I would have liked this book a lot better if I had grown up doing nothing but playing video games since their inception. (I did attempt Pong and PacMaI would have liked this book a lot better if I had grown up doing nothing but playing video games since their inception. (I did attempt Pong and PacMan and I do remember Atari.) If one is a gamer, one will love all the references to all the classic games leading up to today's hyper-realistic forms of entertainment. The author clearly extols the virtues of virtual reality. He must have spent an awful lot of time sitting in front of a screen in his youth and is nostalgic for being able to live life through an avatar rather than deal with the reality of the boring real world. ...more
This was a particularly difficult read for me. It concerns the murder of a 14-year-old boy. (My son was murdered at 14. Unlike in my son's case where This was a particularly difficult read for me. It concerns the murder of a 14-year-old boy. (My son was murdered at 14. Unlike in my son's case where his father was the killer, the accused in this novel is another 14-year-old boy.) The story is told from the point of view of the suspect's father, a district attorney, and transcripts of Grand Jury testimony. There is considerable foreshadowing which comes almost too close to giving away the ending and lessening the shock the author strove to achieve. The premise is disturbing and it makes one think about how accountable a 14-year-old is when considering punishment. The father's devotion to his child is unshakable, as we would hope ours would be were we in his situation.
This book had me thinking about it for days after finishing reading. Not just because it struck so close to home but also because the topic was so "worrying, perturbing, troubling, upsetting; distressing, discomfiting, disconcerting, disquieting, unsettling, dismaying, alarming, frightening"* on several levels.
P.D. James has done a masterful job of capturing the literary style of the 1800's. She has taken "Pride and Prejudice" and written a continuation of tP.D. James has done a masterful job of capturing the literary style of the 1800's. She has taken "Pride and Prejudice" and written a continuation of the story using all the characters of the earlier work. When I say she has succeeded in writing in the manner of Jane Austen it's not necessarily a total compliment as any high school student will tell you. The posturing of that era is tedious to say the least. The novel perfectly reflects the era's sense of decorum, the role of women in all of the social statuses, and the eloquence of speaking much and saying little. Considering P.D. James is in her nineties, I admire her fortitude in tackling an endeavor of this magnitude.
(I'm attempting the Austen era's stylistic affectation of expression to which the novel pays homage in hopes I can convey James' intent to demonstrate her prowess without too much pride or prejudice.) ...more
This is the follow up to "Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight," 2001, and like it, is about Ms. Fuller's family, primarily her mother. "Cocktail Hour..This is the follow up to "Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight," 2001, and like it, is about Ms. Fuller's family, primarily her mother. "Cocktail Hour..," 2011, is a perfect example of a mother and adult daughter trying to come to terms with one another. No surprise, Ms. Fuller's mother was not entirely happy with the way she was portrayed in "the awful [first] book." Who could blame her? It wasn't exactly a rousing endorsement of her mothering. She was often so wrapped up in her own mental illness that she had little left for her children. This follow up shows that both women, with time and space between, are able to forgive one another. Nicola Fuller had a difficult life but she's definitely a survivor. Under terrible pressures, she managed to overcome the obstacles of war, death, and loss of sanity, with humor and humility. Nicola and Alexandra have come to value one another and have a loving, respectful relationship. Maybe because so much has happened since the events of "Don't Let's Go...," marriage and children of her own, Alexandra can now genuinely appreciate her mother. She certainly captures much more of her mother's sense of humor this time around. It's amazing, as we get older, how much smarter our parents seem to get....more
Having been to Africa twice, mostly near where this memoir takes place, I could really relate to Ms. Fuller's recollections of the land, smells, soundHaving been to Africa twice, mostly near where this memoir takes place, I could really relate to Ms. Fuller's recollections of the land, smells, sounds, and flavors of Africa. It all came back to me. So did the sorrow experienced, most particularly by the author's mother, over the loss of a child. (I lost my son 8 years ago.)
There are so many memoirs written by African born whites, most often young girls. All of them have been excellent. It is such a different way of life. The countries of their birth don't want them and yet they can't leave, emotionally if not physically. It is a tough life. Virtually all having been raised on farms and nearly all displaced by political turmoil. What I find truly amazing is how well all of the authors write about their experiences.
I was particularly struck by the following scene from this book: "Once I discovered the skulls of two impala rams, their horns locked into an irreversible figure-of-eight; the two animals had been trapped in combat, latched to each other during the battle of the rut. The harder they had pulled to escape from each other, the more intractably stuck they were, until they had fallen exhausted, to their knees, in an embrace of hatred that killed them both."
Somehow, this made me think of the struggle between cultures in which Africa continues to be embroiled and made me quite sad....more
I was in Maryland when I read this. I thought I was going to be going to Gettysburg and wanted to know more before I went. (As it turned out, I never I was in Maryland when I read this. I thought I was going to be going to Gettysburg and wanted to know more before I went. (As it turned out, I never made it.) As historical fiction, this is a good introduction for learning about the Civil War... not as dry and pedantic as a textbook. Even though there were lots of simple drawn maps, they weren't enough for me. I would have liked photos of the terrain to help me picture the scenes. The story is told mostly from the point of a few of the participants on each side. This helped the characters feel more human. Of course, there's always the problem of writing dialog and creating what real people might be thinking. I still find it incredible that spectators used to go watch the fighting. How much more "civilized" than today's warfare. It also still amazes me that family members on opposite sides fought one another to the death. I can't imagine going to war against my brother. The ultimate tragedy. It's amazing that the country survived....more
Because I hung out with many SEALS during the Viet Nam War, (some of whom did not return), I was interested in this novel about their training writtenBecause I hung out with many SEALS during the Viet Nam War, (some of whom did not return), I was interested in this novel about their training written by a former SEAL. The guys had told me some of what they endured but this made me appreciate what they went through even more. With that said, the embellishments of a suspected murder and pursuit of the perpetrator was totally unnecessary and distracting. I'm not sure why the author felt he needed it. I think this would have been better as a memoir rather than fiction. Of course, so many claim to have been SEALs who weren't, maybe David Reid feared being put in that category if he attempted nonfiction....more
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