This book was recommended to me from a mystery blog and I really enjoyed it. The detective, Claire DeWitt, has a lot of baggage - from a rough childhoThis book was recommended to me from a mystery blog and I really enjoyed it. The detective, Claire DeWitt, has a lot of baggage - from a rough childhood in Brooklyn and other traumas that are slowly revealed she is imperfect at best. But she's a great detective and is influenced by a fictional French detective Jacques Silette. Set in hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans Claire tries to find out who murdered a prominent D.A. It's incredibly atmospheric and at times very "zen", but compelling and really enjoyable....more
Although short in length, this novel was very deep in emotion and humanity. Set in the 1840s, John Ferguson sets out to "clear" one of the Highland IsAlthough short in length, this novel was very deep in emotion and humanity. Set in the 1840s, John Ferguson sets out to "clear" one of the Highland Islands of its last inhabitant - a near-hermit named Ivar. John hurts himself as he gets to the island and Ivar nurses him back to health The two men develop a strong relationship during John's recover. The story unfolds both in real time and flashbacks as we learn of John's religion, marriage and other aspects of his and wife Mary's life. It's a beautiful and atmospheric novel - you can almost smell the salt water and feel the strong winds blowing across the island....more
On a recent trip to Wales we stopped in a small town called Hay-on-Wye whose main industry is used books! There were multiple stores and some very genOn a recent trip to Wales we stopped in a small town called Hay-on-Wye whose main industry is used books! There were multiple stores and some very genre specific. I went the mystery bookstore and the bookseller recommend this author and book which takes place in Hay. At the time I hadn't realized that it was the 12th in the series and I feel that by starting I missed a lot of the nuance. However, I loved the setting - it really evoked that part of Wales for me and brought back great memories (none involved Satanic or neo-Nazi cults like the book!). The "detective", Merrily Watkins, is in essence an exorcist and it seemed there were no shortage of demons in Hay. I enjoyed the book despite occult and supernatural themes not being my favorite genre....more
Set in Aukland, NZ a Maori detective, Hana Westerman is on the trail of a Maori who is avenging the injustices perpetrated upon the indigenous populatSet in Aukland, NZ a Maori detective, Hana Westerman is on the trail of a Maori who is avenging the injustices perpetrated upon the indigenous population of New Zealand by the British. The story is framed by an old daguerreotype of British sailors celebrating while a Maori man is dangling from a tree in the background - hung for no apparent reason. In modern day Aukland the murderer finds connections between those in the picture and his victims. Meanwhile Det. Westerman, a Maori herself battles races against time and the inherent conflicts of her heritage to capture the killer.
The interplay between the two sides of the detective's life was really came through in the writing. We learn about her traditions and her conflicts in breaking up a Maori protest early in her police career. She's a really complex character and the writing really reflects that. She shares custody of her teenage daughter with her ex-husband and fellow police officer (who is white). This family dynamics come into play throughout the novel but never overwhelm it. It's a perfect balance mixing suspense, emotion, history and family angst.
I listened to the book so I got to hear the cadence and rhythm of the native language which I never would have picked up by reading.
This recent national book award winner was an experimental novel - a young man, "nene" goes to visit an older man (Juan Gay) who he met in a psychiatrThis recent national book award winner was an experimental novel - a young man, "nene" goes to visit an older man (Juan Gay) who he met in a psychiatric ward years earlier. The setting of visit is a residence called "The Palace". The men discuss, both gay, discuss a book called "Sex Variants: A Study of Homosexual Patterns" - an actual book written by Jan Gay (not a blood relation). All that is really a format for a discussion about homosexuality, art and identity. At times challenging, but beautifully written....more
I've read quite a number of holocaust related works - but nothing even comes close to the horror depicted in this work. It is the true account of a HuI've read quite a number of holocaust related works - but nothing even comes close to the horror depicted in this work. It is the true account of a Hungarian's experience in the concentration camps. I think what made it even tougher was listening, rather than reading this work. It made the degradation feel even more realistic. The tone was very matter-of-fact and at times almost a little sarcastic, which added to the tension. How could anyone find humor in this?
I will never understand how one person or group of people could inflict this level of brutality and torture on another. It transcends madness and hatred to a place I hope no one ever goes to again. This book must be read though for no other reason other than to reaffirm the maxim that those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it (I paraphrase)....more
When reflecting on this book the first word that comes to mind is haunting, both in style and content. The novel is centered around Henry Townsend, a When reflecting on this book the first word that comes to mind is haunting, both in style and content. The novel is centered around Henry Townsend, a freed Black man in Virginia who himself becomes a slaveowner. Henry dies suddenly and his land and slaves are left to his wife who struggles to maintain order. In a close reading I wondered whether that was something she really desired -running a farm with slave labor.
The "haunting" feeling comes in the way the story is written. There's a certain nonchalance that makes the terror of slavery almost feel 'normal' (the in the South of the 1850s it was), it's just hard to read about it in those terms. The incongruity of a Black family (particularly slaves who bought their freedom) is especially jarring. The novel's strength though is in the depth of the characters. Too often novels of the south at that time play on stereotypes (and there are some of these - the sadistic overseer, the crooked slave traders), but there's always so much more. The author also brilliantly weaves past and present into the story - it jumps around but we do learn some of the outcomes of the characters.
Overall, an amazing, difficult and necessary novel....more
I really enjoy Rachel Kushner's writing so I was excited to get this book and hear her read and speak at San Francisco's Lit Quake this year. The readI really enjoy Rachel Kushner's writing so I was excited to get this book and hear her read and speak at San Francisco's Lit Quake this year. The reading was excellent; however I struggled a bit with this book. It's the story of an undercover "spy" (more like a secret agent - we never really know who she works for) infiltrating a radical environmental group in rural France. The main character, Sadie Smith was great. However at the times the book jumped around a bit with various characters coming and going and it was a challenge to maintain the arc of the novel and the ending was a slight disappointment....more
The second in the Nikki Griffin (bookstore owner/Private Investigator). What started out a seemingly benign blackmail case against one of San FranciscThe second in the Nikki Griffin (bookstore owner/Private Investigator). What started out a seemingly benign blackmail case against one of San Francisco's wealthiest families is suddenly turned on its head. Nikki is hired by the scion of the Johanssen family (fictitious SF old money family) to find the family's matriarch's blackmailer. Well, not all is what it seems. The setting (Monterey, SF, Central Coast) is great as are the ancillary characters. Very engaging and great twists. ...more
"The Boys of Summer" will always be, for me, the defining book on baseball. It encompasses everything that's special about the sport - the connection "The Boys of Summer" will always be, for me, the defining book on baseball. It encompasses everything that's special about the sport - the connection to place, the myriad characters who played, owned, and managed the team and its influence on fans far and wide. However, this book comes in a very close second. It tracks both the history of New York from the late 1800s to just after WWII and the history of New York's baseball teams (Yankees, Dodgers and Giants) through that time. I've read some of this author's historical fiction about old New York (Coney Island, the Draft Riots, Harlem, Triangle Shirtwaist Fire). They are all great books and masterfully combine fact and fiction. Though nonfiction, this book really brings the reader into the time and place of New York over those years as well as show us key baseball people during that time - both the famous (Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Geherig, Branch Rickey) and lesser known (at least to me) like Peter Reiser and Hal Chase. Running throughout the book is the undeniable racism of the sport and the city during that time - we see stark examples of segregation in the City and in baseball and the book ends just as Jackie Robinson is about to sign with the Dodgers. As a reader I would love to see the author continue the story, but given how meticulously researched this book is I'm sure that's no easy feat.
Fun fact (one of many in this booke) The Yankees actually leased Fenway Park to the Red Sox for a time after their owner defaulted on a debt related to the sale of Babe Ruth to the Yankees....more
The author's thesis is that 1971 was the seminal year in rock history - the year the Beatles ended and the post-Beatles era began - singer/songwritersThe author's thesis is that 1971 was the seminal year in rock history - the year the Beatles ended and the post-Beatles era began - singer/songwriters, albums (vs 45s), big rock concerts, and more. It's an interesting thesis with a decidedly UK slant and not one I strongly agree with or disagree with. However the book was a great excuse to listen to some music I hadn't listened to in a while (Rod Strewart's "Every Picture Tells a Story", "Who's Next", "Sticky Fingers" and more. I loved the gossipy aspects as well - how Jonathan Richman connects to Lou Reed connects to Talking Heads. There was some snark (the author is clearly not a J. Geils Band fan (for shame!!!) but all's forgiven. 1971 was a watershed year for sure and this book reminds us why....more
I decided to read this book because it was one of 2024's NY Times top 5 fiction books; ordinarily it wouldn't have caught my eye. It seemed a bit too I decided to read this book because it was one of 2024's NY Times top 5 fiction books; ordinarily it wouldn't have caught my eye. It seemed a bit too rom-com based on the blurb. Well, thank you NYT! This was a really enjoyable book. The story is centered around a break-up between two 30-something Londoners. The guy is a struggling stand-up comic and the woman a successful insurance executive. Most of the book is told from the guy's point of view (though written by a woman). This isn't easy and she nailed it; never falling into stereotype. The last bit was told from the woman's perspective and it really brought the whole thing together - perfectly written. The book is funny, sometimes sad, but really great observations. ...more
This novel takes place over a few days in Reno, NV at the Daughters of America girls boxing championship. I read some good things about the book - it This novel takes place over a few days in Reno, NV at the Daughters of America girls boxing championship. I read some good things about the book - it was one of the 100 best by NY Times and had I not seen that I'm not sure I would have picked up a book about girls boxing. Fortunately it caught my and I read this - it was excellent. The descriptions of the fights shifted between the boxing itself (very vivid, but not overtly violent) and the interior lives of the fighters - who they were and who they would become. As a reader I really felt the competitive spirit of the boxers - both in the ring and outside as we learned of their futures and recent traumas. Overall a really great book....more
This is a really entertaining collection of essays about crossword puzzles and those that love them. As an aspiring cruciverbalist, this was right up This is a really entertaining collection of essays about crossword puzzles and those that love them. As an aspiring cruciverbalist, this was right up my alley. The essays ran the gamut from crossword history to famous solvers to practical applications and benefits of solving. There was a chapter on the annual puzzle tournament in Stamford, CT and even a crossword puzzle themed cruise. Very enjoyable and a good start to my 2025 goal of constructing my own puzzle!...more
This is a re-telling of the Huck Finn through the words and eyes of Jim (James) the slave (though it's not the exact plot). In this telling the slavesThis is a re-telling of the Huck Finn through the words and eyes of Jim (James) the slave (though it's not the exact plot). In this telling the slaves speak as eloquently as their masters (their patois is merely a ruse). The portrayal of the enslaved is brutal and unflinching. There's little sentimentality even when certain secrets are revealed (no spoilers here). The writing is excellent. The story moves at lightning speed, but lingers long enough to absorb the atmosphere and engage with the themes of the novel. This was truly deserving of the National Book Award....more
I picked up this collection in a wonderful Welsh town called Hay-on-Wye which whose economy is centered around used book stores! The stories spanned tI picked up this collection in a wonderful Welsh town called Hay-on-Wye which whose economy is centered around used book stores! The stories spanned the 20th century and though not all set in Wales per se there was a Welsh theme in each one. All were very enjoyable and a good adjunct to my recent trip....more
Ordinarily I am not a huge fan of the horror genre, but I've always appreciated Stephen King's ability to transcend genre and tell a really good storyOrdinarily I am not a huge fan of the horror genre, but I've always appreciated Stephen King's ability to transcend genre and tell a really good story. It was also the 50th anniversary of King's first novel so it seemed a good time to finally read it. I was not disappointed - it was hard not to picture Sissy Spacek or Piper Laurie or John Travolta as I was reading, but once getting past that I was captivated. Unlike the movie, the book talked more about the study of telekinesis as well as the events at the high school. Definitely some gore, but lots of tension and really great way to finish up 2024's reading....more
This was an interesting novel mostly set during a few months at Andy Warhol's "Factory". The main character, Mae, a high school dropout is working as This was an interesting novel mostly set during a few months at Andy Warhol's "Factory". The main character, Mae, a high school dropout is working as a typist transcribing tapes that will become Andy Warhol's "a, A Novel". Some interesting observations about cult/hero worship - though Andy rarely appears, he's clearly omnipresent and New York of that era. Overall though it was hard to really feel for Mae - she's escaping an alcoholic mother and a bad experience in high school, but there's not a lot depth or understanding about the choices she made. Overall though I enjoyed this book....more
This is an excellent novella about a young woman crossing the border from Mexico to the US to deliver a message to her brother. The writing is sparse,This is an excellent novella about a young woman crossing the border from Mexico to the US to deliver a message to her brother. The writing is sparse, but very deep. You feel the indignities and fear of the journey but never overwhelmed by it. The story moves in unexpected directions and is incredibly powerful. Themes of family, identity, faith and much more packed into this great book....more
This was a great book that combines two of my favorite pastimes - reading and running. I'm a fan of Murakami's novels and in this memoir (that's his dThis was a great book that combines two of my favorite pastimes - reading and running. I'm a fan of Murakami's novels and in this memoir (that's his definition) he looks back on his life - how he started running and writing and how the two intertwine. I loved his depiction of the New York Marathon (we ran it together along with 40,000+ others - he beat me!) as well as running along the Charles River in Boston. The style was very conversational; I felt like we were in the same room and he was sharing some stories about his life - owning a jazz club, writing a book, running a marathon, etc. Really enjoyable!...more
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