When I started this book, I very quickly considered quitting. The first "part" has a few descriptive sex scenes. Since that isn't something I enjoy reading, I skipped them and wondered if I really wanted to finish the book. I was sure, however, that it was supposed to be a book about World War I. Since the war hadn't appeared, I persevered. And I was rewarded when I reached part 2! There were no more sex scenes in the book, and the war dominated the story.
Stephen Wraysford is a young man who visits France about ten years before the war to inspect factories. He then returns to France during the war and is involved in a great deal of fighting at the front for many years. There are also a couple brief parts in the book that deal with his descendant. I have read war books before, but not very many dealing with the first world war. I learned interesting things and realized what I knew more fully (like the miners who dug tunnels through the war to blow mines under the enemy and the huge loss of life due to poor information and decisions). I felt much more of a connection to that time and a greater appreciation for the experience of the men who fought.
This is definitely not a book for young readers. In addition to the earlier mentioned sex, the war scenes are very violent and gory. (They are very realistic.) It can also be a bit disgusting, since the conditions at the front are very unsanitary. This book is worth the time, in spite of the first part, which I didn't enjoy. Just man up and get past it, and the rest of the book is very enjoyable!
Monday, November 17, 2014
Saturday, August 16, 2014
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
The Jungle refers to the meat-packing district in Chicago during the late 1800's. This story follows a family from Lithuania who immigrates in the hope of a better life working in this area. They are constantly beset by challenges like fraud, injury, overwork, being taken advantage of, jail, death, etc. Their situation just gets worse and worse. It is so sad. When there is a tiny spark of hope that is snuffed out in a second, they struggle even more.
This book was written with a purpose. Sinclair was trying to promote socialism. As a reader, I want things to change as well, so the poor and immigrants are treated better and don't struggle as much, but obviously I don't agree with any of his socialist arguments. That is a very hard political ideology for any American to accept. Capitalism is pretty much bred into our DNA. I'm guessing it would be a challenge for any reader to accept now, though, since socialism has failed pretty spectacularly in most places it has been tried.
Sinclair's goal, however, isn't the change this book accomplished. What it did bring about was better regulations of the meat market and the first FDA laws. Obviously to accomplish this the book contains very graphic descriptions of conditions at meat factories and what went into sausage and other products. It is very gross. Be prepared to feel a little queasy when reading.
This book is interesting and worth the time. The socialist speeches get pretty boring, but they only appear at the end of the book and aren't too terribly long. It is worth the time.
This book was written with a purpose. Sinclair was trying to promote socialism. As a reader, I want things to change as well, so the poor and immigrants are treated better and don't struggle as much, but obviously I don't agree with any of his socialist arguments. That is a very hard political ideology for any American to accept. Capitalism is pretty much bred into our DNA. I'm guessing it would be a challenge for any reader to accept now, though, since socialism has failed pretty spectacularly in most places it has been tried.
Sinclair's goal, however, isn't the change this book accomplished. What it did bring about was better regulations of the meat market and the first FDA laws. Obviously to accomplish this the book contains very graphic descriptions of conditions at meat factories and what went into sausage and other products. It is very gross. Be prepared to feel a little queasy when reading.
This book is interesting and worth the time. The socialist speeches get pretty boring, but they only appear at the end of the book and aren't too terribly long. It is worth the time.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles
This book took me a long time to finish because it felt a little dull. It does pick up the pace and get more interesting, but it soon ends, so you can only enjoy the increased pace for a little while.
This book is the story of a couple traveling in Africa after the war (presumably WWI). They have a male friend who is also traveling through the Sahara with them. It is interesting because it's a foreign land and a different time. The couple has a strange dynamic in their relationship, and the other man adds to its strangeness. It has a rather abrupt end that is somewhat ambiguous.
This book has discussion of sexual situations, but they are brief and are not descriptive. It is just matter of fact statements that it happened. The sexual behavior of the main characters doesn't fit social norms and is inappropriate in my view.
I wouldn't say this book is worth the time it takes to read.
This book is the story of a couple traveling in Africa after the war (presumably WWI). They have a male friend who is also traveling through the Sahara with them. It is interesting because it's a foreign land and a different time. The couple has a strange dynamic in their relationship, and the other man adds to its strangeness. It has a rather abrupt end that is somewhat ambiguous.
This book has discussion of sexual situations, but they are brief and are not descriptive. It is just matter of fact statements that it happened. The sexual behavior of the main characters doesn't fit social norms and is inappropriate in my view.
I wouldn't say this book is worth the time it takes to read.
Monday, June 16, 2014
The Rent Collector by Camron Wright
What a fabulous book! This was recommended to me by a friend, so I was actually a little disappointed when I first started it. The writing wasn't great. It felt disjointed and too choppy. But don't get discouraged! That only lasts for the first chapter or two. Once the story starts going, you wouldn't notice even if it didn't improve! (But it does.)
The Rent Collector is the story of Sang Ly, a Cambodian woman who lives at the city dump with her family where they make a living picking garbage. Her infant son suffers from continual diarrhea and its attendant issues. One day they find a book in the dump. They bring it home to share with their son. Sang Ly is very surprised, though, when their rent collector comes and can clearly read the book. Sang Ly decides she needs to learn to read to give her son a better life and asks the grumpy, drunken rent collector to teach her. This book tells of her journey to literacy but more it tells of the changes as she develops a relationship with the woman who collects her rent.
It is very interesting to read of a completely different world from my own. It is even more interesting to see connections to my life in a story of that strange world.
This is a completely clean book. There are a couple of mild swear words, but nothing too serious.
Definitely worth the time! You'll love it!
The Rent Collector is the story of Sang Ly, a Cambodian woman who lives at the city dump with her family where they make a living picking garbage. Her infant son suffers from continual diarrhea and its attendant issues. One day they find a book in the dump. They bring it home to share with their son. Sang Ly is very surprised, though, when their rent collector comes and can clearly read the book. Sang Ly decides she needs to learn to read to give her son a better life and asks the grumpy, drunken rent collector to teach her. This book tells of her journey to literacy but more it tells of the changes as she develops a relationship with the woman who collects her rent.
It is very interesting to read of a completely different world from my own. It is even more interesting to see connections to my life in a story of that strange world.
This is a completely clean book. There are a couple of mild swear words, but nothing too serious.
Definitely worth the time! You'll love it!
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
I was back and forth with how much I enjoyed this book, but it ended on a positive note. The title refers to the contrast of weighty burdens and things that are "lighter." It is a different way of thinking for me. I am a very optimistic person, and this book is much more fatalistic in its view.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being is mostly the story of a man, Thomas, who loves his wife, Tereza, but is also an incurable womanizer. His wife is tortured by jealousy and suffers from terrible dreams. Thomas feels compassionate toward her but can't stop his behavior. We also read quite a bit about one of Thomas's mistresses, Sabina and her naïve lover. It takes place against the backdrop of Communist Czechoslovakia, which is pretty interesting.
Obviously this book includes mature themes and isn't appropriate for young readers. It doesn't go into great detail but involves a lot of frank sexual discussion.
This book is well-written and interesting but a little depressing. I did like the ending, though. My favorite part of the book was a discussion about the four different ways people want others to look at them. This book is worth reading but not one of my favorites.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being is mostly the story of a man, Thomas, who loves his wife, Tereza, but is also an incurable womanizer. His wife is tortured by jealousy and suffers from terrible dreams. Thomas feels compassionate toward her but can't stop his behavior. We also read quite a bit about one of Thomas's mistresses, Sabina and her naïve lover. It takes place against the backdrop of Communist Czechoslovakia, which is pretty interesting.
Obviously this book includes mature themes and isn't appropriate for young readers. It doesn't go into great detail but involves a lot of frank sexual discussion.
This book is well-written and interesting but a little depressing. I did like the ending, though. My favorite part of the book was a discussion about the four different ways people want others to look at them. This book is worth reading but not one of my favorites.
Monday, May 26, 2014
The Awkward Age by Henry James
A forewarning that I am not generally a big Henry James fan, so this review could be considered a bit biased. That said, The Awkward Age is not even one of my favorite of James' books.
This book tells the story of a social group and their interactions, which makes it fairly typical of James. It largely consists of long, drawn-out conversations between various characters. The thing I disliked most is that quite often the characters say something to the effect of, "you know how she/he is" or "you know what I mean." The other character agrees they do know, and it is never explained more fully to the reader. And, at least this particular reader, doesn't actually know what they are talking about!
It is clean and completely appropriate.
It does get a bit long, though, for the actual content. As usual with James, you just have to enjoy the good writing and language choices.
This book tells the story of a social group and their interactions, which makes it fairly typical of James. It largely consists of long, drawn-out conversations between various characters. The thing I disliked most is that quite often the characters say something to the effect of, "you know how she/he is" or "you know what I mean." The other character agrees they do know, and it is never explained more fully to the reader. And, at least this particular reader, doesn't actually know what they are talking about!
It is clean and completely appropriate.
It does get a bit long, though, for the actual content. As usual with James, you just have to enjoy the good writing and language choices.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
This is a second grade level children's book, but it is still definitely worth reading. I first looked it up because I heard some quotes from it in a Korean drama, My Love from Another Star. They were such great lines that I decided to look up the book and read it. I was glad I did.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is the story of a fancy toy rabbit who is very proud. He loves no one but himself. He is lost from the little girl who absolutely adores him and ends up travelling around the country for years meeting new owners and hearing their stories.
Since this is a children's book, it is completely appropriate for all readers. It is a very easy read. You can zip through it in less than an hour. It is definitely worth the time.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is the story of a fancy toy rabbit who is very proud. He loves no one but himself. He is lost from the little girl who absolutely adores him and ends up travelling around the country for years meeting new owners and hearing their stories.
Since this is a children's book, it is completely appropriate for all readers. It is a very easy read. You can zip through it in less than an hour. It is definitely worth the time.
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