**spoiler alert** W.T.F. was that? Apparently this was written about 30 years ago &, wow, times have changed. What a completely offensive "reveal". Pr**spoiler alert** W.T.F. was that? Apparently this was written about 30 years ago &, wow, times have changed. What a completely offensive "reveal". Pretending to be disabled for what reason? Insurance money is mentioned but that doesn't seem to be the protagonist's motivation. Whatever his motivation, it remained unclear to me. What a loathsome character, all throughout really. Horrible to people in his life, self-centered to the point that when in his 50s, he thinks it will be ____ (fun? interesting? a joke? ???) to convincingly pretend to be paraplegic for the remainder of his life. Whatever the point of this book is was beyond me. Gross all the way around. Disliked it, then hated it. Avoid this one for sure. Run away....more
Hmm. This collection of writing is not so much weird as unusual & feels almost like an anti-story or something told by what is not said. Or perhaps itHmm. This collection of writing is not so much weird as unusual & feels almost like an anti-story or something told by what is not said. Or perhaps it is really highlighting what is said by the white space/margins.
The best explanation I can think of is if you are familiar with logic puzzles: some statements give positive info (Jim is the oldest sibling) while others give negative info (the person who likes broccoli did not go to the farmer's market) or info by omission. It's like the short stories or chapters in this book are written like the negative clues in a logic puzzle. So you're not told about anything but the lack of it also tells you something.
I do wonder if Wolf's life "behind the wall" (he moved out of East Germany into West Germany when he was age 31) contributes to his method of saying things without saying them.
The longer "story" at the end did seem more like an actual story with some actual events.
I appreciated it as an interesting writing/thought exercise more than I loved or enjoyed it.
It's an interesting "first contact" book. I really enjoyed the analysis of humans & how they react & adapt in the face of events & aftereffects that pIt's an interesting "first contact" book. I really enjoyed the analysis of humans & how they react & adapt in the face of events & aftereffects that probably weren't previously imagined. I found it very satisfying as a book. ...more
The first time I read W. Somerset Maugham, I remarked about what a keen observer of people he is. And how the book was filled with his warm, wonderfulThe first time I read W. Somerset Maugham, I remarked about what a keen observer of people he is. And how the book was filled with his warm, wonderful observations of people. Maybe it's a bit of an odd parallel to make (seeing as how the book topics are wildly different & I'm pretty sure Maugham never wrote about investigating unicorns or Joan of Arc's reincarnated executioner), but I feel the same way about Rosson as an author. I do love Rosson's books & feel that one of his biggest strengths is the beauty & depth of his observations of his characters. He too is a keen observer of people....more
Not quite sure what I thought of this one. There are some brilliant bits & the fragmentation works well for the topic. Until it just felt... fragmenteNot quite sure what I thought of this one. There are some brilliant bits & the fragmentation works well for the topic. Until it just felt... fragmented, being inside a cracking mind. Depressing & stressful too....more
A senseless & brutal murder is explored before/during/after & the various factors that were or may have been involved. I read the book quickly but felA senseless & brutal murder is explored before/during/after & the various factors that were or may have been involved. I read the book quickly but felt it would have been stronger had it been shortened a bit. It has been compared to In Cold Blood but I feel like the writing was too choppy by comparison. Still, it factored in news coverage & social media in the telling, making it reflective of our world.
Ruben's review states, "One minor point of criticism is that I would have liked more assessment of the role of drugs, alcohol and sleep deprivation as contributing to the crime." & I agree.
My heart breaks for Luca Varani, his family, & his friends. And for the others affected by this horrible murder.
"Crimes of this type, in which the accomplices hadn't known each other for long, almost all followed the same outline. Not three, not five, not eight. Two was the recurring number. A dominator and a dominated. A manipulated and a manipulator, even if the roles were often interchangeable. It was a matter of individuals who, on their own, were unlikely to have committed the crime for which they ended up in jail almost without realizing it. We weren't dealing with serial killers. In theory, they were normal people."
At times, it felt almost absurdist (& yet some of those elements were based on historical record). Because of that I veeWhat a weird & wonderful book.
At times, it felt almost absurdist (& yet some of those elements were based on historical record). Because of that I veered quite close to feeling annoyed a few times & then the story would move in a different direction & I remained entranced. Slightly aggravating, but always strange & funny.
I feel like it perfectly encapsulated the sometimes completely unfathomable worlds of poetry, religion, relics, road trips, faith, fervor, carnality, crudeness, love, & language in all their unique & overlapping, undulating ways. (And in their non-overlapping ways too.)
I had a smile on my face as I finished the book....more
This book doesn't have all of the transcripts (but there is a list of witnesses at the back of the book & it marks which testimony is included in thisThis book doesn't have all of the transcripts (but there is a list of witnesses at the back of the book & it marks which testimony is included in this volume) but still is a hefty volume at 500+ pages. (At least the type is large-ish.)
I found it fascinating reading.
Kudos to US Senator William Alden Smith for instigating the hearings almost as soon as the survivors arrived in the US. The outcome of the investigation led to many findings that resulted in safer maritime practices that are still in use today. As anyone who has been on a cruise ship will know, you muster at your assigned lifeboat with your life jacket on. This was just one of the safety practices enacted after the Titanic tragedy.
Also, under the heading of "nothing new under the sun", part of the testimony revolved around the Marconi wireless operators on the ship being paid for giving their stories exclusively to the New York Times & the ethics of that jockeying to sell their stories for monetary reward.
I have to add the captain of the Carpathia, Arthur Rostron, was a true hero, the right person in an emergency. Tragically, the captain of the Californian, Stanley Lord, did not render aid in a timely manner even though his was the ship closest to the Titanic when it sank; it is thought that if he had, many more from the Titanic would have survived.
Fascinating to read the first-person testimony of survivors & experts. Recommended for non-fiction fans even if you're not a Titanic junkie. ...more
As usual I knew nothing about the book prior to reading. It was a small, appealing book with neat cover art and I read the first couple of pages in thAs usual I knew nothing about the book prior to reading. It was a small, appealing book with neat cover art and I read the first couple of pages in the bookstore, then bought the book.
And, apparently, the book was written in conjunction or response to an art exhibit by Lea Guldditte Hestelund. Which is interesting that I loved this book & the tie-in to an art installation, which is similar in provenance to Valeria Luiselli's The Story of My Teeth (one of my favorite books). I didn't read the book while looking at the art installation photos, but I may make another quick read while viewing the art at the same time. Or not. It's interesting in retrospect to ponder some of the art vs. what I pictured from what was written in the book.
As with most sci-fi I read (which is rare), it reminds me that I need to not take Earth for granted & need to get out and feel the sun & breeze, touch the trees, smell the flowers, & so on....more
While I am not a captain, I am the daughter of a captain. This book spoke to a little piece of my soul. Lovely on multiple levels. What a great way toWhile I am not a captain, I am the daughter of a captain. This book spoke to a little piece of my soul. Lovely on multiple levels. What a great way to finish out Women in Translation Month....more
While it may feel light & easy to read, it's really anything but. There's bite underneath (as there should be). Bravo!While it may feel light & easy to read, it's really anything but. There's bite underneath (as there should be). Bravo!...more
I think this is the weirdest book I've read. It felt like having synesthesia while trapped in a moving Dalí scene while boating through the streets anI think this is the weirdest book I've read. It felt like having synesthesia while trapped in a moving Dalí scene while boating through the streets and buildings of Paris while a baboon provided commentary by repeating Ha Ha, with a different meaning for each repeated utterance. Alice in Wonderland seems positively pedestrian in comparison. Definitely a unique reading experience....more
I'm not quite sure how it came across my radar. As usual, I didn't know anything about it prior to reading other than the title & the nomination.
And, I'm not quite sure how it came across my radar. As usual, I didn't know anything about it prior to reading other than the title & the nomination.
And, it was... ok. I guess. I don't know really what I expected, exactly, but it wasn't this. Well, I do know that I expected something different. It wasn't. I kept reading (past one incidence involving an animal where I decided to skip a couple of pages), thinking *something different* would happen. But, no, it really didn't. It seemed pretty straightforward.
Otoh, it did give a clear (& depressing) picture of life lived as a tenant crofter on Scottish land in the late 1800s &, later in the book, the new-ish field of criminal psychology. Sure, you can spend time discussing/arguing the merits of what is termed "criminally insane" or "morally insane" vs. sane but I didn't feel like it had any real surprises. (I have read other books set in a similar time frame with the burgeoning field of criminal/psychological examination/investigation so maybe that's why it seemed a bit ho-hum to me?) I did learn a lot through the historical fiction lens but that's most of what I can say about the story overall.
Honestly, I am surprised that this was nominated for the Man Booker AND that it made it to the shortlist. (To be fair, I didn't read any of the other nominees from the 2016 list.) To me, it was entirely mediocre, neither better nor worse than that. A grudging 3 stars from me. ...more
I'm not the most seasoned mystery reader. I liked the detective team characters but found the ending fairly far-fetched. I'm not the most seasoned mystery reader. I liked the detective team characters but found the ending fairly far-fetched. ...more
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