There are books that change you, that you will never forget. For me, Hunger is one of them. I felt so much while I read this book and I felt so much sThere are books that change you, that you will never forget. For me, Hunger is one of them. I felt so much while I read this book and I felt so much so deeply. I identified with Gay, for the same reasons, and for different reasons. I was in awe of her scalding honesty and brave vulnerability. I felt more human, reading this book - more vulnerable and more courageous - both and neither and all of the above. I can't remember when a writer struck me with such a powerful tuning fork. This book definitely isn't for everyone - but if it resonates with you, you might just crack open from the elegant, powerful force of it. ...more
I loved this book and read it in three sittings. It would have been one sitting had not food, water and rest beckoned me. O'Connell is an honest, agilI loved this book and read it in three sittings. It would have been one sitting had not food, water and rest beckoned me. O'Connell is an honest, agile, smart, and relatable writer and the subject matter absolutely fascinates me. Notes is divided into two parts: the first, a kind of long-form reportage of ideas, philosophies, and movements connected to "the apocalypse" and its place in our current culture, society, news media, and reality - while the other half is an eloquent, soul-baring, vulnerable conversation about how we shall live now, in these apocalyptic days of doubt and fear. At once philosophical, vulnerable, pragmatic, and studious, Notes From an Apocalypse is a deeply satisfying read about what it means to be human in any epoch. ...more
Not an easy read and I am glad that I first read Levi's Surviving Auschwitz. Clear-eyed, analytical and unsparing, The Drowned and the Saved is a histNot an easy read and I am glad that I first read Levi's Surviving Auschwitz. Clear-eyed, analytical and unsparing, The Drowned and the Saved is a history and a warning. I urge you to read it....more
In the Valleys of the Noble Beyond is really a deeply satisfying travelogue and social study about how our environments shape us and why our minds areIn the Valleys of the Noble Beyond is really a deeply satisfying travelogue and social study about how our environments shape us and why our minds are so well suited to believe in supernatural phenomena. I grew up in "Bigfoot country" and so was always terrified of the myth of the Sasquatch, but I have never found any writing about the subject which isn't sensationalized or silly. I live in the Middle East, so reading about the dappled forests and silence of the Great Bear National Rain Forest was an armchair vacation for body and mind. Zada is a poetic writer and he takes a brave, deep dive into the local culture and beliefs of the area, as well as taking seriously the claims of "Sasqualogists" without demeaning or mocking them, but rather, putting it all into a fascinating context about why we need meaning and myths in our lives. Intellectually and philosophically intelligent, without a trace of sensationalism or cynicism, In the Valleys of the Noble Beyond is a worthy read. ...more
This satiric book is a carnival of allusions steeped in dread and nervous laughter. It's a dark, surreal playground of the impact the Holocaust had onThis satiric book is a carnival of allusions steeped in dread and nervous laughter. It's a dark, surreal playground of the impact the Holocaust had on the following generations of Jews as they grappled with this horror of horrors and its psychological toll, their world view forever changed. With sacred cows like Anne Frank re-imagined as a surly writer trying to make a comeback, and an aging mother pointedly demonstrating the impact the Holocaust had on her, though she'd never experienced it, I can imagine that for some, this book would be a bit too much, but I laughed aloud many times as I read the book. For all of Asulander's at times strenuously smart-alec, something whatever thought-bending gymnastics (75% funny, 25% wearying), there are truths in this book, and if one is interested in the complex weave and the weft of the Jewish experience over time, this book should be on your to-read list. But I wouldn't start with it. It's an amuse-bouche, a tart, sour, funny candy, a (to paraphrase) seven-layer cake of our salvation, a muffin of our mirth. Auslander has been compared to Philip Roth, but I disagree. Auslander is a uniquely 21st-century Jewish American writer and one worth paying attention to....more
This book left me speechless. I raced through it in record time. I want to say something inspirational or witty in this review, about why you should rThis book left me speechless. I raced through it in record time. I want to say something inspirational or witty in this review, about why you should read this book and why it matters and how incredibly courageous Tara Westover is for living through this and writing about it, but I am plucked bare of words, so powerful was the read. Recommend. ...more
This book absolutely mowed me down, so precise, so detailed and honest is Levi's writing. I have read Weisel, and Frankl, and The Diary of Anne Frank This book absolutely mowed me down, so precise, so detailed and honest is Levi's writing. I have read Weisel, and Frankl, and The Diary of Anne Frank but no reader of material about the Holocaust should skip Levi; his work is unique. My life partner is a Holocaust survivor and I never dreamt that this topic would be so near and dear to my heart. In fact, my life partner's father was in Auschwitz at the same time that Levi was. I think what is really different in Levi's approach is that he goes into great detail about the primal kind of society that arises in such horrible situations. The trading, the favors, the hierarchy and yes, the back-stabbing. Levi is unsparingly honest in his descriptions of what becomes of a man forced to live in such a way. When one thinks of the concentration camps, one thinks of privation, degradation, humiliation, hunger, pain and sorrow, but Levi makes all of that and more stand out in ways that had never occurred to me. Not in ways that are grotesque or sensational, no, in ways that bring home what it feels like to feel nothing and then, upon having a full stomach for five minutes, what it feels like to realize that even if you survive, you'll never be whole again. For the first time in my life, I have a better insight into survivor guilt; it's not just that you survived when others didn't, it's who you had to be to survive. Though I've read other accounts, in this particular read, my mind was blown by Levi's description of the calculated way that the Germans made sure that cohesion in camp would be almost impossible by the use of Kapos, by ensuring that brutal, sadistic criminals were taken from prisons and put in the camps in positions of power in order to save on their own expense AND to ensure that terror and brutality would be absolutely unchecked. Levi was unsparing in his detailed account, and as a chemist and gifted writer, he made use of his observational skills and began writing this book not long after he was liberated. What he must have put himself through in the telling in order to make these horrors known has incalculable value today and we should all be grateful that Levi poured his pain into this book and his other writing so that we can benefit today. Never again. ...more
Well. What do you say about a book like this? I listened to the audiobook and the performance of the narrator was sublime, lending a kind of gritty, rWell. What do you say about a book like this? I listened to the audiobook and the performance of the narrator was sublime, lending a kind of gritty, resigned voice to a profoundly depressing and yet compelling story. I had seen the film Revolutionary Road (and will soon be reading it as well) and I must admit to being very drawn to Yates' "age of anxiety" voice. Yates was a great chronicler of the drinking, the desperate clinging to middle-class hopes and dreams as they crumble, the sense of agency and self-importance being slowly leveled by life, the reality of the American dream. I can't put my finger on why, exactly, but his writing reminds me a little bit of F. Scott Fitzgerald. The dialogue is spectacular; Yates' skill as a writer is something to behold. Yes, it's ultimately a depressing story but I raced through the book anyway, so attached did I become to the characters and to the time in which they lived. I can't decide whether Yates loved or hated women though; on the one hand, he seemed to really get it, and to care about the main protagonist, Emmy, and I can't think of a male character who is not portrayed as needy, selfish and totally self-centered. (SPOILER) The novel is set just before "Women's Lib" was a thing, and when Emily is exposed to this thinking toward the end of the book, Yates, at this possible crossroad, does not choose empowerment for Emmy but then, that would have meant the book had a happier ending which is not Yates' thing, apparently. The protagonist is only 50 years old when the story ends, and it is as if she might as well be 85 years old, sexless, lonely, bitter. I think the book is dated in this way - or was it only Yates who regarded women over 50 as being shells of their former selves, rather than on the cusp of a new, more empowered chapter? There's no new chapter for Emmy that ends well, that is made clear. Much to think about, and a fascinating read on many levels. ...more
I'm really glad I read this book and while it was published some time back (1995) it sheds so much light on the pain of the trauma of the Holocaust anI'm really glad I read this book and while it was published some time back (1995) it sheds so much light on the pain of the trauma of the Holocaust and the ripples that causes and caused in every direction including, in Halevi's case, for a time in his life - rage. While this book is, on the surface, very specifically about the Jewish experience post-WWII, in Brooklyn, it's also about where our pain goes and how we recreate trauma over and over. I think of the social and political conditions these days and the great trauma so many are experiencing right now, from displacement and refugees to illegal detention, homelessness, police brutality, broken families and racism and it chills me to think that the after-effects will be felt for a very long time, handed down through generations to the children. Halevi manages, after many years, to find grace, forgiveness and tolerance but he might well have continued in the other direction and created more loss and trauma for others. Thank goodness he didn't; this book is a powerful, timely and important read. ...more
I read this book in about two days flat, and didn't want to put it down. Susan Silverman is FUNNY and she really knows how to tell a story. There are I read this book in about two days flat, and didn't want to put it down. Susan Silverman is FUNNY and she really knows how to tell a story. There are so many laugh-aloud moments in Casting Lots. My favorite parts though were the reflections about Judaism and rabbinical stories and their interpretations. As a converted Jew of over 32 years, I always find more to learn about Judaism and practical wisdom; Silverman shows by example, how to find the grace in the ordinary nature of our lives. Full disclosure, I know Susan through a mutual friend and I had NO idea this book would be as funny, uplifting and emotionally moving as it is. I highly recommend the read. I wish there had been more in the book about the adoption of Silverman's second child and how that unfolded, but given how compelling and inspiring her writing is, that just begs a follow-up book! ...more
I read this book in an afternoon and evening and was completely immersed in every page. I had never read Strout before and am so happy to have found hI read this book in an afternoon and evening and was completely immersed in every page. I had never read Strout before and am so happy to have found her. What a unique, conversational style she has, and on so many levels the story really was so moving to me. The combination of gorgeous writing and real emotional truths hidden between words really is memorable and powerful. ...more
I loved this book. I found it very logical and soothing for these chaotic times. Wright presents a connection between Buddhism and evolutionary psychoI loved this book. I found it very logical and soothing for these chaotic times. Wright presents a connection between Buddhism and evolutionary psychology that really makes sense, with ideas that I can actually apply to my life. ...more
I absolutely loved this book and I am not a fan of zombie stories. But Carey manages to imbue every character with relatable qualities AND make the boI absolutely loved this book and I am not a fan of zombie stories. But Carey manages to imbue every character with relatable qualities AND make the book a real page-turner. This is really outside of my genre norms but the title grabbed me and I whipped through the book. ...more
I loved this book. I'd seen the Swedish film, some years ago and liked it - pretty much - but I'm not a big fan of horror. But the book. Lindqvist is I loved this book. I'd seen the Swedish film, some years ago and liked it - pretty much - but I'm not a big fan of horror. But the book. Lindqvist is a truly gifted writer.
[Important disclaimer: I listened to the Audiobook, narrated by Steven Pacey and he added A LOT; great narrator, but if I spell anything wrong here, it's because I heard, not saw the various names, etc. Also: interestingly, this will be the 3rd or 4th book I listened to on Audible.com that I later purchased, just so I could go back and reread sections.]
I loved the ancillary characters, and the way Lindqvist takes his time to describe the minutiae of their tics and foibles. His use of the landscape is also excellent; the way a foot sounds when it crunches in the snow, the way the depressing town looks at night, the cold described so well that you can feel it. I was lost in the bleak little world that Lindqvist so masterfully evoked. The use of metaphor, symbolism and cultural allusions are everywhere, and Lindqvist really helped me "get" for the first time (again, not a horror fan) the many themes within vampirism; a virus, a sickness, a marginalized life - it was a perfect match for Oskar, another outcast. I found the relationship between Oskar and Eli to be incredibly sweet and touching. I also liked the genuine love that was plainly in view in several relationships, between that group of drunks, between Oskar and his mom, between Oskar and Eli, between Virginia and Lakka. The book is a strange journey between bleakness and love and the meaning of friendship and loyalty.
My only complaint is that the story ends a bit abruptly and left several storylines open. The epilogue gives us a sense of the medium-term future but since the author created the world of the village so lovingly and carefully, I felt a little cheated that we get zero sense of what it's like in the aftermath. ...more
I listened to the audio version of this book, narrated by R.C. Bray and I was GLUED to it. This is a genuinely creepy story. I couldn't help but be reI listened to the audio version of this book, narrated by R.C. Bray and I was GLUED to it. This is a genuinely creepy story. I couldn't help but be reminded of the insidious nature of temptation and soul-selling present in the best fiction - and sadly, in real life as well. This book really left me creeped out. RECOMMEND. ...more
What a book! This was on my shoulda-read list for years and years. Finally, I got around to it and I was just floored. What a great, tragic story. It'What a book! This was on my shoulda-read list for years and years. Finally, I got around to it and I was just floored. What a great, tragic story. It's like being in the passenger seat with a careless driver and pressing your foot down on the imaginary brake over and over - you see what looms for Emma yet she cannot - fantastic read. ...more
This is the only Wharton novel I had not yet read and as per usual, I was floored by the gorgeous, evocative writing. I still think The House of MirthThis is the only Wharton novel I had not yet read and as per usual, I was floored by the gorgeous, evocative writing. I still think The House of Mirth is my absolute favorite - shoot - now I have to reread that; I just can't get enough of Wharton's gilded age society dramas.... ! The Age of Innocence is a very beguiling, erotic - yes I said that - romantic and heartbreaking read. I think I was holding my breath as I read the very last chapter, so entranced was I, so eager to find out how it all ends. I found that Wharton's musing on the meaning of our lives and the what-if question that haunts us all - what if I done this and not that? What if I had taken a chance? - is as relevant today as ever. It's a timeless theme and I felt there was a bit of a dystopian shadow in the way Wharton describes the stolidly starched, relentlessly tribal social class from which our protagonist, Newland Archer hails. I absolutely loved this book. ...more
Oh - this book. I was rapt. It's the 3rd Woolf novel I've read consecutively and I'm just gobsmacked by Woolf's layered, ephemeral, complex writing. TOh - this book. I was rapt. It's the 3rd Woolf novel I've read consecutively and I'm just gobsmacked by Woolf's layered, ephemeral, complex writing. The book is a triptych and the first two parts were my favorites although the whole book casts quite a spell. Wow. ...more
I loved this book so much that I read it twice and will probably read it again, for reference. A very broad view of Jewish history, it filled many gapI loved this book so much that I read it twice and will probably read it again, for reference. A very broad view of Jewish history, it filled many gaps that I have in my understanding. Probably not for everybody; you have to be a bist of a history nerd but then, I cop to that readily. ...more
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