Author: John Grisham
Published: 2012
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3
Summary
In the summer of 1973 Joe Castle was the boy wonder of baseball, the greatest rookie anyone had ever seen. The kid from Calico Rock, Arkansas, dazzled Cub fans as he hit home run after home run, politely tipping his hat to the crowd as he shattered all the rookie records.
Calico Joe quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard-partying and hard-throwing Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracey finally faced Calico Joe, Paul was in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his Dad. Then Warren threw a fastball that would change their lives forever…
Review
A short read that addresses parenting, heroes, redemption, and forgiveness. This is a "baseball" novel, heavily ladened with baseball statistics. If you don't care about baseball--you probably won't love it.
Notes
There is an occassional use of foul language from one character late in the novel.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
Author: Anne Fadiman
Published: 1998
Genre: Narrative Non-fiction
Rating: 3.5
Summary
When three-month-old Lia Lee arrived at the county hospital emergency room in Merced, California, a chain of events was set in motion from which neither she nor her parents nor her doctors would ever recover. Lia's parents, Foua and Nao Kao, were part of a large Hmong community in Merced, refugees from the CIA-run "Quiet War" in Laos. The Hmong, traditionally a close-knit people, have been less amenable to assimilation than most immigrants, adhering steadfastly to the rituals and beliefs of their ancestors. Lia's pediatricians, Neil Ernst and his wife, Peggy Philip, cleaved just as strongly to another tradition: that of Western medicine. When Lia Lee entered the American medical system, diagnosed as an epileptic, her story became a tragic case history of cultural miscommunication.
Parents and doctors both wanted the best for Lia, but their ideas about the causes of her illness and its treatment could hardly have been more different. The Hmong see illness aand healing as spiritual matters linked to virtually everything in the universe, while the American medical community marks a division between body and soul, and concerns itself almost exclusively with the former. Lia's doctors ascribed her seizures to the misfiring of her cerebral neurons; her parents called her illness, qaug dab peg--the spirit catches you and you fall down--and ascribed it to the wandering of her soul. The doctors prescribed anticonvulsants; her parents preferred animal sacrifices.
Review
This is a lengthy but fascinating read. It teaches the need for cross-cultural understanding in all situations, and is a great reminder that the "American" way isn't always necessarity the best solution. The author really challenges some American paradigms and encourages readers to broaden their view of other cultures.
Published: 1998
Genre: Narrative Non-fiction
Rating: 3.5
Summary
When three-month-old Lia Lee arrived at the county hospital emergency room in Merced, California, a chain of events was set in motion from which neither she nor her parents nor her doctors would ever recover. Lia's parents, Foua and Nao Kao, were part of a large Hmong community in Merced, refugees from the CIA-run "Quiet War" in Laos. The Hmong, traditionally a close-knit people, have been less amenable to assimilation than most immigrants, adhering steadfastly to the rituals and beliefs of their ancestors. Lia's pediatricians, Neil Ernst and his wife, Peggy Philip, cleaved just as strongly to another tradition: that of Western medicine. When Lia Lee entered the American medical system, diagnosed as an epileptic, her story became a tragic case history of cultural miscommunication.
Parents and doctors both wanted the best for Lia, but their ideas about the causes of her illness and its treatment could hardly have been more different. The Hmong see illness aand healing as spiritual matters linked to virtually everything in the universe, while the American medical community marks a division between body and soul, and concerns itself almost exclusively with the former. Lia's doctors ascribed her seizures to the misfiring of her cerebral neurons; her parents called her illness, qaug dab peg--the spirit catches you and you fall down--and ascribed it to the wandering of her soul. The doctors prescribed anticonvulsants; her parents preferred animal sacrifices.
Review
This is a lengthy but fascinating read. It teaches the need for cross-cultural understanding in all situations, and is a great reminder that the "American" way isn't always necessarity the best solution. The author really challenges some American paradigms and encourages readers to broaden their view of other cultures.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
A Duty to the Dead
Author: Charles Todd
Published: 2009
Genre: Historical Mystery
Rating: 4
Summary
The daughter of a distinguished soldier, Bess Crawford follows in his footsteps and signs up to go overseas as a nurse during the Great War, helping to deal with the many wounded. There, serving on a hospital ship, she makes a promise to a dying young lieutenant to take a message to his brother, Jonathan Graham: "Tell Jonathan that I lied. I did it for Mother′s sake. But it has to be set right." Later, when her ship is sunk by a mine and she′s sidelined by a broken arm, Bess returns home to England, determined to fulfill her promise.
It′s not so easy, however. She travels to the village in Kent where the Grahams live and passes on to Jonathan his brother′s plea. Oddly, neither Jonathan, his mother, nor his younger brother admit to knowing what the message means. Then Bess learns that there′s another brother, incarcerated in a lunatic asylum since the age of 14 when he was accused of brutally murdering a housemaid. Bess guesses that the dying soldier′s last words had something to do with the fourth brother. Because the family seems unwilling to do anything, she decides that she will investigate. It′s her own duty to the dead.
Review
Nicely crafted and well-written. Bess is a fascinating character with depth and room for growth in subsequent books. The mystery is intruiguing and unfolds at a natural pace.
Notes
This is the first in a currently four-book series (with presumably more books to come). I have read the first three--and all are equally well-written and intriguing.
Published: 2009
Genre: Historical Mystery
Rating: 4
Summary
The daughter of a distinguished soldier, Bess Crawford follows in his footsteps and signs up to go overseas as a nurse during the Great War, helping to deal with the many wounded. There, serving on a hospital ship, she makes a promise to a dying young lieutenant to take a message to his brother, Jonathan Graham: "Tell Jonathan that I lied. I did it for Mother′s sake. But it has to be set right." Later, when her ship is sunk by a mine and she′s sidelined by a broken arm, Bess returns home to England, determined to fulfill her promise.
It′s not so easy, however. She travels to the village in Kent where the Grahams live and passes on to Jonathan his brother′s plea. Oddly, neither Jonathan, his mother, nor his younger brother admit to knowing what the message means. Then Bess learns that there′s another brother, incarcerated in a lunatic asylum since the age of 14 when he was accused of brutally murdering a housemaid. Bess guesses that the dying soldier′s last words had something to do with the fourth brother. Because the family seems unwilling to do anything, she decides that she will investigate. It′s her own duty to the dead.
Review
Nicely crafted and well-written. Bess is a fascinating character with depth and room for growth in subsequent books. The mystery is intruiguing and unfolds at a natural pace.
Notes
This is the first in a currently four-book series (with presumably more books to come). I have read the first three--and all are equally well-written and intriguing.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
In the Garden of Beasts
Author: Erik Larson
Published: 2011
Genres: Narritive non-fiction, historical non-fiction
Rating: 4.5
Summary
In 1933--a year that proved to be a turning point in history--William E. Dodd becomes America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s Germany. A mild-mannered professor from Chicago, Dodd brings along his wife, son, and flamboyant daughter, Martha. At first Martha is entranced by the parties and pomp, and the handsome young men of the Third Reich with their infectious enthusiasm for restoring Germany to a position of world prominence. Enamored of the “New Germany,” she has one affair after another, including with the suprisingly honorable first chief of the Gestapo, Rudolf Diels. But as evidence of Jewish persecution mounts, confirmed by chilling first-person testimony, her father telegraphs his concerns to a largely indifferent State Department back home.
Dodd watches with alarm as Jews are attacked, the press is censored, and drafts of frightening new laws begin to circulate. As that first year unfolds and the shadows deepen, the Dodds experience days full of excitement, intrigue, romance—and ultimately, horror, when a climactic spasm of violence and murder reveals Hitler’s true character and ruthless ambition.
Suffused with the tense atmosphere of the period, and with unforgettable portraits of the bizarre Göring and the expectedly charming--yet wholly sinister--Goebbels, In the Garden of Beasts lends a stunning, eyewitness perspective on events as they unfold in real time, revealing an era of surprising nuance and complexity. The result is a dazzling, addictively readable work that speaks volumes about why the world did not recognize the grave threat posed by Hitler until Berlin--and Europe--were awash in blood and terror.
Review
A well-researched and well-written work of narrative non-fiction. Despite it's length, this is an accessable and fascinating read. Dodd is remarkably insightful--despite his lack of political background--in his analysis and concerns about Hitler's regime. Martha's flamboyant nature and evolution are intriguing. And the personal interactions these two have with Hitler and other high-ranking Nazi officials are both fascinating and chilling.
Published: 2011
Genres: Narritive non-fiction, historical non-fiction
Rating: 4.5
Summary
In 1933--a year that proved to be a turning point in history--William E. Dodd becomes America’s first ambassador to Hitler’s Germany. A mild-mannered professor from Chicago, Dodd brings along his wife, son, and flamboyant daughter, Martha. At first Martha is entranced by the parties and pomp, and the handsome young men of the Third Reich with their infectious enthusiasm for restoring Germany to a position of world prominence. Enamored of the “New Germany,” she has one affair after another, including with the suprisingly honorable first chief of the Gestapo, Rudolf Diels. But as evidence of Jewish persecution mounts, confirmed by chilling first-person testimony, her father telegraphs his concerns to a largely indifferent State Department back home.
Dodd watches with alarm as Jews are attacked, the press is censored, and drafts of frightening new laws begin to circulate. As that first year unfolds and the shadows deepen, the Dodds experience days full of excitement, intrigue, romance—and ultimately, horror, when a climactic spasm of violence and murder reveals Hitler’s true character and ruthless ambition.
Suffused with the tense atmosphere of the period, and with unforgettable portraits of the bizarre Göring and the expectedly charming--yet wholly sinister--Goebbels, In the Garden of Beasts lends a stunning, eyewitness perspective on events as they unfold in real time, revealing an era of surprising nuance and complexity. The result is a dazzling, addictively readable work that speaks volumes about why the world did not recognize the grave threat posed by Hitler until Berlin--and Europe--were awash in blood and terror.
Review
A well-researched and well-written work of narrative non-fiction. Despite it's length, this is an accessable and fascinating read. Dodd is remarkably insightful--despite his lack of political background--in his analysis and concerns about Hitler's regime. Martha's flamboyant nature and evolution are intriguing. And the personal interactions these two have with Hitler and other high-ranking Nazi officials are both fascinating and chilling.
A Woman's Place
Author: Lynn Austin
Published: 2006
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 2.5
Summary
They watched their sons, their brothers, and their husbands enlist to fight a growing menace across the seas. And when their nation asked, they answered the call as well. Virginia longs to find a purpose beyond others' expectations. Helen is driven by a loneliness money can't fulfill. Rosa is desperate to flee her in-laws' rules. Jean hopes to prove herself in a man's world. Under the storm clouds of destruction that threaten America during the early 1940s, this unlikely gathering of women will experience life in sometimes starling new ways as their beliefs are challenged and they struggle toward a new understanding of what love and sacrifice truly mean.
Review
The characters are flat and stereotypical--especially most of the men. The character development is predictable. And the author intentionally manipulates her audience's opinion of the different male characters. Not one of Austin's better novels.
Published: 2006
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 2.5
Summary
They watched their sons, their brothers, and their husbands enlist to fight a growing menace across the seas. And when their nation asked, they answered the call as well. Virginia longs to find a purpose beyond others' expectations. Helen is driven by a loneliness money can't fulfill. Rosa is desperate to flee her in-laws' rules. Jean hopes to prove herself in a man's world. Under the storm clouds of destruction that threaten America during the early 1940s, this unlikely gathering of women will experience life in sometimes starling new ways as their beliefs are challenged and they struggle toward a new understanding of what love and sacrifice truly mean.
Review
The characters are flat and stereotypical--especially most of the men. The character development is predictable. And the author intentionally manipulates her audience's opinion of the different male characters. Not one of Austin's better novels.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Sheep's Clothing
Author: Josi Kilpack
Published: 2007
Genre: LDS Fiction
Rating: 3
Summary
Six children keep Kate Thompson busy. Her oldest daughter, Jess, is almost sixteen and acting the part--something Kate had hoped to avoid. Yet she's quick to remind herself that it could be so much worse. Besides, there are more important things to worry about than adolescent moodiness...like convincing her husband that they're ready for one more baby.
Jess gave up competing for attention at home a long time ago. But now, even her best friend doesn't seem to have time for her. Then Jess meets Emily online. Unlike everyone else in Jess's life, she can talk to Emily about anything. Emily understands her. Emily listens. When the unthinkable happens, and Jess disappears, Brad and Kate Thompson realize that they missed something--something big. How could this happen in their home? To their daughter? Most important, will Jess ever come home again?
Review
A quick and easy read. The story moves along well even though the characters are a bit stereotypical. It is suprising how outdated the technology feels...considering it was only published six years ago.
Published: 2007
Genre: LDS Fiction
Rating: 3
Summary
Six children keep Kate Thompson busy. Her oldest daughter, Jess, is almost sixteen and acting the part--something Kate had hoped to avoid. Yet she's quick to remind herself that it could be so much worse. Besides, there are more important things to worry about than adolescent moodiness...like convincing her husband that they're ready for one more baby.
Jess gave up competing for attention at home a long time ago. But now, even her best friend doesn't seem to have time for her. Then Jess meets Emily online. Unlike everyone else in Jess's life, she can talk to Emily about anything. Emily understands her. Emily listens. When the unthinkable happens, and Jess disappears, Brad and Kate Thompson realize that they missed something--something big. How could this happen in their home? To their daughter? Most important, will Jess ever come home again?
Review
A quick and easy read. The story moves along well even though the characters are a bit stereotypical. It is suprising how outdated the technology feels...considering it was only published six years ago.
Monday, January 14, 2013
One Good Deed: 365 Days of Trying to Be Just a Little Bit Better
Author: Erin McHugh
Published: 2012
Genre: Non-fiction
Rating: 3
Summary
Erin McHugh had spent the better part of her adult life doing community work; but in more recent years, the minutiae of life and working as a bookseller kept her busy and away from those higher impulses. Then one day she learned a distant relative was actually going to be canonized. Was this a sign? What followed next was McHugh’s sincere urge to recapture a sense of charity.
So she set out--on her birthda--to do one good deed every day for an entire year. Maybe she wouldn’t be saving orphans from burning buildings; but she wanted to take one small, daily detour and make someone else’s life just a little bit better. One Good Deed is the inspiring, smart, and frequently funny chronicle of that year, in which each page represents a day in McHugh’s journey to reclaim the better part of herself, inspiring readers to do the same.
Review
Published: 2012
Genre: Non-fiction
Rating: 3
Summary
Erin McHugh had spent the better part of her adult life doing community work; but in more recent years, the minutiae of life and working as a bookseller kept her busy and away from those higher impulses. Then one day she learned a distant relative was actually going to be canonized. Was this a sign? What followed next was McHugh’s sincere urge to recapture a sense of charity.
So she set out--on her birthda--to do one good deed every day for an entire year. Maybe she wouldn’t be saving orphans from burning buildings; but she wanted to take one small, daily detour and make someone else’s life just a little bit better. One Good Deed is the inspiring, smart, and frequently funny chronicle of that year, in which each page represents a day in McHugh’s journey to reclaim the better part of herself, inspiring readers to do the same.
Review
| I liked the concept of trying to be a bit better through performing good deeds every day. But sometimes I think the author needed to step back and search for a situation in need before determining what the good deed was. Occassionally she impossed her predetermined good deed on someone who had no need for or interest in it. In these instances, the deed appeared more self-serving than charitable. I also did not enjoy her soapboxing about gay rights. |
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