The face is culture, genealogy, emotion, a target, a sight for sore eyes, a wall; Abani explores the multifaceted dimensions of his own visage with caThe face is culture, genealogy, emotion, a target, a sight for sore eyes, a wall; Abani explores the multifaceted dimensions of his own visage with candor, humor and wisdom. This was my first Abani and I'm eager to read more!...more
I loved these books so much as a kid - I had a huge crush on Jennings when I was a little gay preteen - and so it was a delight to revisit these memorI loved these books so much as a kid - I had a huge crush on Jennings when I was a little gay preteen - and so it was a delight to revisit these memories in the form of this audiobook....more
Set in rural Flanders, this is a surprisingly entertaining tale of love, terminal illness, dogs, and suicide. Two decades after her husband's suicide,Set in rural Flanders, this is a surprisingly entertaining tale of love, terminal illness, dogs, and suicide. Two decades after her husband's suicide, Mme. Verona realizes she's become too infirm to walk unaided up the steep hill to her house, and decides to end her life. I'd never heard of this Flemish writer, Dimitri Verhulst, before but I intend to read more by him. A novel as enigmatic as its cover and title....more
I tend to resist books that everyone else raves about, that are a part of the common culture, that too many people insist I read or judge me about becI tend to resist books that everyone else raves about, that are a part of the common culture, that too many people insist I read or judge me about because I haven't. That's why I waited until the end of my 50th year to finally read this little book. Was my resistance ever misguided, but better late than never. Tremendous!...more
A wee novella, my first Yan, about a strange boy conscripted to join a work crew building a floodgate in 50s collectivist China. Hei-hai doesn't talk, A wee novella, my first Yan, about a strange boy conscripted to join a work crew building a floodgate in 50s collectivist China. Hei-hai doesn't talk, works like the dickens, keeps getting injured without seeming to feel an iota of pain, and is profoundly attuned to nature. Most of the crew fall in love with him. I did too. Yan says of all his characters Hei-hai is his true alter-ego. I don't know what else to do with that but read more Mo Yan....more
My first Stefan Zweig. I was uncomfortable with a male writer portraying a fictional young woman's obsessive love for a male writer, a love that bordeMy first Stefan Zweig. I was uncomfortable with a male writer portraying a fictional young woman's obsessive love for a male writer, a love that bordered on monomania. But I stuck with this little novella until the end, and found it to be an incisive indictment of the male gaze, what it misses and inflicts....more
My first Roxane Gay. Okay, people, I get what all the fuss is about. Although this is a somewhat uneven collection of stories and prose poems, holy smMy first Roxane Gay. Okay, people, I get what all the fuss is about. Although this is a somewhat uneven collection of stories and prose poems, holy smokes is Gay's writing ever snappy, breezy, incantatory! These pieces crack open the Haitian and Haitian-American experience with whimsy and myth. This is the kind of writing--these are the kind of stories--that can turn the world upside down. Roxane rocks....more
This short story (a freebie on Kindle) is a prequel to The One-In-A-Million Boy, one of my favorite reads of the year. It's about Oona Vitkus's one huThis short story (a freebie on Kindle) is a prequel to The One-In-A-Million Boy, one of my favorite reads of the year. It's about Oona Vitkus's one hundredth birthday, so set four years before the novel. I enjoyed the chance to spend a bit more time with her, but this tale lacks the alchemy of the larger one with its essential characters, the unnamed preteen boy and his dad Quinn, interacting with the inimitable Miss Vitkus....more
There are probably only a very few insightful things anyone could say about book cover design. Lahiri has said them here, and also said several other There are probably only a very few insightful things anyone could say about book cover design. Lahiri has said them here, and also said several other things. I do judge books by their cover, sometimes wisely, sometimes not. In this case, neither the cover nor what was inside proved to be all that terribly interesting. Still, one or two things I took away to think about....more
A grotesque, surreal, compulsively readable novella about the degree to which a Chinese mother goes to marry off and otherwise look after her four groA grotesque, surreal, compulsively readable novella about the degree to which a Chinese mother goes to marry off and otherwise look after her four grown, mentally disabled children. It features a hen-pecked ghost of a husband who had committed suicide two decades earlier, over whom she continues to domineer. Not a particularly politically correct tale, but one that will stick with me for a long, long time. My first Lianke: I must read more....more
I don't make much time for novellas, so I'm certainly glad I gave this one a try. Remind me to reevaluate my dismissiveness about the form.
After noticI don't make much time for novellas, so I'm certainly glad I gave this one a try. Remind me to reevaluate my dismissiveness about the form.
After noticing and being--figuratively--struck by an unknown hunter in the bush one day, a poet writes a poem about him. Later, he receives a letter from that hunter, who'd recognized himself in the published poem. Even more strangely, the hunter takes it upon himself to enclose three deeply personal letters he has received. These three letters form the narrative.
Within a very few pages and such an inventive structure, Inoue spins a taut, utterly compelling tale of love, betrayal, and death. The Hunting Gun blew me away. (ahem)...more
I loved this historical novel based on the true story of the last person to be executed in Iceland, back in the early 19th century. The writing is lusI loved this historical novel based on the true story of the last person to be executed in Iceland, back in the early 19th century. The writing is luscious, and the audio version was amazing. I did have quibbles with some weak, incoherent characterization, particularly of the murder victim. All in all, though, a thoroughly impressive debut. Can't wait to read Kent's newest one!...more
Some of these Very Short Introductions have really sucked. This one didn't, but neither was it awesome. I learned quite a bit, though, in preparation Some of these Very Short Introductions have really sucked. This one didn't, but neither was it awesome. I learned quite a bit, though, in preparation for reading Aitcheson's novel The Harrowing, which is set in the early days after the Norman conquest....more
This read like a child's novel to me. It held my interest enough to finish, with its wholly unbelievable plot twists, and despite the fairly awful wriThis read like a child's novel to me. It held my interest enough to finish, with its wholly unbelievable plot twists, and despite the fairly awful writing and/or translation, but I am not at all convinced it wasn't a complete waste of time....more
August 2017: Downgraded this from 4 to 3 stars - the more I reflect on this novel, the less I like it. A little too clever for its own good, without tAugust 2017: Downgraded this from 4 to 3 stars - the more I reflect on this novel, the less I like it. A little too clever for its own good, without the slightest emotional resonance. In retrospect, I consider this one a waste of my valuable reading time.
Original December 2016 review:
I'm not telling tales out of school when I say that Margaret Atwood doesn't write emotionally compelling stories, other than about revenge - or at least not since Cat's Eye. (I also freely acknowledge that my statement is debatable.) That said, this latest product of Atwood's brainy and vengeful imagination - a riff on The Tempest - is particularly delightful....more
Despite having such strong feelings in support of the human rights of Muslims everywhere, and agreeing with basically all of her arguments here, I reaDespite having such strong feelings in support of the human rights of Muslims everywhere, and agreeing with basically all of her arguments here, I really disliked this book. It was extremely poorly written, in a tone that was both whiny and grandiose, and overflowing with horribly pedantic vocabulary. In my books, bad books are bad books, no matter how much I want to like them nor how much I agree with the politics of the writer. This one stank....more
With the quasi-exception of 1Q84, I haven't cared for any Murakami novels since Kafka on the Shore came out. The solution: read the backlist. A young With the quasi-exception of 1Q84, I haven't cared for any Murakami novels since Kafka on the Shore came out. The solution: read the backlist. A young Japanese woman trapped high on a Ferris wheel all night watches herself have sex in her apartment a few blocks away. What more do you need to know? Years later she disappears from the story. I disappeared into it. No one may hear from either of us ever again....more
I know this is supposed to be an important novel and all, and I was drawn to read it because of the lovely line about popping a beautiful sentence in I know this is supposed to be an important novel and all, and I was drawn to read it because of the lovely line about popping a beautiful sentence in one's mouth like a candy. But this is the kind of modern European fiction that I hate: what few scraps of story there are are in service of some grand philosophical something-or-other. Yuck. Neither was I won over by how eager the narrator was to describe in sensual detail his girlfriend's many public appearances with shit all over herself....more
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