My Italian Bulldozer by Alexander McCall Smith is another witty little novel by perhaps the worlds most prolific writer. A food and wine writer heads to Tuscany to work on his latest book after his girlfriend of four years leaves him for her personal trainer.
In a bizarre twist, he is unable to hire a rental car and is offered a bulldozer to use to get around while he is there. Along the way, he meets interesting characters, samples food and wine, makes friends and perhaps finds love. Nothing too original here aside from the bulldozer, and not McCall Smith's best, but charming enough to be enjoyable.
Friday, February 23, 2018
Saturday, February 17, 2018
Born a Crime
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, host of The Daily Show, is his memoir about growing up in South Africa. He was six when apartheid ended. Born to an African mother and a white European father, his very existence was a crime. His mother kept him indoors for most of his early life.
The book is full of incredible stories that Noah lived through and it is an in depth look at what the end of apartheid was like for the people of South Africa. Funny, moving, honest, Noah has a gift for turning tragedy into comedy, and this book is a love song to his mother. When I saw Noah do his stand up show live, there were subjects I wished he had talked about less and other subjects I wished he had expanded on more. That's the same way I felt reading this book. However, I still found it a fascinating and worthwhile read.
The book is full of incredible stories that Noah lived through and it is an in depth look at what the end of apartheid was like for the people of South Africa. Funny, moving, honest, Noah has a gift for turning tragedy into comedy, and this book is a love song to his mother. When I saw Noah do his stand up show live, there were subjects I wished he had talked about less and other subjects I wished he had expanded on more. That's the same way I felt reading this book. However, I still found it a fascinating and worthwhile read.
Thursday, February 15, 2018
The Paris Wife
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain is historical fiction based on the life of Heminway's first wife, Hadley Richardson. She was a quiet 28 year old who met and fell in love with the young 20 year old Heminway long before he became a famous writer. They married and set sail for Paris in the 20's becoming friends there with Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, F. Scott Fitzgerald and more.
McLain gives the reader a portrait of life in Paris at the time, full of drinking, jazz, sex, art, friendship, betrayal and everything else it entailed. Heminway went on to have many more wives in his life, but it seems his first was the one that meant the most, evidenced in the novel A Moveable Feast he wrote shortly before he killed himself.
McLain gives the reader a portrait of life in Paris at the time, full of drinking, jazz, sex, art, friendship, betrayal and everything else it entailed. Heminway went on to have many more wives in his life, but it seems his first was the one that meant the most, evidenced in the novel A Moveable Feast he wrote shortly before he killed himself.
Monday, February 12, 2018
The Bookshop on the Corner
The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan is the perfect book lover's book to read on a cold winters day, even better if you've ever dreamed about owning your own little bookshop. It takes place in small town Scotland and is chock-full of charm.
Nina is a librarian in a busy city in England, and when her library shuts down and she loses her job, she risks everything to follow her dreams. A lovely, enjoyable, feel good read.
Nina is a librarian in a busy city in England, and when her library shuts down and she loses her job, she risks everything to follow her dreams. A lovely, enjoyable, feel good read.
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Pachinko
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee is a great novel spanning four generations of a Korean immigrant family living in Japan starting in the early 20th century. Strong, hardworking women are at the heart of this novel. When young Sunja's gentle minister husband is imprisoned, she goes to work to provide for her family, trying to give her elder son the best education possible and keep her younger son out of trouble, all the while keeping a powerful secret that could destroy everything shes worked for.
Lee is a master storyteller and this book is rich in details describing the struggles Koreans have faced in Japan, even the ones born there. Thoroughly researched, full of wonderful characters, I loved this book. I thought it would have benefited from ending a few chapters earlier, but still a great read.
Lee is a master storyteller and this book is rich in details describing the struggles Koreans have faced in Japan, even the ones born there. Thoroughly researched, full of wonderful characters, I loved this book. I thought it would have benefited from ending a few chapters earlier, but still a great read.
Saturday, February 3, 2018
The Story of Arthur Truluv
The Story of Arthur Truluv is the latest from Elizabeth Berg. A short, sweet little novel about 85 year old Authur who meets 18 year old Maddy in the cemetery where he goes daily to visit his wife. They form an unlikely yet tender relationship which is the heart of this novel. Arthur's neighbor Lucille joins in the fun and everyone's as happy as orange blossom cookies with a good cup of tea.
Perhaps a little too quaint, but its been a while since I read such a sweet book. Wish it had been a bit longer, just as you start caring about the characters, it's over. It felt more like a short story than a novel, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Perhaps a little too quaint, but its been a while since I read such a sweet book. Wish it had been a bit longer, just as you start caring about the characters, it's over. It felt more like a short story than a novel, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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