Finished June 13
Spy Dog and Spy Dog 2 by Andrew Cope
I bought this series for my 6-year-old nephew, and I'm sure he'll find it great fun. The series centers around a very special dog, trained by the British Secret Service and now a family pet. The dog, Lara (Licensed Assault and Rescue Animal) has many skills unheard of in dogs. She can whistle, understand several languages, and use a computer. She has been trained to act normal and get taken in by the RSPCA and choose a family for adoption if she gets separated from her masters. In the first book, she does this, and while the Secret Service is looking for her, so is the drug kingpin she just foiled. She finds it difficult to behave like a normal dog, but her affection for her family becomes strong.
In the second book, she takes up surfing and foils a team of dognappers during a family vacation.
I must admit that while this series is great fun, I originally bought it as a family joke, as my sister's name is Lara, and I thought my nephew would find it funny to have his aunt's name the same as this heroic dog. After reading it, I know he'll enjoy it on its own merits as well.
Saturday, 13 June 2009
A Sense of Guilt
Finished June 13
Inside the Whale by Jennie Rooney
This book is told in alternating voices by Michael and Stevie. Both were young adults at the time of World War II and are looking back at their lives and how their choices affected where they ended up.
Michael was a quiet young man, a follower rather than a leader, and an incident early in his war experience left him feeling a large sense of guilt. Michael feels he should be punished for what happened, despite the fact that he didn't do it intentionally. When he isn't punished, he finds a way to punish himself. After the war, when he learns what his actions have meant to others, he must live with the outcome. He chooses a life that is spent following the life he didn't choose.
Stevie was an exuberant young woman, working at the local peanut factory and enjoying her life as it unfolds. When her young man goes off to war, she intends to wait for him. Circumstances during the war change her direction, and she ends up working in the offices of the Ministry of Labour. When her young man pushes her away, she makes the choices she must for the sake of her family, and ends up marrying another young man at the war's end. As she reflects on her life and the events that led to her current situation, living with her daughter and granddaughter, she learns that life has brought her much that she is glad of.
This is a story about people and choices and while not fast-moving, it is very engaging and I felt a sympathy for both characters.
Inside the Whale by Jennie Rooney
This book is told in alternating voices by Michael and Stevie. Both were young adults at the time of World War II and are looking back at their lives and how their choices affected where they ended up.
Michael was a quiet young man, a follower rather than a leader, and an incident early in his war experience left him feeling a large sense of guilt. Michael feels he should be punished for what happened, despite the fact that he didn't do it intentionally. When he isn't punished, he finds a way to punish himself. After the war, when he learns what his actions have meant to others, he must live with the outcome. He chooses a life that is spent following the life he didn't choose.
Stevie was an exuberant young woman, working at the local peanut factory and enjoying her life as it unfolds. When her young man goes off to war, she intends to wait for him. Circumstances during the war change her direction, and she ends up working in the offices of the Ministry of Labour. When her young man pushes her away, she makes the choices she must for the sake of her family, and ends up marrying another young man at the war's end. As she reflects on her life and the events that led to her current situation, living with her daughter and granddaughter, she learns that life has brought her much that she is glad of.
This is a story about people and choices and while not fast-moving, it is very engaging and I felt a sympathy for both characters.
Immigrant Fiction
Finished June 12
Diary of Interrupted Days by Dragan Todorovic
This is a story of Boris, a young artist who grew up in Yugoslavia and emigrated to Toronto in 1993. In 1999, he is on his way back to Belgrade for his father's funeral, and intends to bring his mother to Canada. The book takes us back to Boris' life in Belgrade, and the lives of his best friend Johnny and Sara, who was Johnny's girlfriend, but ended up marrying Boris and emigrating to Canada with him.
The book gives a real sense of the situation in what is now Serbia during this time period and the issues of being an immigrant, especially one fleeing a homeland at war. Todorovic really gets inside his characters and you see how these young people struggle with the situations they find themselves in, trying to make sense of it all.
This is a great book and I highly recommend it.
Diary of Interrupted Days by Dragan Todorovic
This is a story of Boris, a young artist who grew up in Yugoslavia and emigrated to Toronto in 1993. In 1999, he is on his way back to Belgrade for his father's funeral, and intends to bring his mother to Canada. The book takes us back to Boris' life in Belgrade, and the lives of his best friend Johnny and Sara, who was Johnny's girlfriend, but ended up marrying Boris and emigrating to Canada with him.
The book gives a real sense of the situation in what is now Serbia during this time period and the issues of being an immigrant, especially one fleeing a homeland at war. Todorovic really gets inside his characters and you see how these young people struggle with the situations they find themselves in, trying to make sense of it all.
This is a great book and I highly recommend it.
Wednesday, 10 June 2009
Mystery in Series
Finished June 10
Borderline by Nevada Barr
This is the latest in the series featuring Anna Pigeon. After the events in Isle Royale, Anna is suffering from post-traumatic stress and she and husband Paul take an excursion in Big Bend National Park on the border of Texas and Mexico. This excursion includes whitewater rafting and Anna is able to use the beauty of nature to take her mind off her problems and participate in the social life of the guided trip. Then the raft is lost and the bedraggled group come across a pregnant woman in bad shape, caught up in debris in the river. They manage to bring her to shore, but things only get worse from there.
Elsewhere in the park a conference on border issues is going on. The conference includes academics and politicians, including the charismatic mayor of Houston, who is aiming for higher office. As the events on the river unfold, the mayor involves herself in this ongoing drama and Anna finds herself less able than usual to stay in control.
This is fast-moving and has lots going on, including some interesting personalities. I particularly liked the college students on the rafting expedition. Barr makes them come alive for the reader.
A great escape read, with real social issues as well.
Borderline by Nevada Barr
This is the latest in the series featuring Anna Pigeon. After the events in Isle Royale, Anna is suffering from post-traumatic stress and she and husband Paul take an excursion in Big Bend National Park on the border of Texas and Mexico. This excursion includes whitewater rafting and Anna is able to use the beauty of nature to take her mind off her problems and participate in the social life of the guided trip. Then the raft is lost and the bedraggled group come across a pregnant woman in bad shape, caught up in debris in the river. They manage to bring her to shore, but things only get worse from there.
Elsewhere in the park a conference on border issues is going on. The conference includes academics and politicians, including the charismatic mayor of Houston, who is aiming for higher office. As the events on the river unfold, the mayor involves herself in this ongoing drama and Anna finds herself less able than usual to stay in control.
This is fast-moving and has lots going on, including some interesting personalities. I particularly liked the college students on the rafting expedition. Barr makes them come alive for the reader.
A great escape read, with real social issues as well.
Friday, 5 June 2009
Book helping city
Finished June 5
One City by Alexander McCall Smith, Ian Rankin, and Irvine Welsh
This book was created to raise money for Edinburgh's OneCity Trust, a charity committed to supporting projects and ideas that will tackle social injustice and inequality in the city. The proceeds from this book go towards literacy and educational themed projects. J.K. Rowling wrote the introduction.
Each of the three authors wrote a short story set in Edinburgh. The stories are engaging, with interesting characters and a glimpse of the city. McCall Smith's story has an immigrant to the city as the narrator and shows someone adjusting to a new place and culture. Rankin's has a person on the edge, hanging on and trying to show his individuality. Welsh's story followed a number of characters through a surreal set of incidents surrounding an animal. I would say they all had a touch of humour to them that made them more interesting to me. There is also an interesting, perhaps subtle link between the stories.
A great book, for a great cause.
One City by Alexander McCall Smith, Ian Rankin, and Irvine Welsh
This book was created to raise money for Edinburgh's OneCity Trust, a charity committed to supporting projects and ideas that will tackle social injustice and inequality in the city. The proceeds from this book go towards literacy and educational themed projects. J.K. Rowling wrote the introduction.
Each of the three authors wrote a short story set in Edinburgh. The stories are engaging, with interesting characters and a glimpse of the city. McCall Smith's story has an immigrant to the city as the narrator and shows someone adjusting to a new place and culture. Rankin's has a person on the edge, hanging on and trying to show his individuality. Welsh's story followed a number of characters through a surreal set of incidents surrounding an animal. I would say they all had a touch of humour to them that made them more interesting to me. There is also an interesting, perhaps subtle link between the stories.
A great book, for a great cause.
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Latest in Series
Finished June 3
A Matter of Justice by Charles Todd
This is the latest in the series featuring Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge, a man shell-shocked in WWI and haunted by one of his men whose death he feels responsible for.
In this case, Rutledge is called to a small village to investigate a murder where the victim's body has been displayed in an unusual way. He has just come from the wedding of a good friend and is the nearest inspector to the village. He finds the local inspector not entirely open about all the local feelings surrounding the victim, and the two sometimes seem to work at odds to each other. The victim is a London businessman, who has taken on the role of squire in the village and yet seems to have the animosity of most of the inhabitants including his estranged wife.
We are given information early on in the book about the early history of Quarles, the victim, and his business partner, Penrith, and the crime that drew them together during the Boer War. We also see the animosity of the brother of the man they betrayed and his plan to take them both down.
From this point we see the story from Rutledge's view and see how he works to find the truth behind the feelings against Quarles in the village and the juxtaposition of his reputation in London. We see how Rutledge is tenacious about this case, as he has been about his previous cases, and how Hamish, the voice in his head, affects his actions.
An interesting story of justice, and its side effects.
A Matter of Justice by Charles Todd
This is the latest in the series featuring Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge, a man shell-shocked in WWI and haunted by one of his men whose death he feels responsible for.
In this case, Rutledge is called to a small village to investigate a murder where the victim's body has been displayed in an unusual way. He has just come from the wedding of a good friend and is the nearest inspector to the village. He finds the local inspector not entirely open about all the local feelings surrounding the victim, and the two sometimes seem to work at odds to each other. The victim is a London businessman, who has taken on the role of squire in the village and yet seems to have the animosity of most of the inhabitants including his estranged wife.
We are given information early on in the book about the early history of Quarles, the victim, and his business partner, Penrith, and the crime that drew them together during the Boer War. We also see the animosity of the brother of the man they betrayed and his plan to take them both down.
From this point we see the story from Rutledge's view and see how he works to find the truth behind the feelings against Quarles in the village and the juxtaposition of his reputation in London. We see how Rutledge is tenacious about this case, as he has been about his previous cases, and how Hamish, the voice in his head, affects his actions.
An interesting story of justice, and its side effects.
Epic Novel
Finished June 2
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, read by Sunil Malhotta
This is a long novel (19 CDs in audio) but a gripping one. We are told the story of Marion and Shiva Stone, identical twins, conjoined at birth, whose mother died at their birth. The twins were unexpected to everyone else at the mission hospital in Ethiopia. Their mother, a nun from India, worked there assisting the surgeon, their father. He was so shocked and devasted by the incidents surrounding their birth that he ran away.
Taking us from the 1950's into the 21st century, this story follows Marion's life as he looks back on his parents lives, on the lives of his adopted parents, also doctors at the mission hospital, to his own childhood and youth growing up in Addis Ababa. Marion follows in his parents footsteps, becoming a surgeon himself, and events force him to flee Ethiopia during its civil war and take refuge in Kenya and then in the United States, where he continues his medical training.
The author is himself a doctor and this knowledge is evident in the text. While there is a lot of medical information, it never seemed anything but natural to me, a necessary part of the story.
The best thing about this novel to me was the sense of place that is made so clear of this small mission hospital in Addis Ababa. From the mangled name of the hospital (Missing Hospital) to the staff (the priest gatekeeper and the administrative Mother Superior to name just two) one is immersed in the surroundings of the young boys as they grow up in this wonderful atmosphere.
This novel just flows, and I was enchanted by the wonderful story as well as by the narrator's voice, perfectly suited for the tale. While a long novel, it never felt like too much, and though the story drew us backward and forward through the lives of various characters, it never jarred.
A wonderful book that I will recommend highly.
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, read by Sunil Malhotta
This is a long novel (19 CDs in audio) but a gripping one. We are told the story of Marion and Shiva Stone, identical twins, conjoined at birth, whose mother died at their birth. The twins were unexpected to everyone else at the mission hospital in Ethiopia. Their mother, a nun from India, worked there assisting the surgeon, their father. He was so shocked and devasted by the incidents surrounding their birth that he ran away.
Taking us from the 1950's into the 21st century, this story follows Marion's life as he looks back on his parents lives, on the lives of his adopted parents, also doctors at the mission hospital, to his own childhood and youth growing up in Addis Ababa. Marion follows in his parents footsteps, becoming a surgeon himself, and events force him to flee Ethiopia during its civil war and take refuge in Kenya and then in the United States, where he continues his medical training.
The author is himself a doctor and this knowledge is evident in the text. While there is a lot of medical information, it never seemed anything but natural to me, a necessary part of the story.
The best thing about this novel to me was the sense of place that is made so clear of this small mission hospital in Addis Ababa. From the mangled name of the hospital (Missing Hospital) to the staff (the priest gatekeeper and the administrative Mother Superior to name just two) one is immersed in the surroundings of the young boys as they grow up in this wonderful atmosphere.
This novel just flows, and I was enchanted by the wonderful story as well as by the narrator's voice, perfectly suited for the tale. While a long novel, it never felt like too much, and though the story drew us backward and forward through the lives of various characters, it never jarred.
A wonderful book that I will recommend highly.
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