A.J. Fikry is a middle aged widower who owns a bookstore on a tiny island; his bookstore is failing and he spends his nights drinking himself to oblivion. On one such evening he wakes up to discover his “retirement plan,” a priceless copy of Edgar Allen Poe’s Tamerlane, has been stolen. Then a baby turns up on Fikry’s doorstep with a note indicating the mother’s hope that her intellectual toddler would be better in his hands. Despite his lack of experience with children, Fikry takes a shine to […]
a hero is an ordinary human being who does “the best of things in the worst of times.”
In The Boy on the Wooden Box Leon Leyson (born Leib Lezjon) shares his harrowing experience as a Jewish boy in Nazi occupied Poland. His father’s relationship with Oskar Schindler helped to save Leon and most of his family. Schindler is a controversial figure; some people see him a war profiteer but Leon sees him as the man who gave his family a chance. While Schindler is merely a tertiary character in the story of Leon it is his factory and the opportunities it afforded the Leyson […]
“The past is just something that’s over.”
CANNONBALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Wish I’d liked the read better… “Someone has to ask you a question,” George continues meaningly, “before you can answer it. But it’s so seldom you find anyone who’ll ask the right questions. Most people aren’t that much interested….” George is a middle aged gay man in 1962 whose partner, Jim, recently died in a car accident. While George is devastated he is determined to maintain his routine. For the most part George hides his sexual identity since homosexuality is still considered deviant behavior in the ’60s. The novel takes place […]
Every girl needs her secrets
Nothing much ever happens in Battle Creek, PA until Halloween 1991 when high school basketball star Craig shoots himself in the woods, shaking the nerves of a town that already has teens partaking in Satanic rituals. Hannah Dexter, who is perennially on the fringe of the social scene, befriends new girl Lacey shortly after Craig’s death. Lacey worships at the alter of Kurt Cobain, she has a troubled home life but a charismatic aura. Hannah falls under Lacey’s spell and is rechristened “Dex”- the two become inseparable. Teenage […]
I now walk into the wild
Into the Wild is a pretty well known non-fiction book that has been covered several times on CBR. It’s the fatal story of Chris McCandless/ Alexander Sumpertramp ‘s journey into the Alaskan bush. He is under-prepared and a few small mistakes lead to his untimely death. Jon Krakauer, a journalist, wrote the original article detailing the recovery of McCandless’ body; Into the Wild is his follow up. Chris graduated college and vaguely implied to his parents his intentions to go to law school- instead he […]
It’s Always Darkest Before the Dawn
“All those accidents I’d had over the years- smashing my forehead into lamposts, bashing my shins into coffee tables, face-planting when I tripped over fire hydrants- they weren’t because I was an airhead who didn’t pay attention. They were because I had one-third the field of vision that everyone else had…” Nicole had just finished her Sophomore year in college when she went to an eye exam with a specialist recommended to her by her ophthalmologist. After a series of random questions and an ERG […]
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