4 stars for the story and 5 stars for the audio narration. I listened to The Good House on audio, and I liked the story but the audio really made it f4 stars for the story and 5 stars for the audio narration. I listened to The Good House on audio, and I liked the story but the audio really made it fabulous. The story is told from Hildie's point of view. Hildie is a 60 year old divorced real estate agent in a small town in Massachusetts and very much an alcoholic in denial. The story itself is clever and well done. Hildie flits back and forth between the present and her past and the town's past. As a real estate agent, she seems to know everyone's business. As an alcoholic in denial, she is a master at rationalizations and has very little insight into her own business. The story -- which focuses on Hildie's somewhat inadvertent involvement with a the illicit relationship between two of her acquaintances in town -- subtly creeps towards a tense and surprising ending.The raspy expressive voice of the reader is perfect and adds so much life and texture to the story. She so credibly takes us through the roller coaster of Hildie's rationalizations and remorse. A success, a celebration, a slight, a harsh word, a reward for not having had drink recently all sound like perfectly reasonable excuses for another drink as explained by this narrator. And then just as persuasively the narrator adopted just the right tone to express Hildie's dispirited feelings when she realizes she has done something foolish. I found myself loving Hildie and finding her irritating as hell -- which is precisely the intended effect. The Good House is mostly humorous, but Leary nevertheless manages to treat Hildie's alcoholism with due seriousness. It's very skilfully written and brilliantly narrated.
Thank you to some of my GR friends for bringing this audio book to my attention. I am happy to receive recommendations for equally well done audio books! ...more
When I finish a book, I usually have a clear idea about what I think about it, but I’m having trouble coming up with what to say about Blackout. BlackWhen I finish a book, I usually have a clear idea about what I think about it, but I’m having trouble coming up with what to say about Blackout. Blackout is Sarah Hepola’s memoir about her many years as an alcoholic and her recent years of sobriety. At the end of the day, I don’t think I have a theme to sum up my reaction to this book, but rather a collection of thoughts and feelings:
>Blackout had me fully engaged.
>I couldn’t help having a tremendous amount of respect for Hepola for being so frank about her years of alcoholism – how young she was when she started drinking, some of things she did, some of the situations she doesn’t remember, some of the friends she lost, her scary sexual encounters…
>I couldn’t help cringing at much of what Hepola revealed – but I think this was part of the point.
>I was glad to know that Hepola found a way to sobriety – and I sincerely cross my fingers for her she will stay there.
>I loved the way she loved her cat – and the way her cat gave her so much comfort at the darkest of times.
>I loved the love and respect she has for her parents – there is no blaming going on in this narrative and I respect her for that.
>I loved her depiction of female friendships – their strengths, their weaknesses and their breaking points.
>I loved her writing – her narrative voice is very distinct – clever and sincere – I suspect this explains why she was able to hold on to work as a journalist even during her worst drinking years.
>At times, I grew weary of the inevitable self-absorption of her narrative – but this is a memoir about addiction and so self-absorption comes with the territory.
>I’m glad I listened to this audio. It was not earth shattering, but it felt like an honest description of addiction and recovery. And Hepola narrates her own story and does a great job. ...more
I am so late to this party that there's really nothing left to say that hasn't been said. And yes I confess to having never read To Kill a MockingbirdI am so late to this party that there's really nothing left to say that hasn't been said. And yes I confess to having never read To Kill a Mockingbird or watched the movie. So, indulge me, and let me focus on my own experience. This was my first audiobook ever and I listened to Sissy Spacek's narration in 40 minute increments as I walked to work every morning -- up until now I have always listened to music or radio news. And it was an incredible experience. Somehow Sissy Spacek's narration gave so much life to Scout's world that I feel like I have spent the last month walking through Maycomb county every morning -- it's a wonder I made my way to work safely every morning. I don't think I realized that Lee's book deals with so much more than a court case predetermined by racism. The writing is beautiful and the depiction of Scout's understanding of the world around her is pitch perfect -- and this all gets accentuated by Spacek's own pitch perfect narration. Listening to Scout's thought process as she tries to make sense of the world around her was really what I loved most about this experience. A few favourites: her first day of school, the few moments outside the courthouse when she and Dill encounter Raymond and come to understand why he pretends to drink, the trip to Calpernia's church, her aunt Alexandra's reaction to Tom Robinson's death and the school presentation dealing with "ole Adolf Hitler". This isn't to take away from Atticus' closing address to the jury which is truly "awe"some -- in the real sense of the word. There was something about hearing all of this rather than scanning it on a page that really brought Scout and her world to life for me. Loved, loved this listening experience. Highly recommend to anyone who has or has not read To Kill a Mockingbird.
On a separate note, I feel like a complete convert to audio books -- certainly as a way to start my day -- with one caveat: the book better not be too sad because I don't really want to be crying my eyes out as I walk down the streets of Toronto in the morning -- and I've got to admit that there were a couple of close calls while I listened to To Kill a Mockingbird.
BTW -- I had some great suggestions for other audiobooks from a couple of GR friends but am happy to get more suggestions. ...more
There is nothing I can write to do justice to this exceptional book. Really, the only thing to say is "Read it!". But here are a few thoughts: Just MeThere is nothing I can write to do justice to this exceptional book. Really, the only thing to say is "Read it!". But here are a few thoughts: Just Mercy is both horrifying and awe inspiring. I listened to the audio of Just Mercy as read by the author, Bryan Stevenson. I listened to it in 40 minute daily increments as I walked to work or for exercise. Each time I had to turn the audio off, I found it hard to disengage from everything Stevenson has to say about his work as the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative. The work of EJI is primarily focused on advocating against the death penalty and on behalf of people on death row. But EJI also works on cases involving many types of injustices in the American criminal justice system, including the excessive sentencing and incarceration of African Americans, children, women and people with mental health problems. Stevenson's book focuses on the case of Walter McMillan, who was wrongfully convicted of murder in Alabama and sentenced to death. Stevenson provides a horrifying detailed account of the circumstances of Walter's conviction and the long almost impossible road to get him freed. Interspersed throughout the account of Walter's story, Stevenson talks more briefly about many other cases and provides observations on the fundamental flaws in the system he works in. The basic message is powerful and simple -- racism and poverty have a hugely negative impact on the chances of getting a fair hearing, outcome and sentence, especially in certain southern states. Other powerful messages include: no one should be sentenced to death, children should not be treated as adults, actions stemming from poverty and mental illness should not be criminalized and everyone should be entitled to good legal representation at trial. These messages are conveyed powerfully through Stevenson's anecdotes and observations. But what makes Stevenson's book most powerful is the humanity and dignity that he gives to each of his clients. He describes them with respect in the book and clearly treats them with respect in his work -- often describing how they have touched his life. When hearing about some of the prosecutions in Just Mercy, at times these case sounded like parodies -- coming from Canada, what he describes fit within the worst stereotypes we have of how bad the criminal justice system can be in certain parts of the U.S. But it would be too easy to dismiss the book as specific to the American context. The fundamental messages about the importance of fair representation, justice and dignity are true anywhere. Again, words are inadequate. Just read or listen to Just Mercy.
A note on the audio: it is read by Stevenson himself. Listening to him talk about his work in his own words is very powerful, especially when he describes his reaction to certain situations or gives voice to some of his clients. ...more
I listened to the audio of Beyond Belief. I could have been listening to some kind of scary fiction, but I was hearing the author's story of her life I listened to the audio of Beyond Belief. I could have been listening to some kind of scary fiction, but I was hearing the author's story of her life growing up in the church of Scientology. I didn't know much about Scientology before starting other than it seems to attract a bunch of celebrities and it is based on the sci-fi thoughts of L. Ron Hubbard. Jenna Miscavige Hill is the niece of the leader who succeeded Hubbard. Her parents moved onto one of the church's bases when she was two years old. And she spent the next 18 years or so of her life living in a crazy world in which she was separated from her parents for years at a time, performed countless hours of child labour, was deprived of a true education and instead subjected to endless mindless sessions of what can only be described as brain washing, was severely punished for any attempts to rebel, and ultimately made her way out of the church to become an outspoken supporter of other former church members. The world she describes is indeed "beyond belief", but Jenna clearly has a strength of character that has allowed her to emerge with a strong sense of self and purpose, and to that extent at least the book is very positive. Don't read this book if you are looking for a shocking or scandalous narrative that reveals the secrets of various celebrities or church members. Rather, Hill's narrative is a slow methodical description of her life in the church and her escape. She describes what happened from her perspective as it was happening, without inserting information she now knows about what was really going on -- this comes more toward the end of the narrative. To me, this is what made it so powerful -- such an unconsciounable way to raise a child is described in a simple deadpan fashion -- slowly Jenna comes to realize that the world she understands as normal is small, insular and abusive, and that she doesn't have to be part of that world. The audio version was particularly good because the narrator's voice uses just the right tone to convey this world as seen through a child's eyes, then as a teenager and finally as a young adult....more
After listening to The Warmth of Other Suns for close to two months in 40 minute increments on my walk to work every morning, the main thing I want to After listening to The Warmth of Other Suns for close to two months in 40 minute increments on my walk to work every morning, the main thing I want to say is WOW. This book is extraordinary in so many ways. And I think I have to break my self-imposed one paragraph rule for this review because there are so many dimensions to the Warmth of Other Suns.
Wilkerson writes a comprehensive multidimensional book about the great migration -- the move by millions of African Americans from the southern U.S. to the north from the 1920s to the 1970s. She focuses on the lives of three people -- Ida May, George and Robert. She has broken their life story into parallel segments starting with their southern childhoods all the way to the end of their lives. Their narratives are interspersed with a wealth of information about the Jim Crow laws and life in the southern U.S. after slavery, the history and sociology of the great migration, and the living conditions and politics in the north for the migrants. And just to make the whole experience richer, she throws in many quotes from various African American writers and other historical figures. It's fascinating, infuriating and inspiring from beginning to end.
I especially loved Wilkerson’s depiction of Ida May, George and Robert. She brings them to life as three dimensional complex people. Their motivations, strength of character and flaws are painted through detailed anecdotes of their childhood, educational and work lives, family, spouses, what led them to migrate, their life after migration and the last years of their lives. It’s amazing that Wilkerson is able to provide such a detailed account of their lives, but she clearly spent hours interviewing them and others who knew them. The narrator in the audio occasionally takes on their voices when she quotes them, bringing them to life even more. It’s hard to avoid feeling the connection Wilkerson developed with them, especially at the end as she is very transparent about how close she became to them -- even accompanying Robert to doctors' appointments and Ida May to more than one funeral. And Wilkerson so skilfully writes about them with respect but without ever over romanticizing them.
It's pathetic how little I knew about the great migration and the lives of southern African Americans in the earlier 20th century -- except in the broadest and simplest strokes. Being Canadian is a poor excuse, especially pathetic since I lived in North Carolina in the late 1980s for a couple of years where the long term effects of segregation were certainly visible. But this is part of Wilkerson's narrative -- that this massive human movement that has had huge repercussions on the lives of millions of individuals and the American landscape has until recently received very little mainstream attention -- and the attention it has received has tended to be over simplistic. Wilkerson certainly manages to fill this gap, delivering so much information so masterfully.
Through the details of the lives of Ida May, Robert and George, she conveys so much. Images that will stick with me: Robert's excruciating drive across the desert on his way to California where there were no motels where he could stay and it wasn't safe for him to stop on the side of the road to sleep; when Ida May buys a house in a white middle class neighbourhood in Chicago, the house across the street literally disappears overnight and over the first year all of the houses owned by white Americans are sold to African American families; George's fearless negotiations for higher wages in the Florida orange groves and his co-workers' fearful visit to the owner to tell him they weren't on side with George's demands; and George's work on the railroad and the description of how when crossing from north to south the "coloured" cars had to be attached so that the railcars could be segregated for the ride into the south.
It's a very long book, so if you listen to the audio, be prepared for the 20 hour plus narrative which occasionally feels a bit slow. But overall the narration is very well done, nicely punctuated by the occasional imagined voices of Ida May, Robert and George.
On a final note, earlier this year I had the good fortune to stumble on Jacob Lawrence's paintings of the great migration at the MOMA while on a visit to New York. I had never heard of them and it was such a gift to find these beautiful vivid paintings. And the images in the paintings hovered in my mind as I listened to Wilkerson's book. Here's a link to a book about his paintings: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Again WOW! This was so good. I learned so much and felt so much -- the perfect reading (or listening) experience. ...more
I listened to Richard Russo read his memoir Elsewhere. What a treat! This very personal portrait of his relationship with his troubled mother seemed tI listened to Richard Russo read his memoir Elsewhere. What a treat! This very personal portrait of his relationship with his troubled mother seemed to much more personal as told in his own voice. Rather than start by telling us that his mother had a mental illness, and that he had a hard go of it living with her, his story unfolds in real time as he describes the experience of living with his mother from his childhood through to his middle age years. (There is a particularly harrowing description of their move half way across the US.) He talks about her volatile moods, and his own internal tug of war over feelings of obligation, attachment and exasperation. Only at the end does he reflect on what it all means — what may have been ailing his mother, and its impact and legacy on him and his family. This memoir is beautiful and honest — Russo doesn’t paint himself as a martyr or as a hero. I love Russo’s novels, and I love than he was able to bring the same human focus on his own life as he does in his fiction.
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