A fascinating journey through how different species perceive the universe around them. At its best, the kind of book that can change how you think aboA fascinating journey through how different species perceive the universe around them. At its best, the kind of book that can change how you think about...everything. 5.0 stars, highly recommended!...more
The Underground Railroad is a powerful, well written, somewhat surreal narrative about one woman’s escape from the horrors of slavery. Cora, a slave oThe Underground Railroad is a powerful, well written, somewhat surreal narrative about one woman’s escape from the horrors of slavery. Cora, a slave on a Georgia plantation in the early 19th century, decides to flee north after a lifetime of suffering. Dogging her heels is Ridgeway, a renowned slave catcher seeking redemption after he failed to apprehend another slave that fled from the same plantation years ago. The book’s central conceit – the Underground Railroad is not just a clandestine network of abolitionists, but a literal subterranean railroad – is a great idea. The mysterious railroad and its fantastic operations is one of the highlights of the novel; perhaps my favorite scene was when Cora, boarding for the first time, has to make an Alice-in-Wonderland style choice between two trains with differing, uncertain routes and destinations.
The railroad itself is not the book’s only deviation from historical fact. The South that Cora travels through has been altered in sometimes dramatic, sometimes subtle ways. The states that she visits have adopted programs relating to slavery that appear more allegorical than historical; no spoilers here, but these programs contribute to the surreal flavor of the novel, and should make good fodder for book clubs or classroom discussions.
The novel is very polished and the prose is excellent – Whitehead is an author with talent. His descriptions of the horrors and tribulations that Cora and her allies suffer through are suitably horrific; there are some searing scenes that will linger in the memory long after the book is set down.
There’s not any specific flaw keeping this book out of five star territory for me. However, as good as The Underground Railroad is, I didn’t find it quite as interesting/moving/compelling as the very best books I’ve read tackling race and slavery (Between the World and Me, The Sellout, or Beloved, for instance). But this is a very good novel, and I look forward to exploring more of Whitehead’s work. 4.0 stars, recommended!...more
If the following things tickle your funnybone, The Sellout may be for you:
1. A buck-naked crackhead chanting a modified version of “Charge of the LigIf the following things tickle your funnybone, The Sellout may be for you:
1. A buck-naked crackhead chanting a modified version of “Charge of the Light Brigade” (called “The Charge of the Light-Skinned Spade”) while firing a .38 into the air in the heart of the ghetto.
2. Racial sensitivity training like the following: “When I was seven months, Pops placed objects like toy police cars, cold cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon, Richard Nixon campaign buttons, and a copy of The Economist in my bassinet, but instead of conditioning me with a deafening clang, I learned to be afraid of the presented stimuli because they were accompanied by him taking out the family .38 Special and firing several window-ratting rounds into the ceiling..."
3. A social activist who “reinvents” classic works of literature to be more accessible to students in the inner city, crafting masterpieces such as The Dopeman Cometh and The Great Blacksby, which begins as follows: “Real talk. When I was young, dumb, and full of cum, my omnipresent, good to my mother, non-stereotypical African-American daddy dropped some knowledge on me that I been trippin’ off of ever since."
It is safe to say this is a fairly provocative novel in many ways, as a brief synopsis of the plot helps demonstrate. Our hero, who is the beneficiary of a very unusual upbringing, is spurred into action when his city is wiped from the map by the state of California, which views the ghetto of Dickens as an embarrassment. The protagonist makes it his personal mission to bring Dickens back from non-existence, ultimately turning to segregation and (inadvertently) slavery as tools in his quest. These deviations from established orthodoxy eventually lead him to the United States Supreme Court, where his fate is to be determined.
Now, humor and satire are subjective, and different people respond to different things. But personally, I found this book to be truly funny. There is a lot of anger behind these pages, as the author lampoons many of the injustices and inequalities that plague American life in the 21st century. But I found the author’s presentation to be outrageous in the best sense of the term. Almost every chapter there were one or two passages that literally caused me to laugh out loud, and there were countless others that put a smile on my face (sometimes following a cringe of shock that the author dared to “go there,” but still). Nothing about this book is politically correct, but then again I think part of the author’s point is that political correctness only gets us so far, and can actually work to society’s detriment if it is used to paper over real issues that need addressing. As a work of satire, I thought this book was a huge success.
But what made The Sellout a great book for me was that within that humor, Beatty encourages the reader to challenge their preconceptions and look at race relations and discrimination in America in a new and different way. In addition to being very funny, this is a book with something so say. That something is not that black Americans were in a better place in the eras of segregation and slavery; instead, the author argues in a highly original way that the idea that racial issues in the United States are a thing of the past is a misguided and potentially very harmful concept, and that dealing with inequality and prejudice honestly and directly is healthier and more productive than pretending these issues don't exist.
This book was chosen as one of the top 10 books of 2015 by the New York Times, along with Ta-Nehisi Coates’ outstanding Between the World and Me. I thought Coates book, with its burning anger and a unique style of its own, was excellent (to the point that I actually gave it a slightly higher rating than this one). But reflecting on the two, I think the degree of difficulty for what Beatty is trying to do here is significantly higher, and in many ways I think The Sellout is an even more impressive book. There are a few moments where the narrative tends to drag, which is the only real nitpick I have; I wonder if this book could have been even more effective if it went even heavier on the satirical and surreal elements. But this is a very minor complaint, and I would revisit this author again without hesitation. 4.5 stars, highly recommended!...more
Between the World and Me is a short (150 page) but powerful address to the author’s 14-year old son. Part memoir and partly a broader examination of rBetween the World and Me is a short (150 page) but powerful address to the author’s 14-year old son. Part memoir and partly a broader examination of race relations in the United States, despite its length I did not find this an easy book to get through. Coates’ outlook is bleak, largely rejecting the optimistic theories of thinkers like Martin Luther King, Jr. An atheist, Coates finds no hope or solace in the religious sphere, as King did, although at times Coates seems to wish that he could. Instead, Coates views a culture of loosely veiled white supremacy as something that is firmly set in place, and something that is effectively impossible for an African American minority to change.
Coates is a man who is deeply frustrated, disappointed, and angry at his country in many ways, and I did not agree with every point he took. He can paint with a very broad brush, and some of his more pessimistic observations about white Americans or America in general felt off to me. However, Coates is a strong writer with a distinct narrative voice, helping to keep the book engrossing even when I didn’t 100% agree with Coates’ position. More importantly, this book did an outstanding job of putting the reader into the shoes of Coates and his peers. Even when I did not agree with Coates’ generalizations or specific points, I could understand (and appreciate) why Coates and other African Americans may feel that way. Between the World and Me does about as good a job of this as any book I have ever read: it allows readers from different backgrounds to examine America from a new and unfamiliar perspective, complete with all of the insights and distortions this new angle can provide. In this respect, the book was enlightening.
It is this last trait that makes Between the World and Me a great book, and perhaps an important one. I’d add that I listened to the audiobook version, which is read by Coates himself, and I would definitely recommend this format to audiobook lovers as Coates’ reading really enhanced the impact of this book for me. 5 stars, highly recommended....more
“What the war did to dreamers.” - Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See
[image] St. Malo, 1944.
Anthony Doerr’s second novel, All the Light We Cann “What the war did to dreamers.” - Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See
[image] St. Malo, 1944.
Anthony Doerr’s second novel, All the Light We Cannot See is the story of two youths that are swept up in the chaos of World War II. Marie-Laure is a blind French girl living in Paris, where her father works at the Museum of Natural History. To help her cope with her condition, her father constructs a fabulous model of the surrounding city that Marie-Laure can study in order to memorize her surroundings. Far away, Werner Pfennig grows up an orphan in Zollverein, a mining town in Germany. Werner is fascinated by radios, and soon learns that he has a natural talent for working with them. However, both Werner and his sister, Jutta, gradually find themselves caught in the tentacles of the Third Reich. The novel follows its two principles as the tide of war pushes both parties to Saint-Malo, a port-city in Northwestern France.
The description of this novel sounded (to me at least) like the elevator pitch for a particularly Oscar-baity WWII film. There have been so many books and movies focused on the Second World War that another book on the subject can feel unnecessary or derivative. If it weren’t for the many laurels this book earned in 2014-15, I might have skipped over this one. But I’m glad I didn’t, because those honors were well-deserved. I thought this was a powerhouse of a novel: extremely well written, creatively (and effectively) structured, and perfectly paced. Both of the main characters are very strong, and Doerr supplements them with a memorable supporting cast (particularly Etienne, Jutta, and Volkheimer). A third narrative (view spoiler)[involving a rare gemstone (hide spoiler)] is woven into the main story to good effect, adding just enough spice without ever threatening to take over the book.
Doerr does many things well here, but two specifically bear mentioning. First, I was impressed by some of the decisions Doerr made on what to show the reader and what he leaves to the imagination. Some of the most powerful incidents in the book - (view spoiler)[the death of Marie’s father, the attack on Frederick, the killings that Werner helps facilitate, and (most importantly) the moment where Werner goes back to the kennel to retrieve the model house but leaves the diamond behind (hide spoiler)] - are brought to the reader’s attention in indirect but very effective ways. I thought this was very well done and it definitely added to my enjoyment of the book. Second, Doerr does an extraordinary job of describing how Marie-Laure perceives her world without the use of her eyes, which really pulls the reader into the narrative and was a unique reading experience for me.*
This was a book that really took root in me once I got invested in it. Lord knows there are a million WWII stories out there, but this one is worth your time. All the Light We Cannot See is a creative, engaging, and moving story, expertly told, and one of the best novels of the decade so far. 6 stars, highest possible recommendation.
Winner: Pulitzer Prize (2015) Nominee: National Book Award (2014) Selection: New York Times Best Books of 2014
This is a short, ethereal little novel that can be read in a single day; although it is listed at 182 pages, the book is divided into a loosely connecThis is a short, ethereal little novel that can be read in a single day; although it is listed at 182 pages, the book is divided into a loosely connected series of short paragraphs and sentences that make for very quick reading. The story is told from the perspective of “the wife” and contains her musings on marriage and motherhood over a period of years. The wife is a woman with an artistic bent, and the book contains a variety of quotes and allusions that liven up the narrative.
I ended up really enjoying the almost stream-of-consciousness-like format here, which felt creative without coming across as gimmicky. The prose was strong and fit the format well; Offill uses her nontraditional design to sometimes insert a sentence or paragraph that might not quite be at home in another book, but works here and can allow her to shine a new light on an emotional situation. Psychologically, the book felt true to its characters, and did a good job at portraying the wife’s evolving emotional state over time.
While the book felt technically strong, it didn’t move me very strongly one way or the other, which would be my biggest criticism of Dept. of Speculation. For all its strengths, the format can feel distancing, and I never felt like I really connected with any of the characters. As a result, I ended up observing the plot unfold without caring very deeply about what was happening to the individuals involved, which kept this book from getting a higher grade from me.
Still, this was an enjoyable novel. Especially given how quick of a read it is, I would certainly recommend it to fans of literary fiction. 3.5 stars.
Winner: New York Times Top 10 Books of 2014...more
Redeployment is an excellent set of short stories about the Iraq War by Phil Klay, a former Marine officer who served in Iraq from 2007-08. Th[image]
Redeployment is an excellent set of short stories about the Iraq War by Phil Klay, a former Marine officer who served in Iraq from 2007-08. This is quite possibly the best book (fiction or otherwise) I have read on the Iraq War for two reasons. First, Klay does a great job of immersing the reader in his stories, using both his first-hand, inside knowledge of what the war was like and a liberal use of that armed-forces lingo (abbreviations and all). I loved this aspect of the book, which reminded me of Tom Clancy armed with an MFA. Second, while all of the stories deal with the Iraq War in some capacity, they cover the war from a wide variety of angles and perspectives, which kept the book fresh and even (I felt) expanded my understanding of the war and its repercussions.
While there wasn’t a bad story in the bunch, three stood out to me. After Action Report was a powerful look at the psychological strain soldiers in the field face on a daily basis. Klay nicely highlights the youth of his subjects, giving the story even more emotional punch. Prayer in the Furnace also does an outstanding job of showing how even the bravest soldiers can crack under the stress of combat, while adding an interesting (without being heavy-handed) religious angle. Finally, Psychological Operations really snuck up on me. It seemed like just another story at first, but it really sunk its claws into me and I couldn’t put it down towards the end. Well-crafted and compelling stuff.
Overall this was an outstanding collection – particularly considering that this was the author’s literary debut. Very good prose, interesting plots, and some unexpected twists make Redeployment entertaining reading, and some quietly moving passages will ensure this is a book you won’t soon forget. A strong 4.5 stars, highly recommended!
Winner: National Book Award (2014); New York Times Top 10 Books of 2014...more
This was a difficult book to read. In a single day in 2004, Deraniyagala lost her parents, husband, and children when a tsunami hit the coast of Sri LThis was a difficult book to read. In a single day in 2004, Deraniyagala lost her parents, husband, and children when a tsunami hit the coast of Sri Lanka. This book describes the horror and terror of that day, but mostly it is a book about grief. Deraniyagala expresses her anguish in raw, unforgiving terms that force the reader to see the world through her haunted eyes for 240 pages.
The author is an economist by trade, and not a writer, and Wave often reads that way. But that’s not a criticism; it is a frank, unsparing book, but one with real power. Deraniyagala lays herself bare here in ways that may not put her in the most sympathetic light at times, but that always ring true. Deraniyagala’s grief is not a simple, seven-stage process to be overcome, but her new reality. It is a sometimes overwhelming force that can be sometimes mitigated, but may never truly leave her.
Again, not an easy book to get through at times, and not one I would want to re-read any time in the near future. But that’s largely because Deraniyagala is so effective in putting readers in her shoes. A challenging book to get through, but an even harder one to forget. 4 stars. ...more
First off: is it just me, or is “Bring Up the Bodies” one of the best book titles in recent memory? The phrase comes from the court order summoning AnFirst off: is it just me, or is “Bring Up the Bodies” one of the best book titles in recent memory? The phrase comes from the court order summoning Anne Boleyn’s accused lovers to trial. Mantel has gone 2-for-2 with the prestigious Booker Award so far, taking home top honors for each of the first two entries in the Thomas Cromwell trilogy. And as good as Wolf Hall was, the sequel may be even better.
[image]
Heads. Will. Roll.
Bring Up the Bodies has a much tighter focus than its predecessor. Where Wolf Hall stretches out over 35 years, Bodies covers less than one, from September 1535 to the summer of 1536. This narrower view gives the book a more focused feel than Wolf Hall: from start to finish, this is the story of Anne Boleyn’s downfall. The plot still tends to meander from time to time (particularly in the first half), as Mantel revels in exploring the nooks and crannies of Cromwell’s world, but it’s a more linear story than the first novel. At 432 pages, it’s only about 70% of the length of Wolf Hall, which also contributes to the feeling that Bodies is a leaner, tighter, more focused book.
The story itself is well known and requires no summarizing from me. The rise and fall of Anne Boleyn has been a favorite of storytellers for years, and is plenty compelling stuff for a historical novel. As in Wolf Hall, telling this well known story through Cromwell’s eyes makes it feel fresh, and Mantel’s research seems more than up to snuff (although I’m not an expert on the period). There are plenty of little historical details that pull the reader into the story, and the prose is very strong. Mantel had a weird habit of creating confusing dialogue mazes in the first book, because she only refers to Cromwell as “he” (so if he is speaking to another “he,” it quickly becomes very difficult to know who is saying what), but that has been corrected in Bodies.
The book does a nice job of foreshadowing the third and final entry in the series, in which Cromwell will face the same fate as his predecessors (Thomas More and Boleyn). The description of More's fall in Wolf Hall, particularly his final scene in court, was inspired, and if Anne’s last days didn’t quite reach that level, they’re awfully close. Mantel stumbled onto something special with this series, and if she can stick the landing with the finale, she could have an all-timer on her hands. 4.5 stars, highly recommended!...more
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