I see that I learned how to love my friends in part under the tutelage of My Antonia. I was obsessed with this novel in high school, introduced to me I see that I learned how to love my friends in part under the tutelage of My Antonia. I was obsessed with this novel in high school, introduced to me by a favorite teacher. Discovered then that I dig a prairie pastoral. Re-reading / listening, it was revealed that Willa Cather’s novel has been woven into my life; I’ve had many Antonia’s, could name them easily —especially those I’ve lost. Cather’s brand of feminism and self-actualization deeply influenced mine....more
I heard author Charles Yu on a panel during the National Antiracist Book Festival hosted at BU (see my sHuh.
Weeeeell.
Four stars for creative approach!
I heard author Charles Yu on a panel during the National Antiracist Book Festival hosted at BU (see my sketch of Mr. Yu! https://at.tumblr.com/phodoodle/confe...) and was intrigued by how he described this novel as composed in the form of a script. That it is. Intriguing, and also confusing since conventional scripts, at least the ones I've read, give a lot of scene and staging detail and this particular script served as both story and meta story. I did appreciate / pick up with Yu was putting down in terms of how Chinese (and other Asian) Americans are left out of the story of Black and White in the US. It's an annoyance (and aggravation) I consider often.
The main character, You / Willis, pretty much has zero cultural awareness and maybe complete system blindness --which felt intentional. Other characters shifted between actual selves / named people and stock Asian characters --also obviously intentional. Was this approach effective? I . . . think . . . so? I got lost a bunch of times, and put the book down a few times wondering if I felt like picking it back up. Eventually, I did. Overall, I'm glad I powered through --there are many great one-liners that felt gratifying to read. Not sure I learned anything new, but that's ok. The final line though: ?????
Read in college on a friend’s insistence. Didn’t enjoy it per se, but I got the point. I remain a fan of Margaret Atwood even though I’ve never read aRead in college on a friend’s insistence. Didn’t enjoy it per se, but I got the point. I remain a fan of Margaret Atwood even though I’ve never read any more of her work outside of a few poems....more
Whatever problems this novel has around character motivation, the precarious line of archetype versus honest (and thoughtful) portrayal of a Buddhist Whatever problems this novel has around character motivation, the precarious line of archetype versus honest (and thoughtful) portrayal of a Buddhist (sort of) monk, and somewhat intolerant (sexist?) portrayals of women, it makes up for in pretty writing, spot-on descriptions of a spiritual breakdown/rebirth, and stunning roadtrip details that hard to argue with.
I mean, whoever writes about Paterson, NJ these days? Props just for that....more
I suspect Ms. Adichie is the type of writer about whom other writers flush a deep, envious emerald while they attempt (and fail) to sound blithely offI suspect Ms. Adichie is the type of writer about whom other writers flush a deep, envious emerald while they attempt (and fail) to sound blithely off-handed in their descriptions (dissections) of her work. Americanah is written with that much ease, wit, sweetness, sadness, curiosity, "side-eye", and hope. In particular, I appreciate how she depicted the nuance of relationship - how one person can be so different with different people, at different points in her life. (Notice how many times I wrote 'different?' It's hard to even describe what the author is doing, that's how hidden these aspects of our lives are.)
My copy of the book is full of marked passages. I suspect I'll be visiting again....more
I read this book in high school and it's one of those that will stick with me ALWAYS. Every once in a while "just keep passing the open windows" appeaI read this book in high school and it's one of those that will stick with me ALWAYS. Every once in a while "just keep passing the open windows" appears unbidden in my head, that's how I know the book has become part of me.
John Irving is a National Treasure of Literature. ...more
I'm a sucker for letters so, yes, I very much enjoyed this letter-laden glimpse into WW2. Most of what I know about the war, I learned in high school I'm a sucker for letters so, yes, I very much enjoyed this letter-laden glimpse into WW2. Most of what I know about the war, I learned in high school and via travel in Germany. Thus, I understand it mostly as soundbites. This fictional experience of mostly non-Jews off the coast of Britain is no less than fascinating - especially how they managed the more mundane aspects of their lives during occupation (like eating and soap-making). Additionally, the end notes about how the book was written by a life-long story teller and then completed by her niece is nearly as compelling as the novel itself. Questions about how fast mail actually traveled in the UK (email-speed, it seemed at times) and the shoe-horned love story aside, I enjoyed the pluck and panache of the protagonist and would most definitely recommend "The Guernsey" as a summer-read. ...more
Recommended by a friend who'd heard about it on the radio and thought the concept was compelling, I dove into The Quilter's Kitchen without really knoRecommended by a friend who'd heard about it on the radio and thought the concept was compelling, I dove into The Quilter's Kitchen without really knowing what to expect. So no surprise, really, that the book didn't work for me. Although I was interested in the story told within the story, I didn't quite connect with the characters. The sense of urgency or risk was nil, combined with actual recipes lumped into collections that did not interact in the least with the rest of the story. It was a difficult rhythm to follow, and I realized early in that these characters probably existed in other books and here I was trying to jump in the middle without properly "meeting" them.
And for some reason, I'd expected this book to be a mystery.
I can't even remotely remember what happens in this book, but I do recall that I enjoyed it.I can't even remotely remember what happens in this book, but I do recall that I enjoyed it....more
For me, the strength of this book was not so much the Shakespeare quotes (most of which I didn't know, most of which were rather esoteric), but the reFor me, the strength of this book was not so much the Shakespeare quotes (most of which I didn't know, most of which were rather esoteric), but the relationship between the Weird Sisters. Each sister is searching for something, rather in a vacuum, offering up mostly flash judgements and recriminations for the other sisters, fear-laced attention/inattention for their sick mother, and mostly bafflement towards their father.
In the end, what the sisters find is rather predictable and vaguely satisfying (to this reader), but that this story is told from the point of view of the RELATIONSHIP between them, a character in and of itself, is profoundly interesting (to me.) The (first person plural, I just learned!) voice of the relationship is wry, knowing, and watchful -a fun way to meet the characters, and subtle yet surprising way of getting closer....more
What a way to learn history! This collection of poems is fresh and unique. Even when the poems themselves aren't the strongest in terms of form, voiceWhat a way to learn history! This collection of poems is fresh and unique. Even when the poems themselves aren't the strongest in terms of form, voice, or clarity, they lean very dutifully into what they're trying to describe --the lives of the unseen, not unimportant figures of the American West. White, black, Asian, female --they span experiences that usually get swallowed by the years. Although fictional, the stories feel like they have more truth to them than one would expect....more
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