Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas is historical fiction set in a Colorado mining town in the 30's. Dallas brings the harsh reality of living in a mining town to life.
The story focuses on the unlikely friendship between 86 year old Hennie Comfort and 17 year old Nit Spindle. As Nit spends her first year in the town, and Hennie spends her last, Hennie decides to pass all her stories on to the young girl, often told while quilting together.
My grandmother grew up in just such a town and we used to hear her stories about it when I was little. Dallas is a wonderful storyteller and a wonderful writer. I loved every moment of this book.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
One Glorious Ambition
One Glorious Ambition, The Compassionate Crusade of Dorthea Dix is the latest historical fiction by Jane Kirkpatrick. She chronicles the life of New England activist and reformer Dorthea Dix.
Living in the 1800's when women had very little voice, Dorthea crusaded tirelessly on behalf of better conditions for the mentally ill. A lonely woman from a broken family, she feels a call to serve from a very young age.
Kirkpatrick's novel is a deeply personal portrait of this fascinating woman and this time in our country's history. While slavery was the issue of the day, Dorthea was fighting for the rights of the all but forgotten mentally ill.
The novel is long and a bit tiresome by the end, however still well worth reading.
Living in the 1800's when women had very little voice, Dorthea crusaded tirelessly on behalf of better conditions for the mentally ill. A lonely woman from a broken family, she feels a call to serve from a very young age.
Kirkpatrick's novel is a deeply personal portrait of this fascinating woman and this time in our country's history. While slavery was the issue of the day, Dorthea was fighting for the rights of the all but forgotten mentally ill.
The novel is long and a bit tiresome by the end, however still well worth reading.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Tapestry of Fortunes
Tapestry of Fortunes is the latest from Elizabeth Berg. If you are a big Berg fan, this is sure to please, if not, you might find it a lot of forgettable fluff.
Four women who hardly know each other set off on a life-changing road trip. I didn't believe any of it. The only thing I will remember from this book is it's pretty cover.
Try earlier Berg for more depth.
Four women who hardly know each other set off on a life-changing road trip. I didn't believe any of it. The only thing I will remember from this book is it's pretty cover.
Try earlier Berg for more depth.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
NW
NW, the new novel by Zadie Smith is about the North West corner of London, where Smith was born and raised. The novel tracks the lives of four inter-related, yet very different people who live there.
Smith is a truly original writer, and has her own distinctive voice and style. However, this novel didn't work at all for me. I couldn't wait to be through with it. I felt it was all style over substance, and was left feeling very disappointed by the end.
If you want to try reading Zadie Smith, I would suggest On Beauty or White Teeth.
Smith is a truly original writer, and has her own distinctive voice and style. However, this novel didn't work at all for me. I couldn't wait to be through with it. I felt it was all style over substance, and was left feeling very disappointed by the end.
If you want to try reading Zadie Smith, I would suggest On Beauty or White Teeth.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Noah's Compass
Noah's Compass is the eighteenth novel by Anne Tyler, (my favorite is Digging to America.) This novel tells of a 60 year old man who has just lost his teaching job. He moves into a smaller apartment and his first night there he is hit over the head and robbed. He wakes up in the hospital and remembers absolutely nothing of the incident.
His search to regain his lost memory leads him to engage with a professional 'rememberer,' and the story takes off from there.
Tyler is a wonderful writer, yet I found it hard to care too deeply about the characters in this novel. It was all a bit depressing and forgettable.I still really enjoy reading Tyler's novels, but this wasn't my favorite.
His search to regain his lost memory leads him to engage with a professional 'rememberer,' and the story takes off from there.
Tyler is a wonderful writer, yet I found it hard to care too deeply about the characters in this novel. It was all a bit depressing and forgettable.I still really enjoy reading Tyler's novels, but this wasn't my favorite.
Friday, May 10, 2013
The Housekeeper and the Professor
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa is an elegant and restrained novel about a Mathematics Professor who has suffered a head injury and retains only 80 minutes of memory. Every 80 minutes he starts again completely from scratch, and remembers only what is written on notes he keeps pinned to his suit. He forms an unlikely, yet touching friendship with his housekeeper and her son.
This is a beautifully told tale full of the magic of numbers and equations that can lead to the most unexpected revelations. A truly original book. Ogawa is an accomplished writer. I loved this book, and it will stay with me for a long time.
Highly recommended
This is a beautifully told tale full of the magic of numbers and equations that can lead to the most unexpected revelations. A truly original book. Ogawa is an accomplished writer. I loved this book, and it will stay with me for a long time.
Highly recommended
Monday, May 6, 2013
The Island
The Island by Victoria Hislop is a novel set on a small island off the coast of Crete called Spinalonga. Spinalonga was a leper colony for over half of the 20th century.
The novel is beautifully written, well researched historical fiction. It is family saga, set on the island, and in the nearby village of Plaka, a small Greek seaside village in neighboring Crete. Hislop tells of the prejudice and misconceptions that surrounded leprosy at the time, and one families tragic struggle to cope with the disease.
Hislop is a wonderful storyteller. I didn't want to put the book down. A great read.
The novel is beautifully written, well researched historical fiction. It is family saga, set on the island, and in the nearby village of Plaka, a small Greek seaside village in neighboring Crete. Hislop tells of the prejudice and misconceptions that surrounded leprosy at the time, and one families tragic struggle to cope with the disease.
Hislop is a wonderful storyteller. I didn't want to put the book down. A great read.
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