This is one of those books that has a terrible description on Amazon and Goodreads. They both call it “haunting.” Amazon says it’s a “story of people finding ways to go on, in an ever-evolving world.” Goodreads says it’s “about coming of age during extraordinary times.” Pardon me if I’m being obtuse, but isn’t every fiction book about people finding ways to go on, in some way or another? If someone hands you a YA book and says it’s about coming of age in an […]
Once Upon a Time. . .
I don’t specifically remember the first time I read this book, but that could be because I’ve read it at least once a year since then–at this point, that’s ten or more rereads. This is my favorite book. It’s the story of Rebecca, a fifty-something widow, who at a family picnic one day sort of “wakes up” and realizes she has no idea how she turned into the person that she’s become. She runs a party planning business out of her home, attempts to corral […]
I could be happy the rest of my life with a vinegar girl
Anne Tyler is one of my favorite authors (this is the third book of hers I’ve reviewed this year), and that is the only reason I was willing to read Vinegar Girl, a modern retelling of The Taming of the Shrew. I was surprised to find that I actually enjoyed reading this. The modern twist in Vinegar Girl is that the “shrew” character, Katherine, is the daughter of an eccentric scientist, Louis Battista. Louis’s lab assistant, Pyotr, is in the U.S. on a visa which […]
At Home in this Nation We’ve Made
When I was in 5th grade, we were assigned a “President’s Pack” to complete. It was a just a bunch of worksheets with facts about the Presidents, but it was enough to get me hooked. Ever since, I’ve been completely fascinated by the lives of U.S. Presidents. I’ve never cared as much about their political accomplishments–I wanted to know more about their families and their day-to-day lives. This is exactly what The Residence is about, and I found it completely enjoyable. Kate Andersen Brower used […]
The Road Goes Ever On and On
In 1996, travel writer published Notes from a Small Island, a sort of farewell tour before moving back to the US with his family. Now, 20 years later, once again living in England, Bryson travels around the U.K. again, mostly to towns and attractions he hadn’t been to in the previous book. The Road to Little Dribbling is the story of this second trip. I’ve read all of Bryson’s travelogues, and he’s always been cranky and somewhat haughty when faced with his fellow humans’ stupidity. […]
“The world is full of happy people, but no one ever hears of them.”
There’s a certain genre of books for young girls that all follow the same formula. The protagonist has a childhood marked by deprivation, poverty, and hardships, but somehow still maintains an upbeat disposition and inner strength. She grows up (these girls are usually plain growing up, but later blossom into great beauties), finds incredible success in her chosen field, and eventually reaches a point where she no longer has to worry about money, or much of anything really. Her success may be partially attributed to […]
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