Books and other stuff I feel like discussing
By education and experience - Accountant with a specialty in taxation. Formerly a CPA (license has lapsed). Masters degree in law of taxation from University of Denver. Now retired. Part time work during baseball season as receptionist & switchboard operator for the Colorado Rockies. This gig feeds my soul in ways I have trouble articulating. One daughter, and four grandchildren. I share the house with two cats; a big goof of a cat called Grinch (named as a joke for his easy going "whatever" disposition); and Lady, a shelter adoptee with a regal bearing and sweet little soprano voice. I would be very bereft if it ever becomes necessary to keep house without a cat.
Mood:
Advisory
Read/Post Comments (1)
Best of 2008
Time for a review of reading accomplished in 2008. The year was interrupted more than once by demands on my time and energy which interfered with reading, but I still discovered several gems.
DOWN INTO DARKNESS David Lawrence
Lawrence's protagonist Stella Mooney - a London cop with a personal life in disarray and multiple nightmarish memories - is nevertheless an excellent cop and leader of the other officers working with her. In this entry in the series, a violent video game and the frightened reactions of two young children provide the clues to finding a vicious killer.
OUT STEALING HORSES Per Petterson
An elderly Norwegian man remembers his experiences during WWII, and his fragmented understanding of his parents' actions during the occupation by the Nazis. Petterson's book has been translated from Norwegian - in what seems to me to be an extremely skillful translation.
SIGHT HOUND Pam Houston
Told in multiple voices, Houston's book portrays the life of a woman looking for stability and love. Narrators include her lovers, her friends, her neighbors, her dogs, and even a cat. Although this sounds kind of "cutsey poo", Houston pulls it off without resorting to saccharine stereotype.
LUSH LIFE Richard Price
A chance encounter on New York's lower east side results in a murder. Cops investigate, but in realistic fashion, almost nothing is clear both at the outset and as the investigation continues. At the heart of the story are two fathers, and the comparison between the two men and their reactions to the events provide a deeply poignant heart of the tale.
PRINCE OF FROGTOWN Rick Bragg
Bragg completes the trilogy of memoirs he began about 10 years ago with ALL OVER BUT THE SHOUTING. In the previous two books, Bragg's father has been a peripheal character and in his conclusion he finally writes about him. Not all the memories are bitter ones, Bragg does his best to be fair. Yet in summary, there are some things Bragg cannot forgive.
THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE David Wroblewski
A debut novel which got a LOT of buzz, including a pick for Oprah's book club. The story of Hamlet, set on a dog training farm in Wisconsin. The author was in my neighborhood in late November, and I planned to ask him about creating a backstory for Hamlet and Ophelia - but wasn't able to make the event.
THE TURNAROUND George Pelecanos
Pelecanos is usually described as a mystery writer, but I find his books not that easily classified. THE TURNAROUND is full of questions, yet what crime there is is dealt with fairly early on. As they grow into their full maturity, several men who were involved in an ugly incident in their youth come to terms with their memories. They find a way to "turn around" the paths their lives have taken.
WHEN WILL THERE BE GOOD NEWS? Kate Atkinson
Atkinson is another writer often classified as working in the mystery genre, and another not that easily pigeonholed. While Jackson Brodie returns as a continuing character, center stage belongs to a young orphaned girl, working as a nanny, and searching for the smallest leg up into a more stable life. Interlocking accidents, encounters, and semi-tragic events create a rich backdrop for Atkinson's tale.
That's it for 2009.
After quite a bit of reflection, I'm not revising my "best of overall" list. It remains as follows:
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHTTIME - Mark Haddon
A TALE OF LOVE AND DARKNESS - Amos Oz
PLAINSONG - Kent Haruf
BREAKING CLEAN - Judy Blunt
THE NAMESAKE - Jhumpa Lahiri
THE LOST, A SEARCH FOR SIX OF SIX MILLION - Daniel Mendelsohn.
Happy New Year everyone!
DOWN INTO DARKNESS David Lawrence
Lawrence's protagonist Stella Mooney - a London cop with a personal life in disarray and multiple nightmarish memories - is nevertheless an excellent cop and leader of the other officers working with her. In this entry in the series, a violent video game and the frightened reactions of two young children provide the clues to finding a vicious killer.
OUT STEALING HORSES Per Petterson
An elderly Norwegian man remembers his experiences during WWII, and his fragmented understanding of his parents' actions during the occupation by the Nazis. Petterson's book has been translated from Norwegian - in what seems to me to be an extremely skillful translation.
SIGHT HOUND Pam Houston
Told in multiple voices, Houston's book portrays the life of a woman looking for stability and love. Narrators include her lovers, her friends, her neighbors, her dogs, and even a cat. Although this sounds kind of "cutsey poo", Houston pulls it off without resorting to saccharine stereotype.
LUSH LIFE Richard Price
A chance encounter on New York's lower east side results in a murder. Cops investigate, but in realistic fashion, almost nothing is clear both at the outset and as the investigation continues. At the heart of the story are two fathers, and the comparison between the two men and their reactions to the events provide a deeply poignant heart of the tale.
PRINCE OF FROGTOWN Rick Bragg
Bragg completes the trilogy of memoirs he began about 10 years ago with ALL OVER BUT THE SHOUTING. In the previous two books, Bragg's father has been a peripheal character and in his conclusion he finally writes about him. Not all the memories are bitter ones, Bragg does his best to be fair. Yet in summary, there are some things Bragg cannot forgive.
THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE David Wroblewski
A debut novel which got a LOT of buzz, including a pick for Oprah's book club. The story of Hamlet, set on a dog training farm in Wisconsin. The author was in my neighborhood in late November, and I planned to ask him about creating a backstory for Hamlet and Ophelia - but wasn't able to make the event.
THE TURNAROUND George Pelecanos
Pelecanos is usually described as a mystery writer, but I find his books not that easily classified. THE TURNAROUND is full of questions, yet what crime there is is dealt with fairly early on. As they grow into their full maturity, several men who were involved in an ugly incident in their youth come to terms with their memories. They find a way to "turn around" the paths their lives have taken.
WHEN WILL THERE BE GOOD NEWS? Kate Atkinson
Atkinson is another writer often classified as working in the mystery genre, and another not that easily pigeonholed. While Jackson Brodie returns as a continuing character, center stage belongs to a young orphaned girl, working as a nanny, and searching for the smallest leg up into a more stable life. Interlocking accidents, encounters, and semi-tragic events create a rich backdrop for Atkinson's tale.
That's it for 2009.
After quite a bit of reflection, I'm not revising my "best of overall" list. It remains as follows:
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHTTIME - Mark Haddon
A TALE OF LOVE AND DARKNESS - Amos Oz
PLAINSONG - Kent Haruf
BREAKING CLEAN - Judy Blunt
THE NAMESAKE - Jhumpa Lahiri
THE LOST, A SEARCH FOR SIX OF SIX MILLION - Daniel Mendelsohn.
Happy New Year everyone!
Read/Post Comments (1)
Previous Entry :: Next Entry
Back to Top
