Book 26 River of the Dead ** by Barbara Nadel

Interesting, well written.   Set in Turkey.   I've read a few histories and novels about Turkey and the plots, settings, and character types were all new to me.  

Will I read Nadel again --- maybe.

Book 25 Cry of the Owl *** by Patricia Highsmith

Much better than average mystery.   You cannot guess what will happen on the next page --- all remains a surprise up to the very last page.  


Three stars for being unique.


Other great books by this author:
The Talented Mr. Ripley and its sequels (one of my favourite mystery characters).

Book 24 Freedom ** by Jonathan Franzen

A story of modern times, incorporating many events and personality types of the last half of the 20th century.   Franzen tells a great story and has deep insight into human behaviour.    I really tired of the characters who while interesting had many moral flaws.   


Flaws --- male writer's fixation on sex, Amerian writer's need to create larger than life characters, and extreme plots and events, happy ending.


I would recommend it but it's not flawless

Book 23 Slam ** by Nick Hornby

Another book about the teenage boy, sex, and growing up in England.  Derivative of Adrian Mole.  Well written, entertaining, a few original insights.

Book 22 When in France, do as the French Do * by Ross Steele

A good book, not as good as Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't be Wrong, and a little out of date.  

Book 21 State of Wonder ** by Ann Patchett

Great story and writing by Ann Patchett again.  Farfetched, and not her best, but recommended.




Other books by this author:
Bel Canto 
Run

Book 20 (2011) Officers and Gentlemen**** by Evelyn Waugh

Everyone who everyone whoever thought about war being necessary or righteous or doubted the harm it does to the individual and society must read this book.   First read Crete by Anthony Beevor, the history of the fall of Crete during WWII, then read this book, the barely disguised experiences of Waugh as a British officer in the same incident.  
Waugh's writing is of course unmatched and each paragraph can be read aloud.
At once humorous and deadly serious, this book will stay with me as few books have.

Book 19 (2011) A Widow for One Year (zero) by John Irving

537 pages --- how did I finish this book?
Funny, entertaining, good plot, -- I'll give it that.  Now I know the reason why I stopped reading Irving years ago --- typical American male writer of the era --- funny, lots of way out sex, unbelievable characters (also Philip Roth, somebody else??)
Characters --- interesting, but exaggerated --- always the more beautiful, the most or best or most amazing whatever.
But although several main characters are women, they did not ring true.   I could not identify with any of their feelings, actions, or experiences.  
The whole plot is a giant male sexual fantasy, every boy/man's dream come true.  
I read this immediately after I read After the Falls by Catherine Gildiner, in which she describes sexual experiences that really happen to people and most important, the aftermath of these typical experiences.   Maybe that's why this book seemed so phony.

Book 18 (2011) After the Falls Coming of Age in the Sixties **** by Catherine Gildiner

My first encounter with this author was at the writers' festival in Vancouver, when she was completely unknown, and had just published her first memoir, Too Close to the Falls.   She was the hit of the festival, like none other since, and catapulted herself immediately into the limelight by the strength of this one hilarious, witty, pithy talk.   She became instantly famous in Canada and I have always thought of her as Canadian.   However, she grew up in Niagara Falls and Buffalo, New York.   
Being a similar type of person and having similar experiences, I found the book redeeming.  But more important, this is an extremely well written, extremely funny, and extremely real memoir.   


Read it.   Then read Too Close to the Falls.   Better yet, read in reverse order.

Book 17 Run *** by Ann Patchett

This is another stunner from Ann Patchett of Bel Canto fame.  I hadn't expected it to be so riveting.
The setting is Boston and the theme is the everlasting American theme of race.   The story takes place over a few days, the dysfunctional family (the white Irish major adopts two black kids, wife dies, birth mother stalks them, car accident, hospital, 11-year old girl heroine).   

Book 16 A Traveller's History of France * 1/2 by Robert Cole

This is the 8th printing --- and still the book is a mess, from the font choice, to the headings, to the copy editing, which fails to fix even the weakest and commonly acknowledged writing and style issues.   Worse, the books takes fascinating material, and turns it into lifeless recitation.


The author is an American, which surprisingly does not seem to affect the slant of the writing, although after reading Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong, I long for an opinion here and there.   The best we get is the odd wry, forecasting, structurally twisted sentence.


The narrative gets interesting only in the lead up to the Napoleonic era and from there on is quite riveting.


There are a number of deadening appendices that could be updated.   

Book 15 Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong **** by Jean-Benoit Nadeau & Julie Barlow

This was the perfect book to read in France.   Extremely well-written essays on various aspects of France's history, culture, and economy, focussing on what makes France different from the US or Canada.
Each chapter builds on the thesis of why the French people accept extreme standardization and centralization of government in every aspect of life.   

Book 14 (2011) The Imperfectionists ** by Tom Rachman

I was surprised that this Canadian (Vancouver) writer was not recognized in Canada until at least a year after the book was published in New York.  


The book has a unique (?) structure of short stories about connected people, knitted together into a very satisfying novel.   The premise is an international English language newspaper, headquartered in Rome, started by a wealthy man who needed a hobby business to add to his conglomerate.   To start with, the premise is very interesting, as are all the characters.   I really enjoyed the book, but all the while I was reading it, I kept thinking --- is this good writing or is it better than good.   

Book 13 I Am Hutterite ** by Mary-Ann Kirkby

A slim volume, unique in telling the childhood story of a Hutterite girl whose family ultimately left the colony.   Fascinating details of life in the community, happy, sharing, free of cares, with allusions to deep human frailty in the leaders of the community, and the price paid by the men and women who give up a separate identity, life, hopes, and ambitions for never having to worry about food on the table or making decisions.  The price ---- not taking your sick child to the doctor without permission and not being able to marry without permission.
The first part of the book is so badly written --- every cliche of a harlequin romance or low quality true crime story --- but later it changes (two authors?, and intrusive editor?) to good writing --- voice, prose, structure, plot.

Book 12 The Flying Troutmans **** by Miriam Toews

This is the story of Hattie, called to help out her niece, age 11,  and nephew, age 15, when their mother suffers yet another mental breakdown, she takes the kids on a mad mad world road trip to search for their father.   They cross into the US in an old van --- and Toews finds new material for a familiar plot in this dysfunctional family tale.

The writing is outstanding, possibly her best in a stunning collection.   The conversations between Hattie and the kids are masterful.  Toews usual themes of people with seemingly insurmountable problems who stumble and struggle through life could be very frustrating, but she draws characters who are battered by life, intelligent, funny, wise, impulsive, self-destructive, creative, in emotional agony, and who learn to love and care for each other.  

Other books by this author:
A Complicated Kindness **** (Governor General's Award)
Swing Low: A Life  ****
The Summer of My Amazing Luck ***

Book 11 (2011) Unaccustomed Earth **** by Jhumpa Lahiri

This is a collection of short stories (novelettes) by the breathtaking author of Namesake.   Lahiri writes about the experiences of educated professional Indian immigrants to the US and their adjustment to their new life.   But this is only the backdrop to her amazing stories and insight into the human mind and heart.   Every sentence is unexpected, interesting, and smoothly woven into the narrative.  

Other great Indian writers and books:
Anita Badami Rau (Tamarind Mem, Hero's Walk)
Bharati Mukherjee (Desirable Daughters)
Aravind Adiga (White Tiger)
A Suitable Boy (Vikram Seth)
A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry) 

Book 10 Crime Machine ** by Giles Blunt

This is Book 4 in the John Cardinal series.   He's a cop in a small town (North Bay, Ontario) and a great read.

Book 9 127 Hours * by Aron Ralston

This is an intriguing adventure, very poorly written.   Mainly about the writer's various adventures getting into dangerous places, interspersed with the details of his 127 trapped in a canyon.   He did everything wrong to get into trouble but then saved himself by being smart and tough.  

Book 8 (2011) A Sea of Troubles** by Donna Leon

Another treasure in the Comissario Guido Brunette series.   A new setting, the island of Pellestrina on the lagoon, and active involvement by Signorian Elettra.  
A must for Italy lovers who want to learn the inside scoop about Italian culture and politics and read a great mystery with interesting characters.

Book 7 Quiet in the Land*** by Anne Chislett

This is a play about some Old Colony Mennonite in Ontario in the last year of WWI.  Although the author is from Newfoundland and not a Mennonite, I found it all rang true, no discord.   Very well written, and a clear portrayal of each character with ove and understanding.   A fantastic play.   I almost gave it four stars but it is not original enough.

Book 6 (2011) The Sentimentalists (zero) by Johanna Skibsrud

A father and daughter story (I think) about a man broken by alcoholism and PST ecxerbated by the Viet Nam war.   It takes place in the Northern Ontario and US midwest. There is also something going on about a town being flooded by the building of a dam.  A very disappointing book.   I skimmed the last 75 pages just to see what really happened in Viet Nam.   Just some killing of civilians --- nothing to distinguish it.  

The writing style made me think of the writing style.   Almost the same as the narration in the old TV show The Waltons. 

Too bad, a great idea.  

2010 Giller Price winner.

Book 6 (2011) Three Day Road **** by Joseph Boyden

A breaktaking and spectacular book.   I had to stop after every chapter to admire and ponder the writing.

The story is about of two young native men and their experiences in the trenches with the Canadian army in WW I, and growing up in northern Quebec.   The aunt of one of them also plays a major role.   She brings her wounded nephew back north by canoe and they tell their stories to each other.  

Boyden examines the cruelty of the residential schools, the strategy, violence, bravery, filth and sordidness of war, the triumphs of the Canadian soldiers, the loyalty and jealousies of close friendship, morphine addiction, and traditional native life.


Three day road is the road travelled after death to get to heaven.

The story is mesmerizing.   Every phrase and detail is a fascinating and necessary part of the story.   Every sentence is carved and honed to fit perfectly into the whole.   
This is the most essential Canadian novel --- a must read.  

Other books by this author reviewed on this blog:
Through Black Spruce **** 
The Orenda *****

Tales of the City, anthology of mini-stories of life in Vancouver

Published in Vancouver Magazine in 2009, I love these stories.   Almost every one reminds me of something that happened to me, and I am sure, most Vancouverites. 

http://www.vanmag.com/News_and_Features/Vancouver_Tales_II

Book 5 Stock Investing for Canadians* for Dummies by Andrew Dagys and Paul Mladjenovic

I hate these Dummies books, but Chapters has hundreds of books on stock marketing investing, but none are Canadian.   I found lots of good basic information, but not a lot of useful strategic information.  And I hate the writing style.  But it goes on the shelf until I find something better.

Book 4 The Ultimate TFSA Guide**** by Gordon Pape

I picked this one up one evening at the bookstore, and found it very enlightening.  I thought I knew everything about TFSA's but was mistaken.   EVERYBODY must read this one.  

Book 3 57 Hours by Vesselin** Medkob and Paul Wilson

Anyone at all interested in a clear overview over the Chechnya civil war should read this book.   It contains a clear and well written explanation.   Interesting too, for Westerners, is the fact that the terrorist and their arms and explosives could proceed across Russia undetected and that certain people seemed to have free access to the theatre while the drama was unfolding. 

The main story is the story of a Bulgarian-Canadian man,  of the 57 hours in a Moscow theatre being held captive by Chechnya rebels, and how he survived.

The Russians released an unknown gas into the theatre before storming it.   Among the dead were all the terrorists and 129 innocent people, who succumbed to the gas after the attack.   The Russians had no plan for how to transport 600 unconscious and dying people to hospitals, no medical personnel standing by on site, and never told the doctors what it was, so they were forced to experiment with antidotes before being able to treat the dying people.  

2011 The Blog will Live

My blog will continue in 2011.   I really enjoy thinking about books and writers and analyzing their qualities.

Book 2 (11) Adrian Mole The Prostrate Years* by Sue Townsend

All the Adrian Mole books are wonderful, and really, better each time.  

Book 1 (2011) Snow Job* by William Deverell

I've read all of Deverell's books, and this one is better than the last few in that the story lines are all very interesting.   This book is set in the usual Saltspring Island location, but with Ottawa and Bhashyistan and Albania politics and war backgrounds as well.

See also review of Kill All the Judges by the same author for detailed comments.

Books not to Read

Dear Fatty and A Tiny Bit Marvellous by Dawn French.   This amazing actress, comedian, and TV writer, writes a boring boring book.

The Story of Yiddish by Neal Karlen.  This is the most boring non-informative book.  So disappointing.  Not funny either.

Book 94 Started Early, Took My Dog ** by Kate Atkinson

The usual great mystery read from Atkinson.

Book 93 The Mistress of Nothing ** by Kate Pullinger

This is the true story of an English woman who moved to Egypt in circa 1850, on the premise of  her health, and her maid.  The two women became involved with the local community, in particular the men.   It is written with very little reference to time and place---you'd hardly know you were in 19th C. Egypt.   I found myself longing for greater insight and description.  

However, because it is a true and unique story, you must read it.

Book 92 The King's Speech*** by Mark Logue and Peter Conradi

I give this one three stars for being a fascinating and unique story, but the writing is pedestrian.  This is the story of King George VI, his speech impediment and all the behind-the-scenes pain and anxiety.   In that sense, the book is remarkable in it clear how important an issue this was to the royal family, the country, and the British government.  It seems extreme to us now, but it was so different then.

Book 91 The Secret Scripture ** by Sebastian Barry

A prize winner but I didn't really like it.   It seems like a lot of people doing their best to make choices that are doomed.  

Book 90 The Eye of the Leopard **** by Henning Mankell

I am a fan of Mankell's Kurt Wallander mystery series, and this is my first non-Wallander book.   A very tense and dark book, impeccably written, and unique for providing insight into post-apartheid Zambia, a must read for that reason.   The story is always compelling, always real, and really heats up in the last third, when the plot lines are at last resolved.  

The neighbouring white farmers, the black farm employees and their families, the local shaman and controller, the black activist reporter from the city, the very helpful white UN worker, and the Indian merchant are tied together with various levels of necessity, fear, blackmail, friendship, and duty.  

Mankell switches back and forth to the protagonist's childhood in Sweden, which one tends to read quickly, so as to get back to the riveting characters, living with suspicion, periodic violence, isolation, and the overarching the motive of business and profits, on Hans Olson's egg farm.

Book 89 White Shades of Pale** by Christian Lander

This book follows last year's Stuff White People Like, and is just as good.  Very clever.