Khaled Hosseini’s second book, A Thousand Splendid Suns, is better than the first in that it takes place entirely in Afghanistan. His first, The Kite Runner had an initial riveting section set in Afghanistan, but the second part, set in the United States was not as compelling. A Thousand Splendid Suns compels utterly with overlapping narratives [...]
Archive for the ‘books’ Category
Sad
Posted in Foreign, books on October 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Another by McEwan
Posted in Contemporary on August 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I really like his writing (Ian McEwan that is), and this book, Enduring Love, while pretty disturbing was more than a study in a scary obsession – it had also excellent scenes, characters and plot development. There is one really funny scene – when the main character is trying to buy a gun from some [...]
A good read
Posted in Mysteries, tagged Mysteries on August 22, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
While discussing books with a friend, we discovered a shared love of mysteries. He recommended an Irish author, Tana French, whose first book, In the Wood, he described as a psychological thriller. I got hold of the book and couldn’t put it down. The central crime is sad and disturbing, but it is well-handled and [...]
Roth on Aging and Death
Posted in Contemporary, books, tagged aging on August 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I haven’t read much Philip Roth as I tend to be a bit prudish and he is known for his graphic writing; however, I did read and enjoy The Plot Against America (it is told from a young boy’s point of view so not too much in the way of sex going on). I was [...]
Housekeeping
Posted in Contemporary, books on July 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I just finished Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. It is a somewhat slight book, but the writing is at times beautiful and profound. The plot seems more a contrivance on which to hang her meditations on the self, loneliness, estrangement. I didn’t quite believe in the two girls, but the family, with the history of loss, the town [...]
McEwan article
Posted in books on March 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I am way behind on reading The New Yorker; however, the 2/23/09 issue (ARod on steroids on cover) has a great article about Ian McEwan. While I think his novels are slightly flawed – the ending in Amsterdam, most of the second half of Atonement (although the first half was perfect), etc, his writing always [...]
Pondering Ovid
Posted in books on December 29, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I finally read The Love Artist by Jane Alison. It’s been on my bookshelf for awhile. For some reason, I have an interest in Ovid, thought I’ve only heard of him and haven’t read much by him, in Latin or English, except the occasional poem or excerpt. This book had a startling originality in places, [...]
Another from down under
Posted in books on December 9, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I’ve been thinking of trying a Peter Carey novel, especially since I so like his fellow Australian Peter Temple’s mystery novels, so I picked up His Illegal Self from the library last time I was there. I also seem to recall that John Updike is a fan, and while I don’t really like Updike’s fiction [...]
A lurid yet philosophical tale
Posted in books on November 26, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley was not quite what I expected. While a certain horror springs from the original deed by Victor Frankenstein and many horrible events such as murder and mayhem ensue, the story is more a philosophical treatise on the plight of being human than a traditional scary story. Of course, the tale of the [...]
Of Human Bondage
Posted in books on November 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I finally read Of Human Bondage, by W. Somerset Maughan. I was surprised to find that I loved it. I thought it would be dull and dated, but Maughan captures the immediacy of his subject’s impressions and actions, so that one is silmutaneously living with Philip and seeing the folly and short-sidedness of his decisions [...]
