The Fall by Simon Mawer: Simon Mawer has given us a good novel, just not a great one. It can be electrifying and dizzying at one point and then detached and mired in its characters' own lack of inertia the next. A more even novel would have been received better, but The Fall is still an enjoyable read that will leave you guessing the truth until the very end.
December 6 by Martin Cruz Smith: December 6 is a novel that succeeds on many levels. It's an education into the mindset and culture of pre-war Japan. It's an indictment of those beating the drums of war behind their own self-righteousness. Best of all, it's a great story, and the description of Harry's predicament is peeled back layer by layer, and by the end we've come to understand and sympathize with him completely. There's a bit of Harry in all of us, trying to do the right thing while taking advantage of the situation at the same time.
The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch: The Highest Tide is a short book, less than 250 pages, and can be read in one afternoon. Jim Lynch's debut novel spends a wonderful summer with Miles O'Malley and the interesting and peculiar life that abounds in Puget Sound. Take an afternoon and enjoy it for yourself.
His Illegal Self by Peter Carey: His Illegal Self is not an easy story to read, and it's tedious at times waiting for any sense of hope to come to its characters' lives. It's the characters that are the highlight of this novel, though, and Peter Carey's expert handling of their relationships and emotions that binds it all together in a flurry of emotions that buffets the reader as well.
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris: It's sentences like that grab your attention with his off-kilter way of telling about his life that makes you want to find out what it's all about. Fortunately, David Sedaris continues to deliver on the promise with more interesting, funny, and thought-provoking parts of his life. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim is a welcome addition to his private literary genre and a gift to the world that can always use more laughter. My time spent with David Sedaris passed too quickly, but this is a book that can be read again when a dose of laughter is needed. If you haven't read any of his work before, this is a fine place to start. If you're a fan of David Sedaris, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim is one you must read.
Easter Island by Jennifer Vanderbes: Easter Island is a satisfying read that explores the mysteries of the human soul in the most isolated place in the world, the navel of the earth. Both Elsa and Greer find that searching for oneself can be fraught with peril, since no man, or woman, is an island.
Islands of Silence by Martin Booth: The chapters in this novel alternate between the present-day Alec and his story as a young man, striking out on his own as an archaeologist in 1914. The elder Alec tells of the discipline necessary to maintain his silence, the kindly doctor who wants to draw Alec out of his shell, his dreams that content or frighten him, and the horrors and evil he has seen in the past. He is a man most certainly sane, lucid in his thoughts, and convinced of the nature of evil that exists outside of his controlled environment.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer: If you only read perfect novels, then there would be very few books to read at all. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close can be uplifting and soul searing at different times. With the horrors and wounds of the 9/11 attacks still fresh, this novel may hit too close to home for some people. By the end of this book, how that awful day happened for all members of Oskar's family is known, and beyond the pain lies hope, and Oskar is not as alone as he thinks he is. Oskar Schell's story is one to cherish, and perhaps that metaphor for the lost innocence of the world is one we all ought to acknowledge and embrace.
December 6 by Martin Cruz Smith: December 6 is a novel that succeeds on many levels. It's an education into the mindset and culture of pre-war Japan. It's an indictment of those beating the drums of war behind their own self-righteousness. Best of all, it's a great story, and the description of Harry's predicament is peeled back layer by layer, and by the end we've come to understand and sympathize with him completely. There's a bit of Harry in all of us, trying to do the right thing while taking advantage of the situation at the same time.
The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch: The Highest Tide is a short book, less than 250 pages, and can be read in one afternoon. Jim Lynch's debut novel spends a wonderful summer with Miles O'Malley and the interesting and peculiar life that abounds in Puget Sound. Take an afternoon and enjoy it for yourself.
His Illegal Self by Peter Carey: His Illegal Self is not an easy story to read, and it's tedious at times waiting for any sense of hope to come to its characters' lives. It's the characters that are the highlight of this novel, though, and Peter Carey's expert handling of their relationships and emotions that binds it all together in a flurry of emotions that buffets the reader as well.
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris: It's sentences like that grab your attention with his off-kilter way of telling about his life that makes you want to find out what it's all about. Fortunately, David Sedaris continues to deliver on the promise with more interesting, funny, and thought-provoking parts of his life. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim is a welcome addition to his private literary genre and a gift to the world that can always use more laughter. My time spent with David Sedaris passed too quickly, but this is a book that can be read again when a dose of laughter is needed. If you haven't read any of his work before, this is a fine place to start. If you're a fan of David Sedaris, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim is one you must read.
Easter Island by Jennifer Vanderbes: Easter Island is a satisfying read that explores the mysteries of the human soul in the most isolated place in the world, the navel of the earth. Both Elsa and Greer find that searching for oneself can be fraught with peril, since no man, or woman, is an island.
Islands of Silence by Martin Booth: The chapters in this novel alternate between the present-day Alec and his story as a young man, striking out on his own as an archaeologist in 1914. The elder Alec tells of the discipline necessary to maintain his silence, the kindly doctor who wants to draw Alec out of his shell, his dreams that content or frighten him, and the horrors and evil he has seen in the past. He is a man most certainly sane, lucid in his thoughts, and convinced of the nature of evil that exists outside of his controlled environment.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer: If you only read perfect novels, then there would be very few books to read at all. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close can be uplifting and soul searing at different times. With the horrors and wounds of the 9/11 attacks still fresh, this novel may hit too close to home for some people. By the end of this book, how that awful day happened for all members of Oskar's family is known, and beyond the pain lies hope, and Oskar is not as alone as he thinks he is. Oskar Schell's story is one to cherish, and perhaps that metaphor for the lost innocence of the world is one we all ought to acknowledge and embrace.
About the Author:
Annette Lybacki hopes that you found this piece helpful and invites you to read her articles on DUI Lawyer 101 for some Hints and Tips on DUI Lawyers.
0 comments:
Post a Comment