn how the worlds of privilege and poverty, have and have not, can intersect in unexpected ways. The characters reactions to both the situations that arise and each other are fascinating, and this story has elements of politics, ethical decisions, and human frailties.
I found the interview included at the end of the book was a plus as the author described the process of writing and how she saw the book.
Run by Ann Patchett, performed by Peter Francis James
This novel kept me interested throughout. The majority of the book takes place within a twenty-four hour period. Bernard Doyle is a former mayor of Boston, and he has arranged to meet his two younger sons (adopted and black) at a political speech given by Jesse Jackson. He has high hopes for the oldest of these two sons to make something of himself in the political arena. Tip however is passionate about fish. He is studying science at Harvard and resents having to humour his father on these outings, as does the younger brother Teddy. Teddy is very closed to his uncle Sullivan, a retired priest who is very ill, and would rather spend his time with him.
After the speech the three men stand outside in a strong snowstorm arguing about where to go. Tip wants to go back to the lab and as he walks away he ends up in the path of a car. A nearby woman throws herself at him to get him out of the way, and ends up getting hit herself. As the woman, Tennesse, her 11-year-old daughter Kenya, and the Doyle family make their way to the hospital, the ways in which the characters lives intersect becomes more clear. Over the next few hours, as the Doyle family, including the oldest brother Sullivan, take charge of Kenya while her mother is incapacitated, the characters learn how the worlds of privilege and poverty, have and have not, can intersect in unexpected ways. The characters reactions to both the situations that arise and each other are fascinating, and this story has elements of politics, ethical decisions, and human frailties.
I found the interview included at the end of the book was a plus as the author described the process of writing and how she saw the book.
Tuesday, 18 March 2008
Orange Prize
The longlist for this just came out. (See http://books.guardian.co.uk/orange2008/story/0,,2266167,00.html and http://books.guardian.co.uk/orange2008/0,,2266162,00.html)
and I have only read one (although some were on my to read list already)! I think my list just grew considerably.
Here is the list:
Anita Amirrezvani The Blood of Flowers
Stella Duffy The Room of Lost Things
Jennifer Egan The Keep
Anne Enright The Gathering
Linda Grant The Clothes on Their Backs
Tessa Hadley The Master Bedroom
Nancy Huston Fault Lines
Gail Jones Sorry
Sadie Jones The Outcast
Lauren Liebenberg The Voluptuous Delights of Peanut Butter and Jam
Charlotte Mendelson When We Were Bad
Deborah Moggach In The Dark [I read this one]
Anita Nair Mistress
Heather O'Neill Lullabies for Little Criminals
Elif Shafak The Bastard of Istanbul
Dalia Sofer The Septembers of Shiraz
Scarlett Thomas The End of Mr Y
Carol Topolski Monster Love
Rose Tremain The Road Home
Patricia Wood Lottery
and I have only read one (although some were on my to read list already)! I think my list just grew considerably.
Here is the list:
Anita Amirrezvani The Blood of Flowers
Stella Duffy The Room of Lost Things
Jennifer Egan The Keep
Anne Enright The Gathering
Linda Grant The Clothes on Their Backs
Tessa Hadley The Master Bedroom
Nancy Huston Fault Lines
Gail Jones Sorry
Sadie Jones The Outcast
Lauren Liebenberg The Voluptuous Delights of Peanut Butter and Jam
Charlotte Mendelson When We Were Bad
Deborah Moggach In The Dark [I read this one]
Anita Nair Mistress
Heather O'Neill Lullabies for Little Criminals
Elif Shafak The Bastard of Istanbul
Dalia Sofer The Septembers of Shiraz
Scarlett Thomas The End of Mr Y
Carol Topolski Monster Love
Rose Tremain The Road Home
Patricia Wood Lottery
Monday, 17 March 2008
Italian Mystery
Finished March 17
The Garden of Evil by David Hewson
Like all of Hewson's mysteries in the series featuring Nic Costa of the Roman police, there is lots of art, in this case Caraveggio. There is also the Catholic Church, here in the guise of Sister Agata Graziano. When a previously unknown Caraveggio is found at the scene of a murder, questions are raised as to the authenticity of the work as well as its relation to the murder and its perpetrator. The police have suspects, but their hands have been tied by the influence, connections, and wealth of one suspect. As Nic becomes personally involved in the case, and guided by Agata, into the world of Caraveggio, he finds himself drawn into Caraveggio's world and his actions. The premise behind the "hand-tying" of the police seemed a bit out there to me, but the rest was a great read, with a glimpse into the world of present-day Romans.
The Garden of Evil by David Hewson
Like all of Hewson's mysteries in the series featuring Nic Costa of the Roman police, there is lots of art, in this case Caraveggio. There is also the Catholic Church, here in the guise of Sister Agata Graziano. When a previously unknown Caraveggio is found at the scene of a murder, questions are raised as to the authenticity of the work as well as its relation to the murder and its perpetrator. The police have suspects, but their hands have been tied by the influence, connections, and wealth of one suspect. As Nic becomes personally involved in the case, and guided by Agata, into the world of Caraveggio, he finds himself drawn into Caraveggio's world and his actions. The premise behind the "hand-tying" of the police seemed a bit out there to me, but the rest was a great read, with a glimpse into the world of present-day Romans.
Friday, 14 March 2008
Audio Thriller
Finished March 14
Prepared for Rage by Dana Stabenow, read by Lorelei King
I was already familiar with Stabenow's Kate Shugak mystery series, set in Alaska, but this thriller is a completely different sort of book. There is tons of action, a fair bit of violence, global politics, and, of course, sex. We follow several characters here: Coast Guard captain Cal Schuyler; NASA astronaut Kenai Munro; CIA strategist Patrick Chisum; and Pakistani terrorist Akil, also known as Isa. Cal is captain of the Coast Guard cutter which is currently patrolling the Caribbean and will be the lead ship in the security around the launch of the space shuttle Endeavor that Kenai will be on. Patrick is desperately trying to find out Isa's real identity and figure out what he is planning, and uses resources outside his usual government one to try to get this information. Isa, meanwhile is single-mindedly moving toward his ultimate goal, taking advantage of opportunities that arise and keeping his plans tight to his chest until the last possible moment. This book keeps things moving and there is never a dull moment. It was a great listen!
Prepared for Rage by Dana Stabenow, read by Lorelei King
I was already familiar with Stabenow's Kate Shugak mystery series, set in Alaska, but this thriller is a completely different sort of book. There is tons of action, a fair bit of violence, global politics, and, of course, sex. We follow several characters here: Coast Guard captain Cal Schuyler; NASA astronaut Kenai Munro; CIA strategist Patrick Chisum; and Pakistani terrorist Akil, also known as Isa. Cal is captain of the Coast Guard cutter which is currently patrolling the Caribbean and will be the lead ship in the security around the launch of the space shuttle Endeavor that Kenai will be on. Patrick is desperately trying to find out Isa's real identity and figure out what he is planning, and uses resources outside his usual government one to try to get this information. Isa, meanwhile is single-mindedly moving toward his ultimate goal, taking advantage of opportunities that arise and keeping his plans tight to his chest until the last possible moment. This book keeps things moving and there is never a dull moment. It was a great listen!
Books for the Young Reader
Finished March 11
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline
This is a lovely book, both for the story and the illustrations. Edward Tulane is an expensive, specially-commissioned rabbit china doll. His owner, Abilene Tulane, adores him and takes him everywhere, dressing him appropriately for every occasion. Edward takes her attentions for granted, and mostly ignores her. However, in a dreadful accident, the two are separated and Edward travels through many owners and terrible situations over the next few years. He is rescued by the net of a fisherman, then relegated to a garbage heap, where he is once again rescued, this time by a hobo, and then taken to the bedside of a very ill little girl. Through all his travails, Edward begins to see what real love is, and how he didn't realize what Abilene had given him until long after he lost it.
Finished March 13
The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World by E.L. Konigsburg
Amadeo Kaplan has just moved to St. Malo, Florida with his mother, a corporate father. His father is an artist in New York City, where Amadeo used to live. Amadeo has always wanted to discover something and when he finds that a schoolmate, William Wilcox, is working with his mother to clear the estate of the eccentric elderly woman next door, he asks to participate. As Amadeo assists in clearing out the collected effects of a lifetime, he also connects with both Mrs. Zender, the elderly woman, and William in ways he didn't anticipate. The story reaches back to occupied Netherlands in the second World War, and from Florida up to Wisconsin.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline
This is a lovely book, both for the story and the illustrations. Edward Tulane is an expensive, specially-commissioned rabbit china doll. His owner, Abilene Tulane, adores him and takes him everywhere, dressing him appropriately for every occasion. Edward takes her attentions for granted, and mostly ignores her. However, in a dreadful accident, the two are separated and Edward travels through many owners and terrible situations over the next few years. He is rescued by the net of a fisherman, then relegated to a garbage heap, where he is once again rescued, this time by a hobo, and then taken to the bedside of a very ill little girl. Through all his travails, Edward begins to see what real love is, and how he didn't realize what Abilene had given him until long after he lost it.
Finished March 13
The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World by E.L. Konigsburg
Amadeo Kaplan has just moved to St. Malo, Florida with his mother, a corporate father. His father is an artist in New York City, where Amadeo used to live. Amadeo has always wanted to discover something and when he finds that a schoolmate, William Wilcox, is working with his mother to clear the estate of the eccentric elderly woman next door, he asks to participate. As Amadeo assists in clearing out the collected effects of a lifetime, he also connects with both Mrs. Zender, the elderly woman, and William in ways he didn't anticipate. The story reaches back to occupied Netherlands in the second World War, and from Florida up to Wisconsin.
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