late 2008 books

Persuasion by Jane Austen

I had a craving for a Jane Austen book during the holiday season, and so I picked up her last novel, which I hadn't read before. To me, Austen means two things: sparkling writing and interpersonal relationships. Persuasion does not disappoint on either account.

But what really kept me riveted was the tension between Anne and Captain Wentworth. Would they talk civilly after a failed courtship and 8 years of not seeing each other? The significance of glances and spoken words (not to mention touch) at the time was particularly striking, considering the relative ease with which people communicate now (e.g., people breaking up by texting, or by FB).

Yet I can't give the book 5 stars for two reasons. First, Anne Elliot is too perfect. She's smart, kind, down-to-earth. Her only shortcoming is her less-than-average looks. In addition, the book may have suffered from Austen's death soon after the book's completion. There is an awkward transition between chapters 3 and 4, as well as some unexplained uses of quotation marks.

Overall, however, a fantastic read.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Dates: 27-28 Dec 2008

*****

Butcher’s Crossing by John Williams

Given that I read  Stoner at the beginning of the semester, I figured it would be nice to end with the semester with another book by John Williams. And I'm glad I did - even though it was tough. Butcher's Crossing is a western, and although I haven't read that many western novels, from the reviews, this book seems to undermine the genre. Basically a coming-of-age story: 19th-century Harvard-educated Bostonian goes out west to find himself, or God. Gets much more than he bargained for. Think Yahweh of the Old Testament. It's not a big stretch to see the youth as a stand-in for the U.S. Indeed, the Introduction of the book points out that Williams wrote this book right before the Vietnam War, but the sentiment is applicable now (or at least a few years ago) with the country's continuing involvement in Iraq.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Dates: 2-14 Dec 2008

*****

Hemingway’s Suitcase by MacDonald Harris

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Dates: 30 Sept - 21 Nov 2008

*****

Stoner by John Williams

I found myself wondering why I love this book when I absolutely hated other books about 40-ish white males (Rabbit Run, Independence Day come to mind). Perhaps it's because the hero is a college English teacher. Or because I'm older now. But more likely, the writing is simply beautiful. Somewhat restrained (like New England); honest, yet kind.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Dates: 8-18 Sept 2008

*****

How to Read and Why by Harold Bloom

A book consisting of reviews, it is better than expected. Bloom seems to see literature through Shakespearean glasses. Every character is a Hamlet, Iago, or Falstaff. Too bad I haven't read any of these respective plays (yet)! Bloom's use of literary jargon also makes the book less accessible. Basic answer to why one should read imaginative literature (short stories, poetry, plays, novels): to understand the self, not to change one's neighbors or one's neighborhood.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Dates: 6-13 Aug 2008

*****

Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon by Jorge Arnado

Plot is somewhat predictable, the story has some loose ends (e.g., fate of Clemente), and some of the characters are not drawn well - but Amado's masterpiece is a fantastic read. Even though the story is mostly about men, the women are more fleshed out (pun unintended). I absolutely loved Gabriela, who is like a sprite, and can teach us a lot about love and life. May even inspire us to be like her, "a fragrant rose in a bouquet of artificial flowers".

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Dates: 2-9 Aug 2008

*****

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

Refreshing to read after A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Another coming-of-age story, but the characters and writing are more engaging. Absolutely love the aunt, and Uriah Heep is deliciously despicable. Some good quotes on verbosity (p. 754) and the Golden Rule. I particularly like the Oxford Illustrated edition: great drawings.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Dates: 16 July - 2 Aug 2008

*****

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Seems like everyone read this book in Junior HS except me, so here I am, catching up. A good read - basically a coming-of-age story. Sympathetic yet unromantic portrayal of poverty, e.g. dinner recipes with a loaf of bread. Smith also does a very good job of representing family dynamics (favoring one child over the other) and women (cattiness, plus an interesting reason why women should keep hair long).
   The book also gives me some good ideas for raising kids: reading a page a day of Shakespeare and the Bible; putting words to masterpieces of classical music. I wonder if anyone has actually done the latter...

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Dates: 27-30 July 2008

*****

Run by Ann Patchett

Another winner from the author of Bel Canto. Although the plot is predictable and some of the characters are a bit unrealistic, Ann Patchett's prose is compulsively readable (note how quickly I read the book) and she poses some very timely (to me) questions about the nature of sacrifice. How far would you go to provide a better life for your children? Do grief and regret mark the end of childhood and the beginning of adulthood? What is the best way to help the common person?
  Patchett also gave me some ideas for children's activities: creating a field book, and memorizing famous speeches. So, off to the library to hunt down Audubon field guides and The World's Greatest Speeches. I'll have to wait for a new edition of the latter to include Obama's speech on race; the last edition was published in 1999.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Dates: 3-6 July 2008

*****

The Balloonist by Macdonald Harris

I heard about this book from a list of Philip Pullman's favorite books, and indeed, this book is impeccably written. The book is about a balloon expedition to the North Pole, with a love story thrown in for good measure. What else to think about as you float northwards? Although the story at times was slow, the short length (<300 pages), fin-de-siecle setting, and wit kept me going. Plus, there's a nice twist at the end.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Dates: 7-25 June 2008

*****

Things I Learned from Knitting by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

I don't read the Yarn Harlot's blog, but tried out her book. Pearl-McPhee is more like Erma Bombeck (which was pointed out in a reviewer's quote)  than Elizabeth Zimmermann or Maggie Righetti. I prefer the understated wit of Zimmermann and Righetti, but this book was still a fun and short read. And I laughed out loud at her solution for knitting on planes: use pens. 

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Dates: 15-18 June 2008

*****

A Box of Matches by Nicholson Baker

Every morning, for about a month, a father of two wakes up super early, lights a fire in the fireplace, and records his thoughts. This novel consists of those early morning ramblings. So, the novel reads kind of like a blog, but it's more poetic and not sensationalistic. Overall, a good (and short) read - most effective in small doses, like A Year in Provence.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Dates: 2-16 June 2008

*****

The Knitter’s Book of Yarn by Clara Parkes

A fantastic read, and gorgeous patterns. Can't quite figure out if the book is worth it in hardcover, though. I'll probably take notes from it for now, and wait until it comes out in paperback.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Dates: 2-7 June 2008

*****

One Hundred Poems from the Chinese by Kenneth Rexroth

Didn't quite finish, but then again, this book has more than 100 poems. Although the translation obviously cannot retain the possible rhyme or rhythm of the Chinese originals, the poetry is lovely. Full of vivid imagery and wine drinking.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Dates: 2 June 2008

*****

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

Jonathan Safran Foer has become one of my favorite writers. Although this book is not quite as good as his first book, I'm looking forward to following Foer's development as a writer.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Dates: 27 May 2008

*****

Gould’s Book of Fish by Richard Flanagan

Not sure what this book is about, but the writer was funny enough to keep reading.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Dates:

*****

Everything if Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer

One of the better books I've read in a while. The author is younger than I am, but wiser.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Dates: