Middle Son by Deborah Iida is a small, deeply moving novel about the middle son of a Japanese immigrant family, growing up in the worker's camps in the cane fields on Maui. The novel brings us to the place so completely I can almost feel the cane spiders crawling on my skin and see the cane fires burning.
Iida has crafted a tale of family tradition, love and obligation; also the need to distance oneself from their place of origin, yet in the end a returning, coming home, making peace.
The language is spare and elegant and lyrical. This is a very subtle, yet powerful work of fiction. Beautiful. I loved this novel.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
The Night Journal
The Night Journal by Elizabeth Crook kept me up all night reading. It is set in New Mexico, past and present, and weaves together four generations of women.
Meg, who is now 37 has taken her grandmother back to her childhood home in Las Vegas, New Mexico, where long buried secrets are uncovered. There, she finally reads her great grandmother Hanna's journals, that she has avoided reading all her life.The journals give us a wonderful portait of New Mexcio at the turn of the 20th century, and the landscape becomes one of the main characters of the story.
An intriguing mystery unfolds, and there are so many plot twists and turns, I just couldn't put this book down. A beautifully written, very enjoyable novel.
Meg, who is now 37 has taken her grandmother back to her childhood home in Las Vegas, New Mexico, where long buried secrets are uncovered. There, she finally reads her great grandmother Hanna's journals, that she has avoided reading all her life.The journals give us a wonderful portait of New Mexcio at the turn of the 20th century, and the landscape becomes one of the main characters of the story.
An intriguing mystery unfolds, and there are so many plot twists and turns, I just couldn't put this book down. A beautifully written, very enjoyable novel.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
The Last Aloha
The Last Aloha by Gaellen Quinn tells of the takeover of the Hawaiian Monarchy in the late 1800's by American businessmen, descendants of missionaries. If you don't know this story already, this is a good piece of historical fiction that will clearly paint the picture for you.
The characters of Laura and her missionary relatives, were interesting, but not the best part of this book.
The history lessons, and the story told of Hawaii's last monarchs are what make this well worth reading. It is a story that still saddens me to this day, but one that needs to be told-and read.
The characters of Laura and her missionary relatives, were interesting, but not the best part of this book.
The history lessons, and the story told of Hawaii's last monarchs are what make this well worth reading. It is a story that still saddens me to this day, but one that needs to be told-and read.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Crooked Litttle Heart
I love Anne Lamott and have read everything she's written, but somehow missed Crooked Little Heart, until now.
It is the story of thirteen year old Rosie Ferguson, a gifted tennis player, just on the verge of adolescence, whose father died when she was four years old.
Lamott writes with such heart and honesty, at times it is almost painful to read. She explores the vulnerability of the human heart, and all the sadness, grief and fear we can feel when we are brave enough to love each other deeply.
She also finds small miracles in day to day life, and in nature as grand as mountains and as small as tidepools. This is Lamott at her best.
It is the story of thirteen year old Rosie Ferguson, a gifted tennis player, just on the verge of adolescence, whose father died when she was four years old.
Lamott writes with such heart and honesty, at times it is almost painful to read. She explores the vulnerability of the human heart, and all the sadness, grief and fear we can feel when we are brave enough to love each other deeply.
She also finds small miracles in day to day life, and in nature as grand as mountains and as small as tidepools. This is Lamott at her best.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts
Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts by Lucy Dillon is a tender, funny novel set in the English countryside, about a kennel of abandoned dogs and their unlikely new owners.
Dillon has crafted a novel that appeals to dog lovers as well as those who consider themselves 'not really dog people.'
A fun, sweet read-it's hard not to want to take home some of the dogs yourself, by the end.
Dillon has crafted a novel that appeals to dog lovers as well as those who consider themselves 'not really dog people.'
A fun, sweet read-it's hard not to want to take home some of the dogs yourself, by the end.
Monday, March 19, 2012
The Romantics
The Romantics by Pankaj Mishra is a revelation. It comes across gently, slowly, with subtle grace that draws you in before you even know what's happening. Mishra's language is deceptively simple. His ideas and concepts are not.
I was transported to Benares through the story of Samar, a young Indian, meeting many westerners for the first time, and following a very real journey of self discovery.
I thought this was a truly beautiful book. The images of India, and the feelings Mishra evoked will stay with me for a long time.
I was transported to Benares through the story of Samar, a young Indian, meeting many westerners for the first time, and following a very real journey of self discovery.
I thought this was a truly beautiful book. The images of India, and the feelings Mishra evoked will stay with me for a long time.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Another Summer
Another Summer by Georgia Bockoven takes us to a Santa Cruz beach house that has a history of bringing happiness to whoever stays there. It is a follow up to Bockoven's novel called The Beach House. Different people rent the house for each month of the summer and Bockoven weaves their tales together into a satisfying novel.
There are times you have to suspend your disbelief, not just for a bit of magic, but because everything can't always end so happily, so quickly.
However, I still enjoyed this novel very much, maybe even enough to go back and read The Beach House.
There are times you have to suspend your disbelief, not just for a bit of magic, but because everything can't always end so happily, so quickly.
However, I still enjoyed this novel very much, maybe even enough to go back and read The Beach House.
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