Insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly but continually expecting a different result. Which is what I did when I decided to read another one of Jonathan Franzen's books.
The book starts off pretty well, it's about a family living in the suburbs and Franzen does a great job describing the place in their neighborhood this particular family had. Patty, the mom, is a near-perfect wife and mother, Walther, the dad, is reserved but well-liked. Their son Joey is difficult, dating the slightly lower-class next-door neighbor's daughter, and their daughter Jessica was a near-perfect child.
After an initial introduction, the book changes into a memoir written by Patty about her life growing up leading to how she met and married Walter. This part of the book was enjoyable as well - Walter's charismatic roommate, Patty's manipulative best friend both figuring prominently in the story. But after this section, the book take a difficult turn. The narration leaves the memoir and follows different member of the family. Some of their stories - like Joey's failed businesses - are interesting. But some parts of the book are significantly overwritten and veer into very strange political commentary.
By the time I was 2/3 of the way through the book I was exhausted! The details were extensive, the speeches some of the characters give way too long, and the overall story loses its direction. The characters each make predictable mistakes. Then they have to find their way back to being authentic. By the end of the book, most of the loose ends were tucked neatly away, but at 550+ pages, I didn't really care that much by then.
I think I'm pretty much done with Franzen. Sorry, Oprah.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
The Angel's Game by Gabriel Ruiz Zafon
This book had been on my reading list for a while; I believe it was on one of the year-end book lists. It is a mystery set in Barcelona in the 1920's.
I was hoping to like this book. The story is about a young author who is fired from his job at a newspaper and then approached by a mysterious man to write a particular book for him. The man is not who he seems, and neither are some of the other characters. Ruiz Zafon does a wonderful job evoking a creepy, gothic Barcelona that is scary and damp and filled with suspicious characters. But where the book fell short for me was that the plot was very complex with a long cast of characters. Significant portions of the book were devoted to discussions of theology and belief systems that did not connect to the plot for me. And there were several surprises and plot twists that were annoying to me rather than delightful.
Ruiz Zafon remains one of the most admired contemporary mystery authors, but this one missed the mark for me.
I was hoping to like this book. The story is about a young author who is fired from his job at a newspaper and then approached by a mysterious man to write a particular book for him. The man is not who he seems, and neither are some of the other characters. Ruiz Zafon does a wonderful job evoking a creepy, gothic Barcelona that is scary and damp and filled with suspicious characters. But where the book fell short for me was that the plot was very complex with a long cast of characters. Significant portions of the book were devoted to discussions of theology and belief systems that did not connect to the plot for me. And there were several surprises and plot twists that were annoying to me rather than delightful.
Ruiz Zafon remains one of the most admired contemporary mystery authors, but this one missed the mark for me.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Makers by Cory Doctorow
WOW. Wow. WOW. Loved. This. Book.
I don't remember where I first read about this book but the author's name caught my eye since he's one of the editors at Boing Boing, a great tech blog. I took it to Belize and could not put it down. It was a wild ride and I kept appreciating Doctorow's storytelling ability as well as his sharp eye for how technology impacts us. I will warn you, though, that this book is not for everyone. If you are not a geek, nerd, techie, or otherwise appreciative of things like the idea of a 3-D printer, then I'd skip this.
The story is incredibly imaginative and I don't want to ruin too much. One of the first things that happens in the story is that Duracell and Kodak merge, and the new company's mission is to fund innovation in small pockets around the world. Silicon Valley reporter Suzanne flies to Miami to check out what engineers Lester and Perry are funded to do - and she discovers them living in an abandoned mall cranking out interesting things on a 3-D printer. In the early part of the book, Doctorow's demonstrates his grasp of how innovation can be iterative.
As the book goes on, he exercises his ability to make social commentary about IP law and corporate espionage. Then while you were busy paying attention to that, he's made you completely invested in several characters fraught with foibles. And once you are distracted by that, he starts in on the value of open source communities and user-created communities, but without really making the book about technology. Oh, and he takes on Disney and dieting on the way because, heck, why not?
I came away from this book with my brain chugging to keep up with Doctorow; I felt like he was a tour guide to the future.
I don't remember where I first read about this book but the author's name caught my eye since he's one of the editors at Boing Boing, a great tech blog. I took it to Belize and could not put it down. It was a wild ride and I kept appreciating Doctorow's storytelling ability as well as his sharp eye for how technology impacts us. I will warn you, though, that this book is not for everyone. If you are not a geek, nerd, techie, or otherwise appreciative of things like the idea of a 3-D printer, then I'd skip this.
The story is incredibly imaginative and I don't want to ruin too much. One of the first things that happens in the story is that Duracell and Kodak merge, and the new company's mission is to fund innovation in small pockets around the world. Silicon Valley reporter Suzanne flies to Miami to check out what engineers Lester and Perry are funded to do - and she discovers them living in an abandoned mall cranking out interesting things on a 3-D printer. In the early part of the book, Doctorow's demonstrates his grasp of how innovation can be iterative.
As the book goes on, he exercises his ability to make social commentary about IP law and corporate espionage. Then while you were busy paying attention to that, he's made you completely invested in several characters fraught with foibles. And once you are distracted by that, he starts in on the value of open source communities and user-created communities, but without really making the book about technology. Oh, and he takes on Disney and dieting on the way because, heck, why not?
I came away from this book with my brain chugging to keep up with Doctorow; I felt like he was a tour guide to the future.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
Mer recommended this book to me and then I suggested it to my bookclub. It was fantastic.
The book is about a widower who lives in a small town in England. Upon the death of his brother, he becomes embroiled in estate problems with his brother's family and his son. At the same time, he grows close to a Pakistani widow who runs a shop in town. In his quest to navigate his family and his love life, he must break with many of the social norms of his proper English town.
There were two things I really enjoyed about this book. First, there was something reminiscent of Alexander McCall Smith's work in the earnestness of the characters and their simple situations. Like in his books, the writing was clear and easy to read, and the plot was simple to follow. Both of those qualities often made me forget how ambitious the book was.
The other thing I enjoyed was how well Simonson captured the inconsistent nature of "proper" society. Her depictions of neighbors interacting and of social events perfectly described the implicit prejudices around race and class that the characters would have, on the surface, denied. Many reviews have referred to this aspect of the book as being a "novel of manners" in the spirit of Jane Austen. Perhaps it is past embarrassing that I haven't read anything of hers by now.
All told, a great read. I'd try something else by Simonson but (impressively) this is her first novel.
The book is about a widower who lives in a small town in England. Upon the death of his brother, he becomes embroiled in estate problems with his brother's family and his son. At the same time, he grows close to a Pakistani widow who runs a shop in town. In his quest to navigate his family and his love life, he must break with many of the social norms of his proper English town.
There were two things I really enjoyed about this book. First, there was something reminiscent of Alexander McCall Smith's work in the earnestness of the characters and their simple situations. Like in his books, the writing was clear and easy to read, and the plot was simple to follow. Both of those qualities often made me forget how ambitious the book was.
The other thing I enjoyed was how well Simonson captured the inconsistent nature of "proper" society. Her depictions of neighbors interacting and of social events perfectly described the implicit prejudices around race and class that the characters would have, on the surface, denied. Many reviews have referred to this aspect of the book as being a "novel of manners" in the spirit of Jane Austen. Perhaps it is past embarrassing that I haven't read anything of hers by now.
All told, a great read. I'd try something else by Simonson but (impressively) this is her first novel.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The Girl who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
I have been saving this sequel to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for vacation, so when we left for Belize I started it on the plane. While the first book in this series had a raft of characters to develop and describe, this book focused on a subset of those characters. In particular, this book is really about Lisbeth Salander: she becomes more obviously the central character than she was in the first book.
Salander begins the book more balanced and adjusted than we've seen her in the past. She deals with real estate problems and updates her appearance. She does ultimately kick ass and take names, but before that happens, her character has matured and we get to know her better, including some detail about her early life. We also follow Mikael Blomkvist, the publisher from the first book, who decides to publish an expose on the sex trafficking industry. Blomkvist and Salander begin the book in unrelated storylines but ultimately (not without Salander's hacking skills) their paths cross again.
I enjoyed this book even more than I did Dragon Tattoo. I thought the characters were more compelling and the story easier to follow. I also appreciated Larsson's continued themes around exposing abuse of women as a major social problem. I can't wait for my next vacation to read the final book in the trilogy.
Salander begins the book more balanced and adjusted than we've seen her in the past. She deals with real estate problems and updates her appearance. She does ultimately kick ass and take names, but before that happens, her character has matured and we get to know her better, including some detail about her early life. We also follow Mikael Blomkvist, the publisher from the first book, who decides to publish an expose on the sex trafficking industry. Blomkvist and Salander begin the book in unrelated storylines but ultimately (not without Salander's hacking skills) their paths cross again.
I enjoyed this book even more than I did Dragon Tattoo. I thought the characters were more compelling and the story easier to follow. I also appreciated Larsson's continued themes around exposing abuse of women as a major social problem. I can't wait for my next vacation to read the final book in the trilogy.
Monday, February 07, 2011
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
I suggested this book to my book club and it was our February pick. Many of my book friends have been reading it and it received numerous positive reviews.
This novel is about a set of twins who are orphaned in an small Catholic Ethiopian hospital. They are lovingly raised by a married doctors who work there. The book chronicles their lives from birth through adulthood, spanning both Ethiopia and the U.S. While the twins are very different personalities, they are quite close, and both become doctors themselves. The narrative switches between a few different voices, but the majority of the story is told by one of the twins. Though ultimately professionally successful, he struggles with issues of identity for much of his life, haunted by his missing parents.
I liked this book but it was long in places. There were descriptions of medical procedures that seemed unnecessarily detailed, as well as a lot of detail around the political backdrop of Ethiopia. That said, it was also stunning in places, with exceptional writing and twists in the story that I was not expecting. About halfway through the book it dawned on my that the memoir I had just finished reading was also set in Ethiopia and it was interesting to compare the depiction of the country in both books.
For my doctor friends I'd say this is probably required fiction, for everyone else, it's for the readers more tolerant of a long, involved, densely written story.
This novel is about a set of twins who are orphaned in an small Catholic Ethiopian hospital. They are lovingly raised by a married doctors who work there. The book chronicles their lives from birth through adulthood, spanning both Ethiopia and the U.S. While the twins are very different personalities, they are quite close, and both become doctors themselves. The narrative switches between a few different voices, but the majority of the story is told by one of the twins. Though ultimately professionally successful, he struggles with issues of identity for much of his life, haunted by his missing parents.
I liked this book but it was long in places. There were descriptions of medical procedures that seemed unnecessarily detailed, as well as a lot of detail around the political backdrop of Ethiopia. That said, it was also stunning in places, with exceptional writing and twists in the story that I was not expecting. About halfway through the book it dawned on my that the memoir I had just finished reading was also set in Ethiopia and it was interesting to compare the depiction of the country in both books.
For my doctor friends I'd say this is probably required fiction, for everyone else, it's for the readers more tolerant of a long, involved, densely written story.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Ewa recommended this to me several years ago and although I have given it to several people as a gift I had not read it myself.
Ali's memoir of her childhood in Africa and subsequent immigration to Europe is memorable and shocking. She grows up in both Muslim Ethiopia and a secular Kenya, and as she gets older is troubled by the treatment of women in Islam. Her childhood is very traditional - she is ritually circumcised, her absent father makes a lot of the family decisions, and she sees women being beholden to men's choices. The first third of the book that covers this part of her life is gripping, but long. At some points it was confusing as to why so much of the book was what felt like background.
The next part of the book chronicles her escape to the Netherlands where she seeks asylum and settles into this very different society. She has a boyfriend and a job, and decompresses from her years of oppression. The contrast between her life in the Netherlands and that of her life in Africa is where many of her political ideas come from. At some point in the book she begins to argue quite aggressively that Islam is bad for women and thus bad for societies. She suggests that any Islamic country is intrinsically backwards based on their treatment of women.
It is this core belief that begins Ali's ascent into politics, which is the subject of the third and final part of the book. She becomes a highly public figure in Holland politics and, at times, is seen as quite contraversial. As she struggles with the demands on her public life, she faces difficult choices in how much is at stake when she stands up for what she believes in.
I enjoyed reading about Ali's life and I appreciate the honesty in her memoir. While the flow of the narrative was uneven, the story was fascinating.
Ali's memoir of her childhood in Africa and subsequent immigration to Europe is memorable and shocking. She grows up in both Muslim Ethiopia and a secular Kenya, and as she gets older is troubled by the treatment of women in Islam. Her childhood is very traditional - she is ritually circumcised, her absent father makes a lot of the family decisions, and she sees women being beholden to men's choices. The first third of the book that covers this part of her life is gripping, but long. At some points it was confusing as to why so much of the book was what felt like background.
The next part of the book chronicles her escape to the Netherlands where she seeks asylum and settles into this very different society. She has a boyfriend and a job, and decompresses from her years of oppression. The contrast between her life in the Netherlands and that of her life in Africa is where many of her political ideas come from. At some point in the book she begins to argue quite aggressively that Islam is bad for women and thus bad for societies. She suggests that any Islamic country is intrinsically backwards based on their treatment of women.
It is this core belief that begins Ali's ascent into politics, which is the subject of the third and final part of the book. She becomes a highly public figure in Holland politics and, at times, is seen as quite contraversial. As she struggles with the demands on her public life, she faces difficult choices in how much is at stake when she stands up for what she believes in.
I enjoyed reading about Ali's life and I appreciate the honesty in her memoir. While the flow of the narrative was uneven, the story was fascinating.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
This was a great book - not sure how I missed it a few years ago when it was on the bestseller list.
The story starts as a courtroom drama - a man has been accused of murder in a small town on an island off the coast of Washington state. The accused is Japanese and the victim Caucasian. Since it is 1954, the memories around WWII, both foreign and domestic, are still fresh. While parts of the book revolve around the proceedings of the case in a way familiar to those of us in the Law & Order generation, other sections dive into many of the characters' personal histories. Most memorably, the accused, the victim, the accused's wife, the prosecutor, and a local reporter. Through these characters' backstories, the town's character is also revealed.
The most memorable moments in the book were not around the case. One that sticks in my mind was when the Japanese learned they were being taken away from their homes. Another notable section described the relationship between a Japanese man and a family he was purchasing land from. And there is a love story between two characters when they were teenagers that is similarly unforgettable.
Several years ago I read When the Emperor Was Divine, also about this period in history. While I remember that book as ethereal - strong characters without names - a single family's devestating experience in an internment camp told in what I remember as a fugue/dream - this book was much more solid.
I like to think of these books together, telling different versions of a similar trope.
It's only January, but I suspect this book will be one of my favorites for the year. It had solid plot, interesting characters, excellent setting of place and time, and a good resolution.
The story starts as a courtroom drama - a man has been accused of murder in a small town on an island off the coast of Washington state. The accused is Japanese and the victim Caucasian. Since it is 1954, the memories around WWII, both foreign and domestic, are still fresh. While parts of the book revolve around the proceedings of the case in a way familiar to those of us in the Law & Order generation, other sections dive into many of the characters' personal histories. Most memorably, the accused, the victim, the accused's wife, the prosecutor, and a local reporter. Through these characters' backstories, the town's character is also revealed.
The most memorable moments in the book were not around the case. One that sticks in my mind was when the Japanese learned they were being taken away from their homes. Another notable section described the relationship between a Japanese man and a family he was purchasing land from. And there is a love story between two characters when they were teenagers that is similarly unforgettable.
Several years ago I read When the Emperor Was Divine, also about this period in history. While I remember that book as ethereal - strong characters without names - a single family's devestating experience in an internment camp told in what I remember as a fugue/dream - this book was much more solid.
I like to think of these books together, telling different versions of a similar trope.It's only January, but I suspect this book will be one of my favorites for the year. It had solid plot, interesting characters, excellent setting of place and time, and a good resolution.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Book Spree
I got a gift card at work a few months back and I've been wondering what to do with it. Today I decided to go on a shopping spree at Barnes Noble. With a trip to the West Coast next week and vacation soon after I got everything in paperback.
Here's what I got.
Cutting for Stone
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
Let the Great World Spin
Makers
Angel's Game
Those Who Save Us 
The Glister
Too Much Happiness
Pack of Two
Velva Jean Learns to Drive
I'm very excited.
Here's what I got.
Cutting for Stone
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
Let the Great World Spin
MakersAngel's Game
Those Who Save Us The Glister
Too Much HappinessPack of Two
Velva Jean Learns to DriveI'm very excited.
Monday, January 03, 2011
What to Read in 2011
WOW - Not barely out of 2010 and The Millions had a comprehensive list of great books scheduled to publish in 2011. Kevin Brockmeier, Ann Packer, and Ann Patchett all have new books as do a slew of other authors. it is hard to believe how long my reading list is about to get!
http://www.themillions.com/2011/01/most-anticipated-the-great-2011-book-preview.html
http://www.themillions.com/2011/01/most-anticipated-the-great-2011-book-preview.html
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Top Books of 2010
But enough about me - what about the books? All in I read 48 books, 10 which were non-fiction, the rest of which were novels. I finally found a reliable book club with interesting people. Throughout the year, I read a nice mix of new books and items that had been on my list for many years. I have not moved to an e-reader, and have no plans to give up paper books anytime soon.
This year, I've included some narrative around my favorite reads, rather than just a list. (Psst: if you like this format, check out The Millions Year in Reading series for some seriously well-thought out recommendations.)
Adding Lucy to our family has been life-changing. Not growing up with pets other than a curmudgeonly bird, I had no idea what it was like to have another being around all the time. She is so happy to be doing what we are doing, and so eager to explore and play and meet new people. I was interested in reading about others' experiences with dogs to figure out what I was feeling about it. The two novels I liked most were The Story of Edgar Sawtelle and The Art of Racing in the Rain. Edgar Sawtelle was an intriguing story of a family who bred a very special type of dog, and the coming of age of their mute son. Reading that was when I discovered that the training methods we were using had a long and universal history. Similarly, the feelings I had about dogs shared a long history with many, many people - I remember being in a hotel room in Argentina several years ago and feeling very isolated and scared. After talking to Web for several hours about different scary travel situations we'd been in, we crept downstairs for dinner, only to find a lively dining room full of happy people in a completely lovely and secure hotel. That's how I felt about getting a dog - "oh, look at this whole universe I've been missing out on that's been going on around me all these years."
The second dog novel, Racing in the Rain, was wonderful in that it told the story of an aging race car driver through the eyes of his dog. It could have been corny or ill-contrived, but it was neither. It felt like a rare glimpse inside of the inner life of a dog - kudos to Garth Stein for his execution of "voice" in this book. I also loved reading about the rehabilitation of the dogs involved in Michael Vick's fighting ring in The Lost Dogs. Authored by a Sports Illustrated reporter, the book chronicled both the legal and the canine sides of the story.
Lest you think I've "gone to the dogs" I'll move on from the canine theme. I have finally found a book club that I like and many of my favorite books this year came from this group. Some of the books from this group would probably have ended up on my night table anyway: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Little Bee, A Reliable Wife, and The Unit. I caught Larsson fever just like everyone else and thought Dragon Tattoo was extremely engrossing, and a unique mix of corporate/financial intrigue, mystery, and interpersonal situations. I have the second book in the series lined up for my next vacation. Little Bee, while not as special as its mysterious jacket flap description would indicate, was a strong political statement wrapped up in an unusual story. I adored A Reliable Wife - it was creepy and set in a dark, wintry, 19th century town where a man mail-orders a bride. Both man and wife discover that the other has an ulterior motive in getting married. The Unit, which I just finished, was thought-provoking and some of the best science fiction (or as Atwood likes to put it, speculative fiction) that I read all year. The Unit is a compound that childless adults are sent to once it is time for them to begin participating in medical experiments that mark the end of their useful time in society.
What's fun about being in a book club, however, is the books that I would not have otherwise read. In this case, I really enjoyed two books in particular that others chose: Do They Know I'm Running, and The Book Thief. Do They Know I'm Running is about a young man whose illegal immigrant uncle is deported to El Salvador, and he goes there to retrieve him and bring him back to the U.S. The writing and plot was good enough that I was half way through before I realized it was a political statement (kind of like Little Bee). I don't know why this book didn't get more attention this year. The Book Thief was probably the most unusual book I read this year - and in some ways was my favorite. For some reason it was published in the U.S. as a Young Adult book which is indicative only of the simplicity of the language used, not of the plot or the style. Narrated by Death (yes, that Death), this book follows the story of a young girl sent to live with a foster family during WWII when her mother is arrested as a Communist. See what I mean? Not really YA.
As far as non-fiction this year, there's no discernible theme among my favorites. As they See 'Em was a fun excursion into the world of baseball umpires. I saved this book to read in April, which was a great choice - I loved reading a section and then seeing some of it in action during a televised game the next day. I can't remember where I picked up A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome, but that was a good read. While reading it, I felt like I was touring Roman ruins and had a good tour guide who was bringing the antiquities to life for me. The memoir I liked best this year was Mennonite in a Little Black Dress. Janzen's depiction of her return to her childhood home after a failed marriage was both amusing and honest.
I have a soft spot for dystopian novels (isn't that a phrase you see everywhere) and this years I read a few. In addition to The Unit, I also enjoyed Stephen King's Under the Dome and Margaret Atwood's Year of the Flood. I could hardly put down Under the Dome while on vacation; it was the story of a small town that gets encased in a clear dome and the logistical and political complexities that ensue. If I didn't work full-time I'd re-read this 1000-page tome with The Stand By Stephen King and develop some complex theories about the structure of Stephen King's works. What I liked about Year of the Flood was that Atwood revisited a world she had created in a previous novel, Oryx and Crake. I might suggest this was a "feminist retelling" of O+C, or just another set of stories from the same point in time, but either way it was as fun to read more about this world as it must have been for her to write it.
Everyone I knew seemed to be reading Sarah's Key and The Help, neither of which disappointed me. Sarah's Key was a novel about a young girl's experience during the Holocaust and a modern-day journalist's quest to find out what happened in that little girl's town. A couple of images and stories in that book really stuck with me. A true book-lover who recommended Sarah's Key to me passed away this year and I will remember her respect for that book. The Help, probably second only to Dragon Tattoo in popularity in my informal poll, was a great historical novel too. It was about the relationships between several women and their maids ("The Help") in 1960's Mississippi. While seemingly long in pages, the voice and plot made the book go by quickly.
I didn't see any common themes in the final three books I enjoyed this year until I listed them all together. Turns out, they each explore an imperfect marriage, though in vastly different settings. Weight of Heaven is about a couple who move to India after losing their young son in an accident. Not unexpectedly, a change of scenery doesn't solve any of their problems, although the depiction of ex-pats in a developing country and the related ethical challenges was excellently depicted. In A Country called Home, a young couple choose a life in rural Idaho in the 1960's. The story of their surviving in that environment, as well as that of their daughter's life in the next generation, are beautifully written in this book. I'd consider this another "sleeper" book that should have gotten far more press than it did. Just last week I finished Shadow Tag, about a woman whose marriage is falling apart and who begins to keep two diaries when she discovers her husband is reading one of them. Not nearly as epistolary as I expected, this book is a significant anatomy of a broken relationship.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
And that concludes my descriptions of the best books I read this year. Below is a link to my review of each of the books mentioned here. I hope you will comment below on your favorite books from this year too - and what you thought of these.
I look forward to a 2011 filled with a new set of books that engross, transport, teach, and delight me...and wish the same to each of you.
Sheryl
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
The Art of Racing in the Rain
The Lost Dogs
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Little Bee
A Reliable Wife
The Unit
Do They Know I'm Running
The Book Thief
As they See 'Em
A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome
Mennonite in a Little Black Dress
Under the Dome
Year of the Flood
Sarah's Key
The Help
Weight of Heaven
A Country called Home
Shadow Tag
Monday, December 27, 2010
The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist
My book club chose this book for January from my list of ideas. Last year I had noticed it on Flashlight Worthy's end of year list. So far that site has had some great suggestions - including this one.
The Unit is a facility where older childless people go to donate themselves to science. They live there for a few months to a few years and participate in medical experiments, donate their non-essential organs, and ultimately participate in their "final donation" of their heart and lungs. The book follows a woman named Dorrit as she arrives at the Unit.
On the surface, the Unit is not a terrible place - each resident has a private apartment, and there are parks, restaurants, cinemas, and many activities. But the professional, chipper, and seemingly empathetic staff are committed to a government-sponsored strategy to use the "dispensable" humans who live there as efficiently as possible. The glimpses we have of the "outside world" through flashbacks also depict a society that has been mandated to respect only a particular type of family and of societal worth.
I will borrow Margaret Atwood's classification of this as "speculative fiction", as Holmqvist's world is not, strictly speaking, science fiction. Like Atwood and other authors of the genre, Holmqvist was able to make significant social commentary with this story. In this case, she comments on our treatment of the elderly, our views on childless adults, and, more broadly, our definitions of family.
It was difficult to think about this book without also thinking of Never Let Me Go; though the styles were quite different, with The Unit being far more transparent and emotional, the themes were very similar. The other book this made me think of was Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Both books were translated from the Swedish and I couldn't help but wonder if the act of being translated was what made both books somewhat matter-of-fact or if that was an indication of a cultural norm. It makes me wish I knew any language well enough to read the same story in the original and the translation.
I liked this book, largely because it was well-plotted and made me think.
The Unit is a facility where older childless people go to donate themselves to science. They live there for a few months to a few years and participate in medical experiments, donate their non-essential organs, and ultimately participate in their "final donation" of their heart and lungs. The book follows a woman named Dorrit as she arrives at the Unit.
On the surface, the Unit is not a terrible place - each resident has a private apartment, and there are parks, restaurants, cinemas, and many activities. But the professional, chipper, and seemingly empathetic staff are committed to a government-sponsored strategy to use the "dispensable" humans who live there as efficiently as possible. The glimpses we have of the "outside world" through flashbacks also depict a society that has been mandated to respect only a particular type of family and of societal worth.
I will borrow Margaret Atwood's classification of this as "speculative fiction", as Holmqvist's world is not, strictly speaking, science fiction. Like Atwood and other authors of the genre, Holmqvist was able to make significant social commentary with this story. In this case, she comments on our treatment of the elderly, our views on childless adults, and, more broadly, our definitions of family.
It was difficult to think about this book without also thinking of Never Let Me Go; though the styles were quite different, with The Unit being far more transparent and emotional, the themes were very similar. The other book this made me think of was Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Both books were translated from the Swedish and I couldn't help but wonder if the act of being translated was what made both books somewhat matter-of-fact or if that was an indication of a cultural norm. It makes me wish I knew any language well enough to read the same story in the original and the translation.
I liked this book, largely because it was well-plotted and made me think.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Shadow Tag by Louise Erdich
I read Erdrich's Plague of Doves a few years ago and while I thought it was pretty good, I didn't love it. However, when I read a review of this book in the New York Times Book Review, the plot intrigued me immediately: a woman whose marriage is falling apart realizes that her husband has been reading her diary, so she begins to keep a second, secret, diary for herself.
This was, indeed, quite a book. Thankfully it was not as epistolary as that description would indicate - while there are some excerpts from both diaries, the book is mostly told in a traditional narrative. Erdrich could have written this book in several different ways based on this idea, but her choice of execution was excellent in its avoidance of relying on an obvious gimmick. The only unusual stylistic choice was a lack of quotation marks around conversation, which (intentionally I believe) created a fuzzy boundary between internal and external dialogue.
This book tells the story of the dissolution of a troubled marriage and the impact on all the members of the family. The husband is a painter who has been supporting the family by selling a variety of pieces of artwork depicting his wife. Like Plague of Doves, Native American culture is strongly featured, along with many of its current societal challenges, including alcoholism and violence. Not to say that the situations these characters find themselves in are uniquely Native American - clearly they are not. But this heritage plays a strong role in character development.
The book is reasonably short and simply written, and yet somehow Erdrich managed to weave a very complex story. The writing was very good and I was tempted to return to the first page and read it all over again when I was done - not because there were many hidden meanings or a surprise ending, but because I wanted to appreciate for a second time the beauty, delicacy, and pain that Erdrich depicted.
This was, indeed, quite a book. Thankfully it was not as epistolary as that description would indicate - while there are some excerpts from both diaries, the book is mostly told in a traditional narrative. Erdrich could have written this book in several different ways based on this idea, but her choice of execution was excellent in its avoidance of relying on an obvious gimmick. The only unusual stylistic choice was a lack of quotation marks around conversation, which (intentionally I believe) created a fuzzy boundary between internal and external dialogue.
This book tells the story of the dissolution of a troubled marriage and the impact on all the members of the family. The husband is a painter who has been supporting the family by selling a variety of pieces of artwork depicting his wife. Like Plague of Doves, Native American culture is strongly featured, along with many of its current societal challenges, including alcoholism and violence. Not to say that the situations these characters find themselves in are uniquely Native American - clearly they are not. But this heritage plays a strong role in character development.
The book is reasonably short and simply written, and yet somehow Erdrich managed to weave a very complex story. The writing was very good and I was tempted to return to the first page and read it all over again when I was done - not because there were many hidden meanings or a surprise ending, but because I wanted to appreciate for a second time the beauty, delicacy, and pain that Erdrich depicted.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Vida by Patricia Engel
I enjoyed this collection of short stories about a Colombian-American woman. NPR included this in their list of top books from 2010 about 'outsiders' and I think that is a great category for this book. The stories follow Sabina from childhood through young adulthood, oddly not chronologically, with varied points of view. While many of the stories held my attention, the change in perspective was especially unusual and refreshing - particularly the story told in second person.
In some ways this was a predictable read, in that the themes were familiar - first generation American with parents caught between the old country and the new. Sabina had struggles fitting in at school as a child, difficulties choosing a partner, and complex friendships with others who were similarly in-between. But something about the book was also unique - perhaps it was the storylines or the character development - and I didn't feel bored or unsurprised. And the writing was very good - sometimes I would pause while reading a passage or section and reflect on how well Engel captured a particular feeling or idea.
The best part of reading this was remembering how much I enjoy short stories. I know I reflect on this every time I read a new collection of shorts but I will need to add a couple more to my list for 2011.
In some ways this was a predictable read, in that the themes were familiar - first generation American with parents caught between the old country and the new. Sabina had struggles fitting in at school as a child, difficulties choosing a partner, and complex friendships with others who were similarly in-between. But something about the book was also unique - perhaps it was the storylines or the character development - and I didn't feel bored or unsurprised. And the writing was very good - sometimes I would pause while reading a passage or section and reflect on how well Engel captured a particular feeling or idea.
The best part of reading this was remembering how much I enjoy short stories. I know I reflect on this every time I read a new collection of shorts but I will need to add a couple more to my list for 2011.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Best Book Lists
All the papers and blogs have their Best of 2010 book lists out. I find this very stressful! I see my "on deck" list grow and grow and I add more books each year than I read.
NYTimes Notables, LA Times, Wash Post, step aside. My favorite end-of-year lists this year were from NPR: http://www.npr.org/series/131336530/best-books-of-2010
Love how they chose to categorize the books and the descriptions are just the right length for me.
NYTimes Notables, LA Times, Wash Post, step aside. My favorite end-of-year lists this year were from NPR: http://www.npr.org/series/131336530/best-books-of-2010
Love how they chose to categorize the books and the descriptions are just the right length for me.
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