Play Book Tag discussion
Member ChallengeTracking 2016-20
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JW's 2019 Reading Challenges
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36 Books for 20191. Becoming by Michelle Obama - 5 Stars - January 11th
2. Hour Game by David Baldacci - 3 Stars - January 12th
3. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles - 5 Stars - January 26th
4. An Orchestra of Minorities by Chigozie Obioma - 5 Stars - February 18th
5. Small Gods by Terry Pratchett - 2 Stars - February 19th
6. The Friend by Sigrid Nunez - 4.5 Stars - February 28th
7. Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi - 5 Stars - March 16th
8. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng - 3 Stars - March 23rd
9. The New Negro: The Life of Alain Locke - 4 Stars - March 31
10. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah - 4 Stars - June 28th
11. Educated by Tara Westover - 4 Stars - July 6th
12. The Bottom of the Pool by Andy Andrews - 4 Stars - July 19th
13. The Rain Watcher by Tatiana de Rosnay - 2 stars - August 9th
14. My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite - 3 Stars
15. Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli - 5 Stars and favorite - August 22
16. Born A Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah - 4 Stars - September 21st
17. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead - 5 Stars - October 4th
18. The Outsider by Stephen King - 5 Stars - November 15th
19. The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish - 1 Star - November 30th
20. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - 3 Stars
21. Where the Dead Sit Talking by Brandon Hobson - 3 Stars
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IRL Book Club Selections1. A Gentleman in Moscow - 5 Stars - January 26th
2. Small Gods - 2 Stars - February 19th
3. Freshwater - 5 Stars - March 16th
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PBT Tag of the Month1. January - Action Adventure - Hour Game by David Baldacci - 3 Stars - January 12th
2. February - Life - An Orchestra of Minorities by Chigozie Obioma - 5 Stars - February 18th
2a. February - Life - The Friend by Sigrid Nunez - 4.5 Stars February 28th
3. March - Debut - Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi - 5 Stars - March 16th
4. August - 21st Century - Lost Children Archive - Stars - August 22nd
5. September - Culture - Born a Crime - 4 Stars - September 21st
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Trim the TBR - 36 Book List1. There There by Tommy Orange
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4. Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City by Greg Grandin
5. the Triump of Deborah by Eva Etzioni-Halevy
6. Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama
7. Deep Down Dark by Hector Tobar
8. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
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10. Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini
11. The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton
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13. The Heart Mender by Andy Andres
14. The Noticer Returns by Andy Andrews
15. the Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
16. Milkman by Anna Burns
18. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acedvedo
20. Indecency by Justin Phillip Reed
21. The Emissary by Yoko Tawada
22. Less by Andrew Sean Greer
25. Circe by Madeline Miller
26. the Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
27. Elevation by Stephen King
29. I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara
31. The Good Neighbor: The Life and Word of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King
32. Cravings; Hungry for More by Chrissy Teigen
33. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
35. Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
36. Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
Expand Our PBT Horizons1. A Gentleman in Moscow - Russia (not the chosen culture)
2. An Orchestra of Minorities - Nigeria (not the chosen culture)
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Man Booker Eligible and Longlisted Books1.
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3. Melmoth
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J.W. wrote: "Trim the TBR - 36 Book ListI have read Circe, The Friend, and Children of the Blood and Bone and loved them all-hope they pop for you!
JW, You have some truly wonderful books on your 36. I’m gonna be watching your review is really closely because so many of them are favorites of mine! I’m actually really excited for you. I think this is going to be a really fun challenge for us all!
I hope you enjoy Circe it was one of my favorite books this year! I also am going to have Women of the Silk on my trim the TBR list and I was wondering if you would be open to me putting it as number 6 as well so we could do a buddy read if it's chosen. Only if you want!
Magdalena wrote: "I hope you enjoy Circe it was one of my favorite books this year! I also am going to have Women of the Silk on my trim the TBR list and I was wondering if you would be open to me putting it as numb..."I am always open to a buddy.
Wonderful! Now we'll see if it gets chosen...
JW .... I have moved Women Of The Silk to # 6 on my list ..... so if our number is called we could do a buddy-read if you are so inclined.Great list of books, by the way ...
Hi JW, Would you be willing to switch education to #12? We have a few people for that book. I'm going to look at Gentleman in Moscow, There There, and Less, soon.
FYI You might want to check the reviews for Truly Madly Guilty (it was far from her best. It got voted on last year based on the author's name recognition alone, before a lot of people had time to read it).
NancyJ wrote: "Hi JW, Would you be willing to switch education to #12? We have a few people for that book. I'm going to look at Gentleman in Moscow, There There, and Less, soon.
FYI You might want to check the..."
I am really not that interested in all the buddy read stuff. In fact I think in a way all this buddy read stuff is taking away from the fun of what these challenges have been in the past. Way too much coordination instead of the randomness of new books being explored. With that said, since the group is moving in this direction I went ahead and moved it. I will just hope that 12 is not chosen.
J.W. wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Hi JW, Would you be willing to switch education to #12? We have a few people for that book. I'm going to look at Gentleman in Moscow, There There, and Less, soon.
FYI You might wa..."
No, that's fine. Buddy reads and group reads aren't for everyone, so there is no need to change anything on your list at all.
J.W. wrote: "I am really not that interested in all the buddy read stuff. In fact I think in a way all this buddy read stuff is taking away from the..."I don't usually do the buddy reads either. But I did put a couple of TBR books on the list to match the numbers other people had. It's just a way to encourage one another that month, should "our number" come up.
But as NancyJ said ... NO requirement or pressure to join in at all. That IS the beauty of PBT.
Becomingby Michelle Obama5 Stars and Favorite
In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America—the first African-American to serve in that role—she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.
In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms.
First of all, I am so happy that I chose to listen to the audio version of this book. The fact that Michelle Obama narrates this book herself is absolutely wonderful. I normally speed audio books up but I could not bring myself to do that with this one. It was more than just listening to a book, it was listening to her tell a majestic story.
I especially enjoyed her telling of her early life up through meeting President Obama. This was a captivating portion of the book for me and a story that very much needs to be told. I can't even tell you how many people I have told about her early life since listening to that portion of the book. It extends so far beyond just telling her story and captures what is truly possible through hard work and dedication to a vision.
I also really appreciated how very little Ms. Obama gets into the politics of their time in office. The fact that she sticks to her desires as a First Lady and what was important to her instead of trying to analyze the motivations of everyone around them was refreshing. Furthermore, I appreciate the fact that the book was not intended to setup some future political work but rather was meant to simply tell her story. This was a definite positive for me.
With as much as I love this book, there are also some things that leave me wondering. The book is almost too simplistic at times in describing certain events and it left me wondering what details had Ms. Obama intentionally left out of her story. Even though my respect for her grew tremendously in listening to this book, I am not blind to the fact that there is certainly author's bias present. I also often wonder with autobiographies and memoirs about just how the author remembers the details that they do. It seems to me like the memories would be colored with age and yet they are told as though it is exactly what happened. None of this is to say the book was lacking, but just a few thoughts about the writing in general.
I had my issues with a few things like (view spoiler) but overall I found the book to be absolutely wonderful and highly recommend it.
Hour Game by David Baldacci3 out of 5 Stars
A woman is found murdered in the woods. It seems like a simple case but it soon escalates into a terrible nightmare. Someone is replicating the killing styles of the most infamous murderers of all time. No one knows this criminal's motives...or who will die next.
Two ex-Secret Service agents, Sean King and Michelle Maxwell, have been hired to defend a man's innocence in a burglary involving an aristocratic family. Then a series of secrets leads the partners right into the frantic hunt that is confounding even the FBI. Now King and Maxwell are playing the Hour Game, uncovering one horrifying revelation after another and putting their lives in danger. For the closer they get to the truth, the closer they get to the most shocking surprise of all.
To begin, let me be honest and say that a portion of why I only give this book three stars is because the King and Maxwell series just doesn't stand up against the Memory Man series. I read several of the Memory Man series in 2018 and was hoping coming back to this series would fill the gap until the next Memory Man book, but it just doesn't hold the same weight.
With all of that being said, the book is still really good. I have only found two writers, Baldacci and Michael Connelly that can actually craft the twists and turns in a way that make sense, but still fool me as a reader. I thought I had this one figured out early on and I completely missed it. Baldacci does a really nice job of weaving in details, of which I pay careful attention, that end up being distractors instead of clues. This makes the King and Maxwell series or any other a nice series to pick up.
Finally, I have listened to almost all of the Baldacci books on Audible. For most books I would be willing to read them in paper copy or listen, but for Baldacci I really do prefer them on audio. They are a treat to listen to.
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles5 Stars
Combination of Audio and Print
When, in 1922, he is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, the count is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him a doorway into a much larger world of emotional discovery.
This book was majestic. That is the best adjective I can find to describe A Gentleman in Moscow. Some books are atmospheric, others are rebellious, and yet others are authentic. This one is regal in the way it is written, a masterpiece in how the story flows, and well overall it is a true piece of modern literature.
Towles creates a variety of characters and creates each of them perfectly. In doing so he blends incredible humor with poignant statements that capture the essence of the failure of communism in the former USSR. There were multiple points that made me laugh out loud, but none as much as (view spoiler)
While the humor of the first part of the book was delightful it clearly gives way as you move through the book to the darkness of Communism. In the second book I found (view spoiler)
In regards to the quality of writing in this book, I think it is also worth noting how impressive it is that Towles was able to make Count Alexander a dynamic character. (view spoiler)
As to the structure of the book. I found it interesting that all of the chapter titles started with "A" but I never quite figured out the significance of that fact. I also thought the use of chapters with years as numbers to mark the passage of time was extremely well done. Overall, Towles wrote a winding path and yet it felt extremely succinct and tightly formed. And while the ending might leave different impressions on different readers I personally found it very satisfying.
An Orchestra of Minorities by Chigozie Obioma5 Stars and absolute FAVORITE
A contemporary twist on the Odyssey, An Orchestra of Minorities is narrated by the chi, or spirit of a young poultry farmer named Chinonso. His life is set off course when he sees a woman who is about to jump off a bridge. Horrified by her recklessness, he hurls two of his prized chickens off the bridge. The woman, Ndali, is stopped in her tracks.
Chinonso and Ndali fall in love but she is from an educated and wealthy family. When her family objects to the union on the grounds that he is not her social equal, he sells most of his possessions to attend college in Cyprus. But when he arrives in Cyprus, he discovers that he has been utterly duped by the young Nigerian who has made the arrangements for him. Penniless, homeless, we watch as he gets further and further away from his dream and from home.
What will ultimately destroy a man is working long before he realizes its presence or the final impact it will have.
To write this review is a futile effort. There is simply no way, no matter how eloquent the review, to capture the beauty, devastation, and impact of this novel. Chigozie Obioma is a modern day master of the novel. I loved his debut novel The Fishermen but in An Orchestra of Minorities he reaches a new level. To say the least, I will read anything this author writes.
In both of his novels Obioma explores the nature of revenge and the destruction it brings. His crafting of both the plot and the imagery makes this exploration gut wrenching. As a reader I want the characters to have life and the words to have authenticity. This novel not only has those items but it is also enveloping. As Chinonso (the main character) experiences love, heartache, exploration, revenge, and destruction I felt as though I was going through those same experiences. After finishing the novel I cannot help but think that part of me is broken and I am not sure it can be repaired. There is not another writer that I have experienced that so meaningfully captures the human emotions and the impact of desperation and revenge.
At the same time that Obioma masterfully is crafting his plot and characters (which other authors do well) he is also a master of the literary allusion. The reader is taken indirectly through his writing, imagery, and language to the works of Milton, to the great whale of Melville, to the early Nigerian writings of Achebe, and to haunting nature of Shakespeare. Incredibly, the effort to craft these allusions and to bring forth this imagery does not dampen the vitality of the plot nor slow the pace of the book. In fact, while both of Obioma's novels have beautiful imagery, this novel more seamlessly incorporates the allusions than did his debut novel.
Finally, Obioma explores the soul of man (the deepest darkest emotions) with the precision of a surgeon. This is aided by his creative narrator in this novel. The idea of using Chinonso's chi (or spirit) to tell this story for me was akin to Markus Zusak using death as the narrator in The Book Thief. It not only was creative, but was so well executed that it is hard to imagine why it had never been done before. At the same time, it is so complex an approach that you question whether any other writer could use this approach effectively again.
This is a must read. It belongs on every shelf and in college classrooms across the globe. I cannot imagine how it will not be an award finalist throughout the coming year.
Small Gods by Terry Pratchett2 out of 5 Stars
Audiobook
Just because you can't explain it, doesn't mean it's a miracle.' Religion is a controversial business in the Discworld. Everyone has their own opinion, and indeed their own gods. Who come in all shapes and sizes. In such a competitive environment, there is a pressing need to make one's presence felt. And it's certainly not remotely helpful to be reduced to be appearing in the form of a tortoise, a manifestation far below god-like status in anyone's book. In such instances, you need an acolyte, and fast. Preferably one who won't ask too many questions...
Small Gods was one of those books that is better to describe to others than it is to read yourself.
I believe the arts, in all forms, are intended to push boundaries and induce thought. This novel had the promise of doing just that as it tackles concepts of religion, faith, philosophy, and how they impact our existence and interactions. The book had the potential to deal with issues of both global interaction and personal relationships. While all of the concepts of this book were intriguing the actual writing fell flat on its face. No matter how great the vision of the writer, an inability to execute the actual writing counter-acts all of its potential.
This novel is billed as being humorous with sharp biting wit, but for me it was just cliche. The attempts at humor were, if not juvenile, at least slap stick. The attempts at moral lessons were telegraphed and lacked any punch.
I think the most difficult aspect for me with this novel was the absolute lack of authenticity. The characters were flat and lifeless, the plot was clunky and choppy, and the setting was so poorly described I could never envision where these events were taking place. While I understand the idea is that it is a fantasy location that is a poor excuse to abandon creating places and people the reader can connect with.
I have seen reviews of other books in the Discworld series, but after reading this one I have no desire to continue this series.
Book #17 for FebruaryThe Friend by Sigrid Nunez
5 Stars (4.5 Rounded Up)
Fits the Life Tag as Well
When a woman unexpectedly loses her lifelong best friend and mentor, she finds herself burdened with the unwanted dog he has left behind. Her own battle against grief is intensified by the mute suffering of the dog, a huge Great Dane traumatized by the inexplicable disappearance of its master, and by the threat of eviction: dogs are prohibited in her apartment building.
While others worry that grief has made her a victim of magical thinking, the woman refuses to be separated from the dog except for brief periods of time. Isolated from the rest of the world, increasingly obsessed with the dog's care, determined to read its mind and fathom its heart, she comes dangerously close to unraveling. But while troubles abound, rich and surprising rewards lie in store for both of them.
The cover and blurb would make you think otherwise, but this book is not about a dog.
The matter of the dog coming to live with a woman who has just lost her best friend and the relationship they form is actually a very minor aspect of this book. Which, honestly, I was glad to find out. The book has so much more depth to it than a story about a dog.
In reality, the book creates an incredible juxtaposition between a very light style of writing and an extremely weighty subject matter. The book focuses on death, suicide, writing, reflection, and mental health. None of these issues would be easy to tackle alone, by Nunez combines them all and at times the burden of them on the narrator is almost enough to bring the reader to tears.
Prior to picking up this novel I had wondered how it could win the National Book Award for fiction. After reading it, I no longer have any doubts. The author plays with style, narration, and randomness in a way that simply works to create a wonderful piece of writing.
The spoilers below are less spoilers than contemplative questions for other readers, but I don't want to provide advance information if you like to enter the book blind.
When it comes to Apollo (view spoiler)
In regards to the second to last chapter, (view spoiler)
Finally, what do you think happens at the end? (view spoiler)
Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi5 Stars and Favorite
An extraordinary debut novel, Freshwater explores the surreal experience of having a fractured self. It centers around a young Nigerian woman, Ada, who develops separate selves within her as a result of being born "with one foot on the other side." Unsettling, heartwrenching, dark, and powerful, Freshwater is a sharp evocation of a rare way of experiencing the world, one that illuminates how we all construct our identities.
Ada begins her life in the south of Nigeria as a troubled baby and a source of deep concern to her family. Her parents, Saul and Saachi, successfully prayed her into existence, but as she grows into a volatile and splintered child, it becomes clear that something went terribly awry. When Ada comes of age and moves to America for college, the group of selves within her grows in power and agency. A traumatic assault leads to a crystallization of her alternate selves: Asụghara and Saint Vincent. As Ada fades into the background of her own mind and these selves--now protective, now hedonistic--move into control, Ada's life spirals in a dark and dangerous direction.
Narrated by the various selves within Ada and based in the author's realities, Freshwater dazzles with ferocious energy and serpentine grace, heralding the arrival of a fierce new literary voice.
What is the self? How do we define it? Who are we if the self is not singular?
The work being done by authors of Nigerian descent is breathtaking. This debut novel by Emezi promises to continue to draw attention to the novel that can be crafted by incorporating Igbo folklore and tradition with unique narration.
In this novel, in similar form to Obioma's An Orchestra of Minorities the author explores telling the story from the point of view of the spirit within the main character. However, in this story the main character's tale is not told from the perspective of her Chi but rather from the perspective of the multiple spirits which inhabit her body. This fractured self, or more importantly this life of trying to find self leads the narrator down many winding paths that create pain filled self awakening.
As with other Nigerian writers, Akwaeke Emezi creates powerful tropes that are carried through Freshwater. Some of those include blood and the color of blood, the breaking of mirrors, and the python. Their ability to create meaning while being seamlessly being embedded into the plot of the story creates a depth in the novel that is unique.
I was also quite impressed with Emezi's ability to move between narrators. The novel moves between three distinct narrators. While this is not an uncommon form, it is uncommon for the narrators to be as defined as they are in this book. The tone, expressions, word choice, and general nature of writing completely transforms as you move from one narrator to the next. Even without a chapter title the reader would not have difficulty distinguishing between the narrators.
Akwaeke Emezi is a non-binary trans author and there is much that has been said about this novel being based in their own life. While that certainly adds an interesting dimension to reading this book, it is not necessary to appreciate the beauty of this story. The story line is captivating, the writing is beautiful, and the exploration is unique. They are working on their second adult novel while also creating Young Adult novels. I look forward to seeing if their next books are as amazing as this debut.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng3 Stars - Audiobook
Trim the TBR Book #34
338 pages
In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is meticulously planned – from the layout of the winding roads, to the colours of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.
Enter Mia Warren – an enigmatic artist and single mother – who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenage daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than just tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the alluring mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past, and a disregard for the rules that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.
When the Richardsons' friends attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town and puts Mia and Mrs. Richardson on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Mrs. Richardson becomes determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs to her own family – and Mia's.
How do you define family? Is it blood, a sense of belonging? Does it change over time?
This was my first time to read a novel by Celeste Ng. This particular novel had been on my list to read for a while after it was the Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction in 2017. There were certainly parts of the book that were extremely enjoyable, but overall the book was just mediocre.
Ng created a story that I wanted to be captivated by but failed to execute in a way that actually made me emotionally invested in the characters or the story. The characters had huge potential, but I never became emotionally invested in any of them. Bebe Chow was one character I particularly wanted to feel tied to. I wanted her story to be gutwrenching and heartbreaking. However, in the end the story fell flat and actually left me angry with this character.
The only character that did actually draw an emotional response out of me was (view spoiler)
As for the structure of the book, Ng uses a lot of flashbacks to fill in the story. I thought for the most part these were well constructed and effective for giving the story depth. While Ng executed this portion of the structure fairly seamlessly I did not feel the same way regarding the transition between points of view. I felt like the moves from Mia, to Elana, to Pearl, etc. were often clunky and certainly caused me to have to catch back up with how the stories fit together.
Overall, this was not a poorly written book. It has depth, it has interesting characters, the plot is intriguing, and the overall question of the book is excellent. Unfortunately, it failed in the execution of putting all of these wonderful parts together into a truly special book.
The New Negro: The Life of Alain Locke by Jeffrey Stewart4 Stars
944 Pages
January Trim
A tiny, fastidiously dressed man emerged from Black Philadelphia around the turn of the century to mentor a generation of young artists including Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Jacob Lawrence and call them the New Negro -- the creative African Americans whose art, literature, music, and drama would inspire Black people to greatness.
In The New Negro: The Life of Alain Locke, Jeffrey C. Stewart offers the definitive biography of the father of the Harlem Renaissance, based on the extant primary sources of his life and on interviews with those who knew him personally. He narrates the education of Locke, including his becoming the first African American Rhodes Scholar and earning a PhD in philosophy at Harvard University, and his long career as a professor at Howard University. Locke also received a cosmopolitan, aesthetic education through his travels in continental Europe, where he came to appreciate the beauty of art and experienced a freedom unknown to him in the United States. And yet he became most closely associated with the flowering of Black culture in Jazz Age America and his promotion of the literary and artistic work of African Americans as the quintessential creations of American modernism. In the process he looked to Africa to find the proud and beautiful roots of the race. Shifting the discussion of race from politics and economics to the arts, he helped establish the idea that Black urban communities could be crucibles of creativity. Stewart explores both Locke's professional and private life, including his relationships with his mother, his friends, and his white patrons, as well as his lifelong search for love as a gay man.
Stewart's thought-provoking biography recreates the worlds of this illustrious, enigmatic man who, in promoting the cultural heritage of Black people, became -- in the process -- a New Negro himself.
"Locke was a chameleon who changed constantly to adapt to his context, because he feared becoming outdated, irrelevant, forgotten, a kind of living death he feared more than actual death."
First, before I begin the substance of this review let me explain my 4 star rating. The 4 star instead of 5 star rating is purely a reflection of the length of this book. At 944 pages the book is extremely well researched and very well written, but is, in my opinion, entirely too long. It is my opinion that Stewart on multiple occasions could have made the point he was seeking to make in a more succinct manner. The details are fascinating, but just too much in many places.
As to the book and its subject. This is truly an excellent biography of a man that even in literary and arts circles is largely unknown. The quotation above from Stewart describing Locke is quite likely the most accurate description as to why a man with so much influence is so unrecognizable today. He was a man who touched an indescribable and unimaginable amount of people and activities in his life and yet was not fully committed to any one thing or person in such a way as to define a legacy.
There is no way to summarize a book of this length in a short review. However, as just a sampling of the life of Alain Locke this is a African American man who attended Harvard not once but twice receiving a PhD in philosophy, attended Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, traveled countless times to Europe, was involved in the excavation of King Tut's tomb, was a father of the Harlem Renaissance, was a renowned art critic, and the list goes on. The people he was personally involved with both in relationships and as a mentor is impressive as well: Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Zora Neale Hurston, Booker T. Washington, W.E.B Dubois, Ralphe Bunche, etc..
As I was reading this book I could not help but wonder how one man could have all the experiences he did. And yet, he was never able to accomplish a feeling of success or security in his life, either professionally or personally. That is the ultimate idea behind this book for me. Yes, on the outside he was involved in shaping the African American world of the 1920's and 1930's but on the inside he was devoid of all that he desired.
The book is long but it is definitive and well written. If you enjoy well researched biographies this is certainly a book that is well worth the read.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah4 out of 5 Stars
Trim the TBR - May
440 Pages
Alaska, 1974.
Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed.
For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.
Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.
Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if it means following him into the unknown
At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.
But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.
In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska―a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.
This was my second time to venture into the writing of Kristin Hannah. My initial thought is that I am extremely impressed with how much I enjoyed both books despite how different they are. The first book of Hannah's that I read was The Nightingale which is about the French resistance in WWII. I was thoroughly impressed with that piece of writing despite not enjoying WWII literature. The Great Alone is so very different from The Nightingale but against I was impressed by the author's research and the quality of the writing.
After two of Hannah's books, I have found that my favorite thing about her style of writing is the depth and vulnerability of her characters. Even when the antagonist is so very clear and I should be hating him, there were so many times that I found him to be a broken human being that I desired a positive outcome for and a solution for his hurt. Not many authors are capable of creating characters with this depth.
One other thought, coming into this book I had read many reviews that talked about it being too dark. That the abuse pictured was too much. Yes, the book is difficult at times, but in no way did I find it too dark. Domestic abuse is a real life issue in the world we live in and I think Hannah captures all of the pain, fear, and sorrow that goes along with an abusive relationship in such a powerful way. The subject matter of this book should not keep people away from the power of the writing.
Educated by Tara Westover4 Stars
Trim the TBR - April
352 Pages
Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her "head-for-the-hills bag". In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged in her father's junkyard.
Her father forbade hospitals, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara's older brothers became violent.
Then, lacking any formal education, Tara began to educate herself. She taught herself enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University, where she studied history, learning for the first time about important world events like the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she'd traveled too far, if there was still a way home.
Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family loyalty and of the grief that comes with severing the closest of ties. With the acute insight that distinguishes all great writers, Westover has crafted a universal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one's life through new eyes and the will to change it.
The central recurring thought, in my opinion, of this book was that Tara Westover lived a childhood categorized by competing narratives. On one hand her father was an extremist in an already extreme religion, on the other he encouraged her to explore the arts. At the same time that his survivalist mentality made him stockpile goods, he did very little to care for the survival of his own children. While father and son were both incredibly abusive to the women in their lives, their levels of true compassion were also unmatched. A childhood in which Tara received no formal education was also defined by a lifetime of knowledge about people and life.
My favorite aspect in regards to the construction of the memoir was Westover's willingness to admit the fallibility of her memory. In reading other memoirs, such as Michelle Obama's recent memoir, I am left wondering how it can possibly be true that they really have every minute detail correct. Westover freely admits that others have different accounts and hers may be jaded. This made the book so much more honest and therefore impactful.
The one disappointment for me, was not being able to know what Westover has done with her life since finishing her PhD. I wanted to know more about her as a professional and that is very difficult to find.
The Bottom of the Pool by Andy Andrews4 Stars
Audiobook
This is how it’s done. This is why it’s done this way. This is the result you can expect if you do it.
These three pieces of information inform a conclusion about every part of each of our lives. Yet it is these three pieces of information that most often set an insidious trap—a trap that has held the imaginations of generations captive to the belief that because they are doing the best they can do, they are accomplishing the best that can be done. And while each of these three statements are true, not one of them is the truth.
Andy Andrews is one of my favorite authors. I am drawn to his foundational principles regarding not only leadership and business but life. So when I heard he had a new book coming out in June I knew it would not be long before I picked it up. As normal, Andy did not disappoint with this book and left me writing new quotes on my white-board wall at work.
I chose to listen to the audiobook version which Andy reads himself. I was really pleased that I made this choice as Andy is a great speaker and the book feels more like him talking to you than reading a book. I was also pleasantly surprised that when I finished the audiobook there was a brief interview with Andy. This was such an enjoyable thing to listen to and garner from his wisdom.
With all of that said, this is the first Andy Andrews book that I have not given 5 stars. The main reason for that is I had a hard time for the first several chapters figuring out where he was going with the message. It just was not flowing for me in the narrative style that I am used to Andy using. That is not to say that it didn't come together, because it did in quite powerful ways. I just wanted the first 30 minutes or so to flow better than it did.
The ultimate message for me from this book is, "that might be true, but it is not the truth." There are so many applications for this statement and so many places in our lives that we need to dig deeper and find greater meaning. What a challenge this presents in all aspects of our lives.
The Rain Watcher by Tatiana de Rosnay2 Stars
Trim the TBR - June
227 Pages
The Rain Watcher is a powerful family drama set in Paris as the Malegarde family gathers to celebrate the father's 70th birthday. Their hidden fears and secrets are slowly unraveled as the City of Light undergoes a stunning natural disaster. Seen through the eyes of charismatic photographer Linden Malegarde, the youngest son, all members of the family will have to fight to keep their unity against tragic circumstances.
I do not remember how this book ended up on my to-be-read shelf, but today I regret that it ever did. This book had potential, but was an utter failure and one of, if not the worst book I will read this year. I see all of the glamorous reviews, but the book as a whole was just a failure for me.
So why give it two stars instead of 1? The story did have several really interesting story lines. (view spoiler) Any one of them could have made for a great novel, but instead they were smashed together with none of them being developed entirely. I could never figure out how any of the main story lines fit together in the grand scheme of things. And none of this is including the minor story lines that get no resolution at all. These make the novel even more difficult to stomach.
Overall, the book just failed to deliver. It lacked development of the plot, the characters, and the overall voice of the novel. Very disappointing read.
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite3 Stars
When Korede's dinner is interrupted one night by a distress call from her sister, Ayoola, she knows what's expected of her: bleach, rubber gloves, nerves of steel and a strong stomach. This'll be the third boyfriend Ayoola's dispatched in, quote, self-defence and the third mess that her lethal little sibling has left Korede to clear away. She should probably go to the police for the good of the menfolk of Nigeria, but she loves her sister and, as they say, family always comes first. Until, that is, Ayoola starts dating the doctor where Korede works as a nurse. Korede's long been in love with him, and isn't prepared to see him wind up with a knife in his back: but to save one would mean sacrificing the other...
The combination of this novel being included on the Booker Prize longlist and it being by a Nigerian author left me with extremely high hopes. The writing seemed simplistic from appearances, but I had hoped the complexity of the characters or the plot would make up for the stylistic weaknesses. However, in reality the book was just average.
That is not to say it was not a fun murder mystery story. I enjoyed the interaction between the characters, I liked the story line, but it wasn't that different from reading any mass published mystery author today. It lacked any wow factor in the beauty of the language, the depth of the characters, or the complexity of the story.
While the book was fun to read, I never could get a grasp on why the judges chose to longlist it for the Women's Prize for Fiction or the Booker Prize. Maybe I am missing something, but for me the novel was just a mediocre read.
Lost Children ArchiveAudiobook
5 Stars and Favorite
A mother and father set out with their kids from New York to Arizona. In their used Volvo--and with their ten-year-old son trying out his new Polaroid camera--the family is heading for the Apacheria: the region the Apaches once called home, and where the ghosts of Geronimo and Cochise might still linger. The father, a sound documentarist, hopes to gather an "inventory of echoes" from this historic, mythic place. The mother, a radio journalist, becomes consumed by the news she hears on the car radio, about the thousands of children trying to reach America but getting stranded at the southern border, held in detention centers, or being sent back to their homelands, to an unknown fate.
But as the family drives farther west--through Virginia to Tennessee, across Oklahoma and Texas--we sense they are on the brink of a crisis of their own. A fissure is growing between the parents, one the children can feel beneath their feet. They are led, inexorably, to a grand, unforgettable adventure--both in the harsh desert landscape and within the chambers of their own imaginations.
Told through the voices of the mother and her son, as well as through a stunning tapestry of collected texts and images--including prior stories of migration and displacement--Lost Children Archive is a story of how we document our experiences, and how we remember the things that matter to us the most. Blending the personal and the political with astonishing empathy, it is a powerful, wholly original work of fiction: exquisite, provocative, and deeply moving.
This is a truly brilliant book. It is masterfully crafted, exquisite use of language and sentence construction, and enticing plot with lasting ramifications. One of the best books I have read in the last several years. The book has been longlisted for the Booker Prize and if it does not win it will be a travesty.
I chose to listen to this book in audio version and I cannot imagine not doing so. While the book is an incredible piece of art, the audio production, and it is a production, makes the book that much more powerful. The author reading as the mother was really well done, but the sound effects used for the times things were played off the recorder, and the blending of voices towards the end of the book were beautiful.
I was completely impressed too by the fact that this is the author's first book to be written in English. Her mastery of the language and the beauty she creates does not correspond to this being her first book written in the language. Such an incredible accomplishment for this author.
The rest of this review contains spoilers.
(view spoiler)
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah4 Stars
TRIM - #3 - September
304 Pages
The compelling, inspiring, and comically sublime New York Times bestseller about one man’s coming-of-age, set during the twilight of apartheid and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed.
Trevor Noah’s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents’ indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa’s tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle.
This is a book that had been on my list for a while, and when I had a chance to listen to it on audio I jumped at the chance. I listen to audiobooks on a regular basis, and as such, there are times I regret listening to the audio version as the book loses some of the beauty. Then the are times like this one where I am extremely glad that I chose to listen to the audio version because so much is added to the book. Trevor Noah is the reader of his own book and because of that you get all of his comedic performance. The impressions that Noah does of the different characters that come in and out of his life were a truly great bonus to listening to this book.
In listening to this book I was again reminded of how our perspective as Americans is so skewed. Certainly, in some areas were fool ourselves into thinking we are so much bigger and better. But likewise, as Americans we think the mistakes we make are unique and are uniquely awful. This is true with slavery and racism. Americans often think slavery is a uniquely American problem and that racism was far worse here than anyone else could have done. Listening to Noah's life in post-apartheid South Africa was a stark reminder of just how bad racism can be.
I was struck throughout this book by the thought that anyone, with assistance, can overcome their circumstances no matter how bad they are. Noah even points this out. That assistance is not a handout, it is often just a tool that is missing in order to allow someone to overcome. We that can provide that assistance need to keep that in mind. Providing little acts of service, such as donating books, can often provide others with the tools they need to overcome what appear to be insurmountable circumstances.
Overall, I really enjoyed the mixture of humor, insight, and learning that this book brought to me.
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead5 Stars
Audio
Colson Whitehead brilliantly dramatizes another strand of American history through the story of two boys sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida.
As the Civil Rights movement begins to reach the black enclave of Frenchtown in segregated Tallahassee, Elwood Curtis takes the words of Dr. Martin Luther King to heart: He is "as good as anyone." Abandoned by his parents, but kept on the straight and narrow by his grandmother, Elwood is about to enroll in the local black college. But for a black boy in the Jim Crow South in the early 1960s, one innocent mistake is enough to destroy the future. Elwood is sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called The Nickel Academy, whose mission statement says it provides "physical, intellectual and moral training" so the delinquent boys in their charge can become "honorable and honest men."
In reality, The Nickel Academy is a grotesque chamber of horrors, where the sadistic staff beats and sexually abuses the students, corrupt officials and locals steal food and supplies, and any boy who resists is likely to disappear "out back." Stunned to find himself in such a vicious environment, Elwood tries to hold on to Dr. King's ringing assertion "Throw us in jail and we will still love you." His friend Turner thinks Elwood is worse than naive, that the world is crooked and the only way to survive is to scheme and avoid trouble.
Often times, the scariest things are those that are based in reality. When we are reminded what humans are able to do to each other and live with themselves afterwards we are left disturbed and cringing about where we could end up in the future. The old saying goes that those that do not know history are doomed to repeat it. But there is also truth that those that do know history, are fearful of how it will not be repeated but made worse.
Colson Whitehead deserves tremendous credit for not only writing an incredibly fascinating book of historical fiction about a terrible time in our history, but for also creating a beautiful work of literary fiction. I enjoyed greatly the fact that the story was somewhat disjointed and did not require a complete or cohesive narrative to tell the story. I found this to be not only effective but added to the realistic nature of the book.
I very much understand why this made the Fiction Longlist for the National Book Award in 2019. It is deserving of this place and of widespread readership.
The Outsider by Stephen King5 Stars - 560 pages
An unspeakable crime. A confounding investigation. At a time when the King brand has never been stronger, he has delivered one of his most unsettling and compulsively readable stories.
An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is found in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens. He is Terry Maitland, Little League coach, English teacher, husband, and father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. Maitland has an alibi, but Anderson and the district attorney soon add DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. Their case seems ironclad.
As with most Stephen King books, this book was extremely enjoyable as it is fast-paced in nature with great characters and an intriguing story line. King is one of the masters of our time, in particular in creating characters that develop as the story moves forward and are utterly relatable. Reading King's novels is equivalent to taking a master class on human emotion and how destructive or redeeming it can be.
A secondary, but none the less enjoyable, aspect of this novel was how well it was written as a crime story. Most of the things King writes work on human interest and horror, but fall short to some degree on the crime novel side. I did not feel this was the case with this book. In my opinion, the way King set forth the crime aspect of the novel was as good as any crime writer and was intriguing throughout the course of the book.
However, neither of the items mentioned above were the greatest quality of this book. In the story we are presented with the legend of (view spoiler)
Overall, I was reminded once again how much I truly enjoy reading the works of Stephen King.
The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish1 terrible star
Trim Book #28 for November
From stand-up comedian, actress, and breakout star of Girls Trip, Tiffany Haddish, comes The Last Black Unicorn, a sidesplitting, hysterical, edgy, and unflinching collection of (extremely) personal essays, as fearless as the author herself.
Growing up in one of the poorest neighborhoods of South Central Los Angeles, Tiffany learned to survive by making people laugh. If she could do that, then her classmates would let her copy their homework, the other foster kids she lived with wouldn’t beat her up, and she might even get a boyfriend. Or at least she could make enough money—as the paid school mascot and in-demand Bar Mitzvah hype woman—to get her hair and nails done, so then she might get a boyfriend.
None of that worked (and she’s still single), but it allowed Tiffany to imagine a place for herself where she could do something she loved for a living: comedy.
The Last Black Unicorn is a perfect example of the fact that no reader should believe the press regarding a book. The little snippet makes this book sound amazing, but in reality it is easily the worst book I have read this year and one of the worst I have read in many years.
The book has no thread lacing it together, the language is beyond vulgar, and sadly, there is no redeeming value. I am honestly surprised any one was willing to put their name on this book as a ghost writer.
I do not put books down once I start them. So I finished this book, but I finished it as fast as I could because that was the best way to just be done with this book.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood3 Stars
Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now . . .
After finishing this novel and reflecting on how I was overall very disappointed in the work, I am not sure if that disappointment is a result of how hyped the book has remained or if it really fell short in execution. Either way, I found the novel to overall be boring and a general disappointment. I am glad I finished it and have now read this modern classic, but it did not leave me with an overwhelming desire to read more of Atwood's work.
To be fair, aspects of the novel that were intentional in my opinion were also distracting from the execution of the novel. The scarcity of details and the disjointed flow were needed for these to be (view spoiler) but they also made the novel lose some of its authenticity.
Overall, while I am glad I read this novel, I had original intended to read it for the purpose of moving on and reading The Testaments. However, at this point I am not sure that will be happening.
Where the Dead Sit Talking by Brandon Hobson3 Stars
Trim - December
Set in rural Oklahoma during the late 1980s, Where the Dead Sit Talking is a startling, authentically voiced and lyrically written Native American coming-of-age story.
With his single mother in jail, Sequoyah, a fifteen-year-old Cherokee boy, is placed in foster care. Literally and figuratively scarred by his mother’s years of substance abuse, Sequoyah keeps mostly to himself, living with his emotions pressed deep below the surface. At least until he meets seventeen-year-old Rosemary, a troubled artist who also lives with the family.
Sequoyah and Rosemary bond over their shared Native American background and tumultuous paths through the foster care system, but as Sequoyah’s feelings toward Rosemary deepen, the precariousness of their lives and the scars of their pasts threaten to undo them both.
I had really looked forward to this book as it had been on my list for almost a year when I picked it up. However, in reality the book failed in large part to live up to expectations and was just a moderate read for me to finish this year.
The book is billed as a Native American coming-of-age story, but for me it lacked any real sense of being connected to a Native American life. In fact, it truly did not have a plot or a purpose but was rather a meandering tale of despair.
Trying to construct a review of this book has been extremely difficult. I cannot seem to get my mind wrapped around how I feel. In some ways the book feels completely pointless but in other ways the book was insightful even if not necessarily enjoyable.
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
A Gentleman in Moscow (other topics)The Hate U Give (other topics)
Circe (other topics)
Women of the Silk (other topics)
2. Read the IRL Book Club Selections
3. PBT Tag of the Month (At least 6 months)
4. Trim the TBR
5. Expand our PBT Horizons (At least 6 months)
6. Continue Harry Bosch Universe
7. Read Man Book Eligible Books (At least 3 books)