The plight of the African woman is analyzed through the lives of Esi and her friend Opukuyo, two African women in Ghana who handle their respective siThe plight of the African woman is analyzed through the lives of Esi and her friend Opukuyo, two African women in Ghana who handle their respective situations of life, husbands, family and careers with two different approaches. Their struggle for independence, for a voice within their families, for respect at work is clearly developed here. African men hold on to their old ways of dominance even in light of educated, hard working women and modern conveniences. The other aspect of life that these women must contend with, are the never-ending opinions of their relatives, mothers, sisters, grandparents, daughters -- all have a say in the lives of the women.
All in all quite an enjoyable read. Thanks bartonz! ...more
A gritty tale of two Communist party members who incite strikes in underpaid, poorly treated migrant workers. They show up in the Targus Valley, an apA gritty tale of two Communist party members who incite strikes in underpaid, poorly treated migrant workers. They show up in the Targus Valley, an apple growers valley, owned by a handful of landowners. Migrants there were told that they'd be paid one amount, when they arrived they were told that amount would be substantially reduced. Bait and switch at its best.
The book is very different from some of his other works in that the narrative plays out mostly through dialog. While the events are noteworthy, historical and relevant, sadly, to 2012 labor issues, it was not my favorite Steinbeck....more
I'm still scratching my head over this book. It must be the first time since high school that I read a book, finish it, and look back and go, huh? I dI'm still scratching my head over this book. It must be the first time since high school that I read a book, finish it, and look back and go, huh? I didn't understand it, wasn't blown away by the writing, and even though I tried really hard to find the beauty in his writing, I couldn't. No memorable quotes or passages that I found, hard to follow, I had no idea what happened from chapter to chapter until at the end he somewhat wrapped things up in a very odd way.
I almost felt like the chapters were written at different times, some were linear and some were downright erratic; at certain points, I thought he was developing character and this would go somewhere, and in other chapters it seemed as though bits were left out or someone altogether different had done the writing.
In the end, I'm quite disappointed because I really did want to enjoy this book....more
“For God, religions are nothing, signify nothing…Let us do good. Let us love. This is the only religion.”
I just finished this Viva La Santa de Cabora
“For God, religions are nothing, signify nothing…Let us do good. Let us love. This is the only religion.”
I just finished this gem of a book and I can’t thank Wingedman (from Bookcrossing) enough for sending it to me, because I had not heard of it and now it is sure to be one of my favorites of the year. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the background information, the history and the story itself and read and reread many of the passages just for the beauty of the language. I wish I had had a Huila in my life and would have loved to have met Teresita and the rest of the group. Loreto reminded me of a close relative.
This is a complicated story, based on the lives of ancestors of the author, researched and written over a span of twenty years, yet novelized. It reminded me very much of the works of Isabel Allende and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and if you have enjoyed their books, this one will also become a favorite, for sure. It’s the story of Teresita, a young girl, given up by her 15 year old mother and handed eventually to a “curandera” Huile, the midwife, the medicine woman, of Don Tomas Urrea. Teresita shows the signs of divine power and is groomed towards serving others. As an half indian, she is very much in tune with the plight of the Mexican Indian, but she also realizes that she is of much lighter skin than they are and, therefore, probably half white. Through her dreams, her spirituality, her connection to her body Teresita heals – and she doesn’t seek this out, it just is. Her powers, in turn, turn the surrounding villages upside down as so many of the poor, the sick and miserable seek her curative powers. This in turn ruffles the feathers of organized religious as well as the state, who views her as a threat.
The lyrical prose allows you to travel back in time to 19th Century Mexico, to gently and subtly participate in the lives of these characters and become involved both with the revolt and with the daily affairs that take place under the silent watch of the plum tree in the courtyard. Religion and religiousness are treated in a very special way, not often seen in works of historical fiction which take place in a Catholic country. Her message, one of love, will resonate with believers and non-believers for many years to come.
One question I have. I am totally bilingual English-Spanish, the languages are equal to me. As I read, there were many bits in Spanish with no translation and I wonder how those of you who don’t read Spanish got through this? Did you ignore it or try to translate it, or could you get the gist of it from the context? While it was no problem for me and I noticed that in the other JEs no one mentioned it, I do wonder if it bothered anyone.
Wingedman, again many thanks for the RABCK. I will look for someone else who might really enjoy this type of book and send it along shortly....more
After 100 or so pages, I had to put this one down. It wasn't what i thought and I have too many other books I'd rather be reading. After 100 or so pages, I had to put this one down. It wasn't what i thought and I have too many other books I'd rather be reading. ...more
This short novella was an interesting read, especially so because I had already read Suite Francaise and enjoyed it so much. However, I don't think itThis short novella was an interesting read, especially so because I had already read Suite Francaise and enjoyed it so much. However, I don't think it was nearly as good or compelling, and I think that it was only half formulated in the author's head. It seemed that, in places, she formulated scattered thoughts, meant to be expanded upon, perhaps researched and tweaked - but never finished, of course, as she was hauled off to Auschwitz to her death...more
Quite an interesting book about the preservation of a gorgeously illustrated Haggadah; th story follows the path of the book back in time, following cQuite an interesting book about the preservation of a gorgeously illustrated Haggadah; th story follows the path of the book back in time, following clues uncovered by Hannah, the book's conservator. As the book travels through Europe, it is rescued miraculously from banishment and we meet those who treasured it, who wanted it banned and who rescued it. Each period of history is very cleverly explained, the war in Sarajevo, WWII, the Inquisition, etc, are all covered in separate chapters, and bringing them all together is Hannah who traces the history of the book through minute items found in it, the wing of an insect, a bit of stain of saltwater, a hair. The weakness of the book, is the choppiness of the chapters. Right when you "get" the names and place in time of the chapter, it's over and on to the next time period. Hannah and her relationships with her mother and her lover also lacked a bit in depth.
I just finished this insightful, poignant book. I stayed up way too late last night to finish it and then just had to go online to read more about theI just finished this insightful, poignant book. I stayed up way too late last night to finish it and then just had to go online to read more about the author. This is the university professor who, after receiving the news that he would lose his battle with pancreatic cancer within months, went on to give one last lecture to a packed audience. I remember seeing clips on TV and being impressed, the book blew me away.
In the book, Randy tells his life story, heavily sprinkled with bits of wisdom gained from his parents, his childhood dreams and aspirations, his love of Jai, his wife, and his three kidsm his tricks of the trade for teaching the students he clearly cared for and his "head fakes." The book is mainly written with his 3 children in mind, to leave a legacy of their father's values to them.
I won't be passing this on quite yet, as I think I am going to hold on to it for a while, reread it and this time take some notes. It's the kind of book that will resonate with you long after you've finished it and will make you think about what is really important about the finite amount of time we have on earth and what we do with it.
Thanks so much shemchin, once again, for the wonderful RABCK!...more
This book has been waiting patiently on my bookshelf since January! I signed up for the Reduce Mt. TBR and I promised to read 45 books already on my MThis book has been waiting patiently on my bookshelf since January! I signed up for the Reduce Mt. TBR and I promised to read 45 books already on my Mt. TBR as of Dec 31, 2008 (this one just missed my deadline). As soon as I completed the challenge, I picked up this gem of a book and read it slowly, savoring the characters and the amazing descriptions. As I read it, I realized the target audience was young adult, and I felt that this book was an excellent introduction to a younger audience, far more removed from that time than I, to the horrors experienced in one small town, but one young girl and her friends. The book's narrator is death, and he's a nice fellow, out to carry souls away from the perils of this inhumane earth.
The book kept things in proportion, didn't go into extensive explanations of the history behind the war - it just told the story of Liesel and her adopted family, the neighbors on her street, and the immediate people in her life.
Liesel, who arrives at the home of her new family quite illiterate, but with a stolen book in her hands, falls in love with the written word. Books and words help her cope with the chaos of her surrounding world. Quite powerful! ...more
Loading...
